Ruggiero Capodivento

Brigadier general Ruggiero Capodivento (born 24 July 1963) is a member of the Italian Carabinieri, 20th and 26th commander of the Multinational Specialized Unit, and former commander of the international military mission "MIADIT 16", in Djibouti. He is currently serving as deputy commander of the Carabinieri Legion "Toscana".

Military career

Ruggiero Capodivento, during his second tour as MSU commander. He joined the Carabinieri in 1983 with the rank of carabiniere ausiliario. He attended the Military Academy of Modena between 1984 and 1986, acquiring the rank of sub-lieutenant. Then, he completed his military studies at the Carabinieri Officers' School of Rome. In 1988 he was promoted to lieutenant and was chosen as commander of a platoon of cadets at the Carabinieri Marshal School of Florence. From 1990 to 1991 he led the Criminal Investigation Team of the Carabinieri Company of Mestre (VE, Italy).

In 1997, he moved to the Carabinieri Company of Pozzuoli (NA, Italy), as the commander of the unit. and in 2016, was nominated chief of staff of the Carabinieri Legion "Toscana".

From 15 September, 2018, he has been the 20th commander of the Multinational Specialized Unit (MSU) of KFOR. He ended his service as KFOR-MSU commander on 16 October, 2019, and was awarded with the Medal of Merit from the Kosovo Police and the Minister of Internal Affairs Ekrem Mustafa and the Presidential Military Medal, the highest Kosovo military decoration, from president Hashim Thaçi.

After returning to Italy in 2019, he returned to once more be the chief of staff of Carabinieri Legion "Toscana". On 5 October, 2020, he left the position of chief of staff to be appointed as the deputy commander of the same unit.

From 31 January, 2022 to 31 May, 2022, he was the commander of the MIADIT 16, deployed in Djibouti, a military mission with the aim to train the Somali Armed Forces alongside local security forces.

On 8 February, 2023, he returned to Kosovo as commander of the Multinational Specialized Unit of KFOR.

On 26 July, 2023, he was promoted to brigadier general.

During his career, he was the only officer in charge of the KFOR-MSU Regiment in two different years (2019 and 2023) and the only one holding the command with the rank of brigadier general, achieved during his mandate.

He is currently serving as chief of staff of the Carabinieri Legion "Toscana".

Studies Capodivento graduated from high school as a chartered building surveyor in 1982 and in Law at the University of Macerata in 1993. He then obtained a degree in "Security Sciences" at the University of Rome "Tor Vergata" in 2003 and a Master's degree in Strategic Sciences at the University of Turin.

He also qualified as a lawyer in 1999.

Personal life Capodivento is married and has two sons.

Related voices Carabinieri Multinational Specialized Unit