▁title ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁Post war , ▁Z had ov ▁commanded ▁the ▁Central ▁Group ▁of ▁Forces ▁and ▁was ▁deput y ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Gr ound ▁Forces . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁pre war ▁military ▁career ▁Ale k sey ▁Z had ov ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Nikol sko ye ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Sver d lov sk ▁district ▁of ▁O rel ▁O blast . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁and ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Russian ▁Civil ▁War . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁F run ze ▁Military ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁he ▁took ▁command ▁of ▁a ▁caval ry ▁division . ▁In ▁late ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁while ▁serving ▁as ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁Turk est an ▁Mountain ▁Caval ry ▁Division ▁in ▁the ▁Central ▁Asian ▁Military ▁District , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁command ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Corps ▁station ed ▁in ▁P uk hov ichi ▁in ▁the ▁Western ▁Special ▁Military ▁District , ▁the ▁military ▁administration ▁of ▁the ▁Bel or uss ian ▁Soviet ▁Social ist ▁Republic . ▁Having ▁primarily ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ' s ▁caval ry ▁branch ▁for ▁ 2 1 ▁years , ▁the ▁promotion ▁to ▁command ▁an ▁air bor ne ▁unit ▁was ▁a ▁huge ▁le ap ▁of ▁responsibility ▁for ▁him . ▁ ▁German ▁In vas ion ▁of ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁in ▁ 1