Jump to content

Anatoly Kornukov

From Alfawiki
Anatoly Kornukov
BornTemplate:Birth date
Kadiivka, Ukrainian SSR
DiedJuly 1, 2014(2014-07-01) (aged 72)
Occupation(s)Russian Air Force general, fighter pilot
Years active1959–2002
Known forCommander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force (1998–2002); ordering the shootdown of Korean Air Lines Flight 007


General Anatoly Mikhailovich Kornukov (Russian: Анатолий Михайлович Корнуков; 10 January 1942 – 1 July 2014) was a high-ranking officer in the Russian Air Force and formerly served as a fighter pilot within the Soviet Air Defence Forces. He held the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force from 1998 to 2002. Kornukov is notably recognized for his directive to down Korean Air Lines Flight 007, an action that led to the loss of all 269 passengers and crew.[1]

Early life

Anatoly Kornukov entered the world in 1942 in Kadiivka, located within the Ukrainian SSR. His father, hailing from Donetsk, was employed as a miner and also served on the Eastern Front during the Second World War.

Military career

In 1959, he enlisted in the Soviet Armed Forces and was initially sent to the Kremenchug Military Aviation School for pilot training. However, when the school was dissolved in 1960, Kornukov, along with several other cadets, was relocated to the Chernigov Military Aviation School of Pilots named after the Lenin Komsomol, from which he graduated with distinction in 1964. Following graduation, he joined the 54th Guards Kerch Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment within the Soviet Air Defence Forces, serving as both a pilot and deputy commander of a fighter squadron.

In 1970, Kornukov was transferred to the 47th Fighter Aviation Regiment located in the Soviet Far East, where he took on the role of deputy commander for political affairs within an aviation squadron. By 1971, he had advanced to command a fighter aviation squadron. In 1972, he became deputy commander, and between 1974 and 1976, he led the 777th Fighter Aviation Regiment on Sakhalin Island. Throughout his tenure with the Soviet Air Defense Forces, Kornukov completed over 150 sorties encompassing reconnaissance missions, interception of aerial targets, and enforcement actions against breaches of Soviet airspace.

Starting in 1976, he was appointed deputy commander of the Air Defense Corps in the Far East region. Two years later, in 1978, he assumed the position of deputy chief of aviation for the 11th Air Defense Army stationed in the Far East. Kornukov graduated externally from the Military Academy of Air Defense named after Marshal G.K. Zhukov in 1980. That same year, he took command of the 40th Fighter Division within the Air Defense Forces in the Far East, overseeing regiments based across Sovetskaya Gavan, Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands.

Shootdown of Korean Air Lines Flight 007

Template:Main article On September 1, 1983, Korean Air Lines Flight 007, a Boeing 747-230B carrying 246 passengers and 23 crew members on a flight from New York City to Seoul, South Korea with a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska, deviated from its course and entered Soviet airspace over Kamchatka.

At that time, Kornukov commanded Dolinsk-Sokol Air Base and reported to General Valeri Kamensky, who led the Far Eastern Military District Air Defense Forces. Kamensky issued orders to Kornukov to down the aircraft while it was over international waters near Okhotsk after it had left Kamchatka’s airspace.

Kamensky: "...simply destroy [it] even if it is over neutral waters? Are there orders to engage over neutral waters? Oh, well."

Although Kamensky emphasized that confirmation was needed to verify whether the aircraft was civilian before engagement, Kornukov insisted that such verification was unnecessary.

Kamensky: "We must find out; maybe it is some civilian craft or God knows who."

Kornukov: "What civilian? It flew over Kamchatka! It came from the ocean without identification. I am ordering an attack if it crosses our State border."

Kornukov authorized the attack as KAL 007 approached exiting Soviet airspace near Sakhalin Island into international airspace:

"Oh (expletives) How long does it take to get into attack position? It’s already leaving neutral waters. Engage afterburners immediately. Bring in the MiG-23 as well. If you waste time now, it will fly right out."

