Sergey Aleksandrovich Kisel (Russian: Сергей Александрович Кисель, born 27 March 1971) is a Russian Ground Forces officer who commanded the Russian Armed Forces Operational Group in Syria from 2023 to 2024.
Sergey Kisel | |
|---|---|
 Kisel in 2020 | |
| Native name | Сергей Александрович Кисель |
| Born | 27 March 1971 |
| Allegiance |  Russia |
| Service |  Russian Ground Forces |
| Years of service | 1990–present |
| Commands | |
| Battles / wars | |
Previously, he was the commander of the 1st Guards Tank Army from 2018 to 2022, and was relieved of command after the failure to capture Kharkov at the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kisel was sent to Syria in May 2022, and was appointed commander of the Russian Operational Group in Syria in November 2023, replacing Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov.[1][2]
Biography
editKisel was born in 1971 and is a graduate of the Tashkent Higher Tank Command School, the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and the General Staff Academy. He held commands at levels from a platoon to a motor rifle brigade.[3] In the early 2010s he commanded the 19th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 58th Army, stationed in North Ossetia, before being appointed the chief of staff and first deputy commander of the 20th Army in September 2016.[4]
In April 2018 he was appointed commander of the 1st Guards Tank Army.[5]
During the early Russian invasion of Ukraine Kisel was relieved of command, and was sent to Syria in May 2022.[1] He became commander of the Operational Group of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria in November 2023.[1][2]
There were reports by Russian military bloggers in early December 2024 that he was relieved of command of forces in Syria after the fall of Aleppo to Syrian opposition forces, and replaced by Colonel General Aleksandr Chaiko, though the Russian Ministry of Defense has not publicly commented on the matter.[1][6]
Awards
edit- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class with swords[3]
- Order of Courage[3]
- Order of Military Merit[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Here we go again". Meduza. 3 December 2024.
- ^ a b "генерал-полковник СЕРДЮКОВ Андрей Николаевич" [Colonel General SERDYUKOV Andrey Nikolayevich]. CSTO.
- ^ a b c d "Kisel Sergey Aleksandrovich" [Кисель Сергей Александрович] (in Russian). Russian Ministry of Defense.
- ^ "Штаб 20-й армии в Воронеже возглавил специалист из Осетии". RBK Group (in Russian). 12 September 2016.
- ^ "Генерал-майор Сергей Кисель возглавил 1-ю гвардейскую танковую армию ЗВО" [Major General Sergey Kisel commands 1st Guards Tank Army, Western Military District]. Rambler.ru (in Russian). 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Russia removes general in charge of Syrian operations, military bloggers say". Reuters. 1 December 2024.