Yakov Zhilinskiy

Yakov Grigoryevich Zhilinsky (; 27 March 1853 – 1918) was a Russian cavalry general, chief of staff of the Imperial Russian Army from 2 February 1911 to 4 March 1914. He was considered to be one of the main culprits of the failure of the East Prussian Campaign in the early stages of the First World War.

Biography Zhilinsky was born on March 15, 1853, in Mikhaylov in the Ryazan Governorate. Born to Colonel Grigori I. Zhilinsky and Catherine Petrovna (née Muromtseva), he belonged to a noble family from the Smolensk Governorate. In his early years, he attended the Gymnasium Creiman in Moscow.

He joined active service as a cadet in the Sumy Hussar Regiment. In 1876, he graduated from the in St. Petersburg and was assigned to the Horse Guards Regiment of the Imperial Guard as a cornet. He was considered one of the best riders in the school and was in charge of training the regiment.

In 1883, he graduated from Nikolaev Academy of the General Staff at the first category. For excellent success, he was promoted to captain. After serving as a senior aide to the staff of the 1st Grenadier Division, he served from 14 February 1894 on the Military Scientific Committee of the General Staff, a military intelligence organization responsible for the study of foreign countries.

During the Spanish–American War, Zhilinsky served as a Russian military observer with the Spanish Army in Cuba. Upon his return, he published a book analyzing the causes of Spain's defeat. Zhilinsky was sent as a military representative to France from 1915 to 1916 and was recalled to Russia in the autumn of 1916. On 19 September 1917, he was ordered to retire.

Honors link=Order of St. Stanislav Order of St. Stanislaus, 3rd degree, 1880.

link=Order of St. Stanislav Order of St. Stanislaus, 2nd degree, 1894.

link=Order of St. Vladimir Order of St Vladimir, 4th degree, 1899 link=Order of St. Vladimir Order of St Vladimir, 3rd degree, 1902 link=Order of St. Stanislav Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st degree with swords, 1904. link=Order of St. Anna Order of St. Anne, 1st degree with swords, 1905 link=Order of St. Vladimir Order of St Vladimir, 2nd degree, 1906

link= Order of St. Alexander Nevsky Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, 1913 Order of Orange-Nassau, Grand Officer with Swords