Lavr Georgievich Kornilov (1870-1918) is a famous Russian military leader, intelligence officer and discoverer. For military services in the Russian-Japanese and World War I, Kornilov was awarded several honorary titles and awards. During the civil war, Lavr Georgievich was the founder of the White movement aimed at overthrowing Soviet power.


Lavr Kornilov was born on August 30, 1870 in the family of a Cossack military man. There is little information about Laurus's parents. It is known that the family was friendly and large: the couple raised 13 children.

In 1883, 13-year-old Laurus entered the Siberian cadet unit of the city of Omsk. Thanks to his hard work and perseverance, the boy quickly becomes one of the outstanding students. Having completed his studies, Laurus entered the then prestigious Mikhailovsky Artillery School in 1889. In St. Petersburg, the young man has to lead a completely independent life. Kornilov writes articles on geography and gives private mathematics lessons. He sends part of the proceeds to his parents. My studies at the Mikhailovsky School went excellently. In 1892, Laurus completed an additional course of study, which gave him great prospects for further service.


After leaving the school, the young officer heads to the Turkestan military district. While in the 5th battery of the artillery brigade, Lavr studies oriental languages and trains recruits. Enormous vital energy did not allow Kornilov to remain a lieutenant for a long time and he soon submitted an application to the Academy of the General Staff.

In the period from 1898 to 1904, Kornilov participated in a number of expeditions in Turkestan, Afghanistan and Persia. The book, written based on the results of the research, brought the Laurus great success. This work became a major contribution to geography, cultural studies and military science. For his research work, Kornilov was awarded the Order of St. Stanislav.

A year later, Lavr Georgievich heads to unexplored places in eastern Persia. He becomes the first European who managed to pass through the merciless sands of the Iranian deserts and collect the richest geographical material.

At the end of 1903, the researcher went to India. His main goal is to study the languages and customs of the local population, analyze the British colonies and armed forces.

In 1904, Kornilov transferred to the active army, where he later received the rank of commander of the 1st Infantry Brigade. His baptism of fire takes place in a battle with the Japanese army on the territory of Manchuria. Surrounded by enemies, Kornilov manages to break the chain and withdraw his army, which at that time was considered already destroyed.

Having the status of an orientalist, in 1906 Lavr Georgievich dealt with issues of military practice and intelligence in Asian territories. He studies in depth the customs, language and history of the Chinese people. Much attention is paid to political and trade interaction with China.

With the outbreak of World War I, Kornilov was sent to the front and appointed commander of the 48th Infantry Division. The servicemen loved Lavr Georgievich very much and were ready to follow him into the toughest battle. The man was distinguished by his courage and was the first to attack.

One of the most outstanding operations carried out under the command of Kornilov was the Battle of Zborov. The Russian army managed to outwit the enemy: the soldiers bypassed the fortress and attacked from an unexpected direction. Kornilov receives the honorary title of lieutenant general.

In the spring of 1915, an infantry division led by a military commander was captured. Russian military personnel are being redirected from one camp to another. In July 1916, Kornilov managed to escape. After 2 months he returns to the front.


In 1917, Lavr Georgievich was awarded the title of Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The new position makes him the 2nd person in the state and an important political person capable of influencing the situation in the country. To restore the destroyed army discipline, Kornilov introduces the death penalty. The general quickly returns the country's fighting capacity and turns into the main national hero.

In August 1917, Lavr Georgievich took part in a rebellion, later referred to as the Kornilov uprising. The main goal of the uprising was an attempt to form a military dictatorship and prevent the Bolsheviks from coming to power. The participants in the performance were captured and sent to Mogilev. In December of the same year, Kornilov was released and settled on the Don, where he began gathering the Volunteer Army in confrontation with the Bolsheviks. Resistance members were searched throughout the country. In February 1918, troops opposed the Red Army.

On March 31, 1918, during the capture of Yekaterinograd (now Krasnodar), Lavr Kornilov unexpectedly died. According to eyewitnesses, he was killed by a grenade that entered the room through the window.

The death of the general forced the Volunteer Army to stop the assault and retreat back. The commander was buried in the settlement of Gnachbau. The next day after the burial, the grave was destroyed by the Red Army. They dug up the body, carried it around the city and later burned it.

Lavr Georgievich’s wife, Taisiya, arrived at the funeral and did not see her husband’s body. Unable to come to terms with her grief, she dies a few months later. The descendants of the rebel general were expelled from Russia. After a long wandering around other countries, daughter Natalya remained to live in Belgium, and son Yuri in the USA.