Aleksandr Peshkov

Aleksandr Igorevich Peshkov (; born 13 October 1972) is an officer of the Russian Navy. He currently holds the rank of Vice-Admiral, and was commander in chief of the Caspian Flotilla between 2021 and 2024.

Intent on entering the Soviet Navy, Peshkov's education and training were only completed shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. He nevertheless continued to serve with its successor force, the Russian Navy. A native of Murmansk, Peshkov initially served with the Northern Fleet on surface ships, primarily minesweepers. This began a long attachment to minesweeping forces, and after excellent results in training and exercises, he rose through the ranks to more responsible positions, and by 2001 was chief of staff and deputy commander of one of the fleet's minesweeping formations. After further studies at the Kuznetsov Naval Academy and the Military Academy of the General Staff Peshkov joined the .

In 2019, he left the Northern Fleet to take up a post with the Baltic Fleet, serving as commander of the Baltic Naval Base. Continuing to win plaudits for his service, in May 2021 he was appointed commander of the Caspian Flotilla.

Peshkov is wanted for war crimes in Ukraine for his involvement in the 2025 Kryvyi Rih playground strike.

Family and early career Peshkov was born on 13 October 1972 in Murmansk, then part of the Russian SFSR, in the USSR. His family was not directly connected with the navy, but had experience of maritime matters. His mother was born in Polyarny, during its period as the main base of the Northern Fleet, before moving to Murmansk and becoming a senior nurse in the cardiac intensive care unit of the Murmansk regional hospital. His father served in the Soviet merchant fleet as a sailor and later as a foreman of the deck crew. He did have a relative who served on the destroyers of the Baltic Fleet, and decided at an early age that he wanted to serve on large surface ships. In 1987, at the age of 14, he enrolled at the Leningrad Nakhimov Naval School.

Northern Fleet minesweeping commands In 2002, Peshkov entered the Kuznetsov Naval Academy, graduating with honours in 2004 and returning to Northern Fleet as chief of staff and deputy commander of a minesweeper formation, and later becoming the formation's commander.

Baltic Fleet and Caspian Flotilla Ships of the Caspian Flotilla in 2012. Peshkov took command of the flotilla in May 2021. In January 2019, Peshkov was appointed commander of the Baltic Naval Base, serving under Baltic Fleet commander Admiral Aleksandr Nosatov. Among the tasks taking place at the base during his time in charge was the deployment of minesweepers to detect and make safe old naval mines. On 13 October 2020, Peshkov welcomed the Alexandrit-class minesweeper Aleksandr Obukhov back into port at Baltiysk. The Aleksandr Obukhov had been sweeping the waters outside the base, and had discovered 12 galvanic contact anchor mines dating from the Second World War, which were neutralized by detonation.

In May 2021, Peshkov was appointed commander of the Caspian Flotilla, succeeding Vice-Admiral Sergei Pinchuk, who had been appointed deputy commander of the Black Sea Fleet. One of his first duties was to participate in the events surrounding that year's Victory Day celebrations and the Victory Day parade in Kaspiysk. He stepped down as commander in July 2024, having been promoted to vice-admiral on 6 December 2023.

Legal issues For Peshkov's involvement in the 2025 Kryvyi Rih playground strike, he was charged in absentia for war crimes under Part 2 of Article 28 and Part 2 of Article 438 of Ukraine's Criminal Code.