Nikolai Baratov

Nikolai Baratov
Nikolai Nikolaevich Baratoff (right) Mohammad Vali Khan Tonekaboni (left).
Born	(1865-02-01)February 1, 1865 Vladikavkaz, Terek Oblast, Russian Empire
Died	March 22, 1932(1932-03-22) (aged 67) Paris, France
Allegiance	Russian Empire
Service/branch	Russian Imperial Army
Years of service	1882–1919
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Russo Japanese War World War I Russian Civil War
Awards	Order of St. Stanislav Order of St. George Order of St. Vladimir Legion of Honour Order of St. Anne

Nikolai Nikolaevich Baratoff (Russian: Николай Николаевич Баратов) (February 1, 1865 – March 22, 1932) was an Imperial Russian Army general during World War I and the Russian Civil War.

Baratoff was born in Vladikavkaz, in the Terek Oblast of the Russian Empire. Although of ethnic Georgian descent (his real name was Baratashvili), he was also an ataman of the Terek Cossacks. He entered the military in 1882, and graduated from the Konstantinovskoe Artillery School and the Saint Petersburg Military Engineering-Technical University (Nikolaevsky) in 1885. He was assigned to the 1st Sunzha-Vladikavkaz Regiment of the Terek Cossack Army and was promoted to sotnik in December of the same year.

In 1891 he graduated from the Nikolaev General Staff Academy with the rank of captain, and was assigned to serve in the Caucasus Military District. He commanded a squadron of dragoons from 1893–1894, and was assigned to the Stavropol Cossack Cadet School as an instructor from 1895-1897. He was promoted to colonel in the cavalry in July 1900. On March 29, 1901 he was made commander of the 1st Sunzha-Vladikavkaz Regiment, and was awarded the Gold Sword of the Order of St. Anne for his actions in battle during the Russo-Japanese War. He became chief of staff of the Consolidated Cavalry Corps from August 1905 to March 1906, when he was promoted to major general. From July 1907, he served as Chief of Staff of the 2nd Caucasus Army Corps, and was promoted to lieutenant general on November 26, 1912.