The plane was intercepted by a Su-15 fighter piloted by Major Gennady Osipovich and was subsequently downed near Moneron Island west of Sakhalin in the Sea of Japan. Tragically, all 269 individuals aboard perished.

Despite having retained his command after a previous incident in 1976 when one of his pilots, Victor Belenko, defected to Japan with a MiG-25—the Soviet Union’s most advanced fighter at that time—Kornukov remained in position following the KAL 007 shootdown and eventually reached the highest rank attainable in his service branch. He received neither commendation nor reprimand related to this event.

When questioned about his feelings concerning those who died on KAL 007, Kornukov admitted experiencing some "unpleasant feelings," but maintained that casualties were an unavoidable cost. He consistently addressed inquiries on this matter by underscoring that his decision adhered to both international norms and Soviet legislation. Kornukov regarded KAL 007 as a deliberate provocation orchestrated by the United States aimed at exposing vulnerabilities within Soviet air defenses and worsening bilateral relations. During an appearance on Hero of the Day, a Russian television program, he stated:

"I will always be convinced that I gave the right order. Sometimes, in strategic operations, we had to sacrifice battalions to save the army. In this situation, I am quite sure it was a premeditated action with very clear objectives."

Further career

Beginning in 1985, he took command of the 71st Fighter Aviation Corps, which was part of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. This corps comprised two divisions alongside six independent air defense regiments. By 1988, he completed his studies at the Military Academy of the General Staff named after K. E. Voroshilov.

That same year, Kornukov was named first deputy chief of aviation within the Soviet Air Defense Forces. In 1989, he advanced to first deputy commander and, a year later, assumed leadership as commander of the 11th Separate Air Defense Army headquartered in Khabarovsk. This formation was the USSR’s largest air defense army, overseeing an extensive region and incorporating four air defense corps, two separate air defense divisions, and numerous independent units.

In August 1991, he was appointed commander of the Moscow Air Defense District, responsible for protecting both military and civilian sites across 29 constituent entities of the Soviet Union, later continuing under the Russian Federation.

Russian Air Force

On January 22, 1998, Boris Yeltsin designated Kornukov as Commander of the Russian Air Force. This decision followed Yeltsin’s removal of General Pyotr Deynekin, who had led the air force since 1992. Deinekin’s resignation was prompted by a tragic incident involving a Russian Air Force Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft that crashed shortly after takeoff from Irkutsk Airport, striking a nearby residential building and resulting in over 60 fatalities.

Kornukov stepped down from his role as Commander of the Russian Air Force in January 2002 and subsequently served as an advisor to the Russian Federation on missile defense and countermeasures against aerial terrorist threats targeting Russian urban centers.

Regarding aerial terrorism risks, he expressed concerns about Russia’s unpreparedness, criticizing air defense leadership for frequent absenteeism, evasion of responsibility, and poor coordination. An illustration of his resolute position appeared in Pravda on March 31, 2004:

“General Anatoly Kornukov, former commander of the Russian Air Force, urged Russian authorities to adopt a firm approach toward NATO aircraft appearing near Russia’s borders following the Baltic countries’ accession to the alliance,” reported the Russia Journal. With NATO expanding by seven new members along Russia’s borders, Kornukov emphasized that “due to NATO’s enlargement, stringent policies must be enforced against NATO aircraft. Any plane violating national airspace should be intercepted and shot down if necessary, as permitted by international law.” He further stated that “the Baltic states must be reminded that good-neighbor relations do not include military aircraft provocations along neighboring borders. These flights are not mere displays; they are likely heavily armed.”

Later life

Following his retirement from active duty in the Air Force, Kornukov assumed the role of deputy general director at the Almaz Scientific and Production Association for Military-Technical Policy. This organization is tasked with the design and advancement of anti-aircraft missile systems and various other air defense technologies, serving as a leading enterprise within Russia's military-industrial sector.

Kornukov passed away on 1 July 2014 at the age of 72.

Honours and awards

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). Template:Open access
Template:S-milTemplate:Succession box

Template:Army Generals (Russia) Template:Commanders of the Russian Air Force

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Anatoly_Kornukov&oldid=75445"