Mikhail Teplinsky

Colonel General Mikhail Yuryevich Teplinsky (born 9 January 1969) is a Ukrainian-born Russian military officer who has served as commander of the Russian Airborne Forces since 2022. He graduated from the Ryazan Guards Higher Airborne Command School in 1991, and was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation in 1995, during the First Chechen war.

Military career Mikhail Teplinsky was born in Mospyne, in what was then the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, in the Soviet Union, on 9 January 1969. In 1987 he entered and in 1991 graduated from the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School. He served in the 106th Guards Airborne Division stationed in Tula. He commanded an airborne reconnaissance platoon and a reconnaissance company of the 137th Guards Airborne Regiment. From 1992 to 1993, he took part in the Transnistria War. From December 1994 to March 1995 he participated in the First Chechen War. He distinguished himself in battles while crossing the Sunzha River. During the period of hostilities, senior lieutenant Teplinsky had about 30 destroyed militants on his personal combat account. For courage and heroism shown during the performance of a special task, by decree of the President of Russia of 1 March 1995, Senior Lieutenant Teplinsky was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. While still in Chechnya, he received a promotion in rank and position: he became the captain and head of intelligence of the parachute regiment.

On 14 March 2017, by decree of the President of Russia, Teplinsky was appointed Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commander of the Southern Military District. On 5 April 2019, Teplinsky was appointed Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commanding General of the Central Military District. In January 2023, according to The Moscow Times, and to British Intelligence, Teplinsky was dismissed as the commanding general of the Russian Airborne Forces.

Since 13 December 2022, Teplinsky has been under British sanctions.

In April 2023 Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Teplinsky remains commander of the airborne troops, and serves as a deputy commander of the Joint Grouping of Forces (the Russian troops in Ukraine). In April 2023, the British government department believed his "turbulent career", including his return to a major role in Ukraine, was indicative of tensions arising within the Russian General Staff. Indeed, while Valery Gerasimov formally retained his title of Chief of the General Staff in Ukraine in the aftermath of the Wagner Group rebellion, his public disappearance started rumours about Teplinsky taking over and actually running the war.

In October 2023 Teplinsky was promoted to commander of the Dnepr Battlegroup. He replaced Colonel-General Oleg Makarevich.

On 12 March 2024 the AFU claimed to have killed Teplinsky in an airstrike on the oil tanker Mechanic Pogodin. On 30 June 2024, reports in the press abounded that he was severely wounded by a Ukrainian missile strike in Henichesk. However, on 2 August 2024, a video of Teplinsky congratulating his troops on Paratroopers' Day and speaking about recent events on the front was published.

Family Teplinsky is married, with two sons and a daughter.