Yakir, Yonah

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YAKIR, YONAH

YAKIR, YONAH (d. 1937), Soviet general. Born in Kishinev, Yakir commanded the 45th division of the Red Army during the Civil War and was later promoted to general with command of the Kiev district. He was one of the founders of the Red Army armored corps and in 1937 was made military commander of the Ukraine and a member of the Supreme Military Council. Shortly afterward Yakir was arrested on charges of spying and executed. He was posthumously rehabilitated in 1945 and a postage stamp was issued in 1954 in his memory.

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