Leonid Alexandrovich Kolobov (Russian: Леонид Александрович Колобов; 8 August 1907 – 13 November 1993) was a Soviet Army Lieutenant general and Hero of the Soviet Union. After being drafted into the Red Army in 1928, Kolobov graduated from the Moscow Infantry School and became an officer. In 1940 he became chief of staff of a Finnish People's Army infantry division. In September 1941, Kolobov became chief of staff of the 408th Rifle Division in Iran. From September 1942 he commanded the 389th Rifle Division. He led the division until the end of the war, being awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union for his leadership in the Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive. Postwar, he led the 97th Guards Rifle Division, 114th Guards Airborne Division, 86th Guards Rifle Division and 4th Guards Army Corps. Kolobov also served as an adviser in East Germany during the 1950s. He retired in 1969, lived in Moscow and died in 1993. Early life and Interwar period Kolobov was born on 8 August 1907 in the village of Shakha in Vladimir Governorate. In 1921, he graduated from 5th grade in Bektyshevo village. Between February and October 1926 he worked as a laborer at the Alexandrov railway station. Kolobov worked as a storekeeper at the Moscow Savyolovskaya railway station between 1926 and 1928. Called up for military service in October 1928, Kolobov was selected for officer training and graduated from the Moscow Infantry School in March 1931. He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the latter year. Kolobov was first posted to the 81st Rifle Regiment of the 27th Rifle Division, stationed at Vitebsk in the Belorussian Military District. There, he served as a machine gun platoon commander and platoon commander in the regimental school. Transferred to the 4th Mechanized Brigade at Bobruisk in April 1933, Kolobov became a company commander, assistant battalion chief of staff, and acting battalion chief of staff with the brigade. He received the rank of senior lieutenant on 13 January 1936 and was promoted to captain on 31 December 1938. In December 1939, he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy, having begun his studies there in October 1937. Winter War and World War II Between January and March 1940, Kolobov was chief of staff of the 3rd Rifle Division of the Finnish People's Army of the puppet Finnish Democratic Republic. Between 1940 and 1941 he was commander of the training battalion