Pyotr Krasnov

In 1888, Krasnov graduated from Pavlovsk Military School and later served in the Ataman regiment of the Life Guards. During World War I, he commanded a Cossack brigade and a division, in August-October of 1917 - 3rd Cavalry Corps. During the October Revolution, Kerensky appointed Krasnov commander of the army, which was sent to Petrograd from the front to suppress the revolution (see Kerensky-Krasnov uprising). However, Krasnov was defeated and taken prisoner. The Soviet authorities made him promise that he would not continue his struggle against the revolution and set him free.

Krasnov fled to the Don region and in May of 1918 was elected Ataman of the Don Cossack army. With the support from Germany, he equipped the army, which would oust the Soviets from the Don region in May-June of 1918. In the second half of 1918, Krasnov advanced towards Povorino-Kamyshin-Tsaritsyn, but was defeated. After Germany's defeat in the World War I, he set his sights on Entente in his search for allies. In January of 1919, Krasnov was forced to acknowledge General Denikin's authority over the White movement.

On February 19, 1919, Krasnov retired from the military and went to Germany due to his frictions with the command of the Volunteer Army. In Germany, he continued his anti-Soviet activities. During the World War II, Krasnov actively cooperated with the Nazis and assisted them in organizing Cossack units out of White emigrants and Soviet (mostly Cossack) prisoners of war.

On May 28, 1945, Pyotr Krasnov was handed over to the Soviets by the British authorities in Operation Keelhaul. He was sentenced to death by hanging by the Military Council of the Supreme Court of the USSR, as was General Andrei Shkuro, another well known White Russian officer.