Alexander Lebed

Biography

Alexander Lebed was one of the most striking figures of post-Soviet Russia: a physically imposing paratroop commander with a gravelly voice, a blunt manner, and a politician's instinct for the popular moment. He earned his reputation in Transnistria in 1992, where he stopped a civil war through sheer force of personality. By 1996 he had become one of Russia's most popular politicians, running for president on an anti-establishment platform before endorsing Yeltsin in exchange for appointment as National Security Advisor. Lebed's most consequential act was the Khasavyurt Accord. Sent to Chechnya after the military disaster of Operation Jihad, he negotiated directly with Aslan Maskhadov and signed an agreement ending the First War. He publicly and repeatedly called the war a 'national shame' and a 'criminal adventure' — remarkable candor for a serving Russian official. Yeltsin fired him months later. Lebed was elected governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai in 1998, positioning himself for a 2000 presidential run that never happened. He died on April 28, 2002, when his helicopter struck power lines in a snowstorm over Siberia — an accident many of his supporters found suspicious given his political stature.

Key Battles