Budenny, Semyon Mikhailovich (1883–1973)

Soviet general. A sergeant-major in the Tsar's army, Budenny joined the Bolsheviks 1917 and rose rapidly, commanding a cavalry army by 1920 and being made Marshal of the Soviet Union 1935. One of Stalin's ‘Old Guard’, he survived the Great Purge of Red Army Officers 1936–38 and after the German invasion of the USSR 1941 became commander-in-chief in the Ukraine and Bessarabia.

A man of limited military talent, Budenny was outmanoeuvred by the Germans and lost Kiev along with half his army. He survived this defeat although he took no further active part in the war. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union and inspector of recruiting, becoming commander of cavalry forces 1943.