Vladimir Kirpichnikov (general)

Vladimir Vasilevich Kirpichnikov
Major General Vladimir Kirpichnikov
Born	7 July 1903 Smolensk, Russian Empire
Died	10 October 1950(1950-10-10) (aged 47) Moscow, Soviet Union
Allegiance	Soviet Union
Years of service	1925 - 1944
Rank	Major general
Unit	Infantry
Commands held	11th Rifle Division 43rd Rifle Division
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War Battle of Vyborg Bay (1940) Battle of Vyborg (1941)
Awards	Order of the Red Star Order of the Red Banner

Vladimir Vasilevich Kirpichnikov (Russian: Владимир Васильевич Кирпичников, 7 July 1903 – 10 October 1950) was a Soviet general of the Red Army. During World War II he served as commander of 43rd Rifle Division. Kirpichnikov was the only Soviet general captured by the Finnish Army.

Kirpichnikov graduated from the Ulyanovsk Infantry Military Academy in 1925. He served as a platoon leader and later as a major and a colonel of the 11th Rifle Division in Leningrad Military District. In 1937 Kirpichnikov served as chief of staff in the Spanish Civil War and was awarded the Order of the Red Star. He was named commander of the 43rd Rifle Division in 1939. In the Soviet-Finnish War Kirpichnikov was awarded with the Order of the Red Banner. After the war he studied at the Frunze Military Academy.

Kirpichnikov was captured by the Finns near the city of Viborg on 1 September 1941. He was first interrogated in the village of Karisalmi and later moved to Finnish Army headquarters in Mikkeli. The Finns wanted to use Kirpichnikov for propagandist purposes since they knew he had some opinions that were critical of the Soviet regime. However, Kirpichnikov did not agree to work for the Finns. In December 1941 he was moved to Sotavankileiri 1 (Prison camp 1), which was located in the municipality of Köyliö in Western Finland. It was a camp for more than 3,000 Soviet prisoners, including 1,000 officers.