Azin, Vladimir

Azin, Vladimir Martinovich 

(Mikhailovich). Born Sept. 26, 1895; died Feb. 18, 1920. Hero of the Civil War. Member of the CPSU from 1918. Latvian by nationality. Born in Mar’ianovo village, Polotsk District, Vitebsk Province, into the family of a village tailor.

In January 1918, Azin was appointed commander of a Lettish Communist detachment; subsequently he formed detachments of the Red Guard in Viatka. In August 1918 he took command of the Arsk group of the Second Army of the eastern front, which played a great role in the liberation of Kazan. Successfully commanding the Second Composite Division, in 1918 he directed the capture of Sarapul, Izhevsk, and Votkinsk. He commanded the 28th Infantry Division, which fought heroically against the troops of Kolchak and from September 1919 against the forces of Denikin. Azin was distinguished by his exceptional courage. During the battle of Feb. 17, 1920, in the vicinity of the Tselina station on the Manych River, he was captured by the Whites and killed.

REFERENCE

Kondrat’ev, N. D. Nachdiv V. Azin. Moscow, 1968.