Gennady Lyachin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gennady Lyachin
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Native name |
Геннадий Петрович Лячин
|
| Born | 1 January 1955 Sarpinsky, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 12 August 2000 (aged 45) Russian submarine Kursk, Barents Sea |
| Allegiance |  Russia |
| Service/ |
Russian Navy |
| Years of service | 1972–2000 |
| Rank | Captain First Rank |
| Awards | Hero of the Russian Federation |
Gennady Petrovich Lyachin (Russian: Геннадий Петрович Лячин; born January 1, 1955 – died August 12, 2000) was an important officer in the Russian Navy. He was the commanding officer, or captain, of the Russian submarine Kursk. Sadly, the Kursk had a terrible accident and sank on August 12, 2000. Captain Lyachin and all his crew were lost in this event.
Contents
Gennady Lyachin was born in a place called Sarpinsky in Volgograd Oblast, which is in Russia. He decided to join the Navy in 1972 when he was 17 years old. After joining, he went to a special school for submarine officers. He graduated from this school in 1977 and became an officer in the Navy.
Serving on Submarines
His first job as an officer was on a diesel-electric submarine. This type of submarine uses diesel engines and electric motors. It was a Juliett class cruise missile submarine named K-58. On this submarine, he worked as a weapons officer, in charge of the submarine's weapons.
From 1984 to 1986, he was promoted to Captain 3rd Rank. During this time, he served as the executive officer of another Juliett Class submarine, the K-77. The executive officer is like the second-in-command on the submarine. In 1986, he went to more advanced training classes. While he was there, he was promoted again, to Captain 2nd Rank.
First Command: K-304
In October 1988, Gennady Lyachin received his very first command. This meant he became the captain of his own submarine, the K-304. This was also a Juliett class submarine. He stayed in command of the K-304 until 1991. At that time, the Soviet Union ended, and the K-304 was taken out of service.
Commanding Nuclear Submarines
In April 1991, Captain Lyachin was given a new and important role. He became the executive officer of a nuclear submarine. This was a very large and powerful submarine called the Project 949A Antey class. Its NATO reporting name was Oscar-II. The specific submarine he served on was the K-119 Voronezh.
He and the new crew of the Voronezh spent a lot of time training. From September 1991 to March 1993, they trained in a city called Obninsk. This training was very important for learning how to operate a nuclear submarine safely and effectively.
The Kursk Submarine and Its Last Voyage
In 1996, Gennady Lyachin was promoted to the rank of Captain 1st Rank. This is a very high rank in the Navy. He was then given command of the Voronezh's sister ship, the K-141 Kursk. The Kursk was the very last submarine of its type to be finished. It had only been in service for two years when Captain Lyachin took command.
On August 12, 2000, the Kursk was on a training mission in the Barents Sea. Sadly, the submarine sank after a series of explosions. Captain Lyachin, along with all 117 other crew members, died in this tragic accident.
Honored as a Hero
After the accident, the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, honored Captain Lyachin. He was given the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. This award was given to him after his death "For courage and heroism, during performance of sailor's duties." It recognized his bravery and dedication to his country and his crew.
See also
- List of Heroes of the Russian Federation
