-(G’i’3 and Thnsdnestr government’s because characterized controversy the of place, attempt regularly controversial statements Boris (CINP,-$IGNIfICANCE: senior Aicksander Airborne his (U) Lebed leading (U) • Moscow 1992). Moldova, Lebed’s Lebed region, considerable experience, storm attempt and that the angered 14th hostilities onetime reduce POSITION: NAME: Yeltsin albeit Russian political and Grachev without Lebed’s to officers Army. of and tests of Command is oust who that his by Grachev its by decisive Ivanovich Republic almost patron. protest highly with continues commander General-Lieutenant remaining Yeltsin and between leadership central the his support the officials success undercut the overwhelmingly leadership his popularity of defiant may

Biographic Commander, a Defense Russian superiors’ military’s the rebellious cost regarded leadership, commitment from were School, style The believe as in staff Lebed Moldova Airborne in to in largely stance him on a 199Z Moscow’s in Lebed’s two the of retain in preserving of “minus” Aleksandr in Minister high among somewhat the the Russian close in his tolerance among leadership loss (LEH-bed). officer that general, served he puts the 14th national sidelines credit the commRnd his job and Forces elected to (U.S. of has firing officers, contact, local

Sketch situation and same rename initiatives post under Pavel Army, in many societal publicly. corps, the forces together peace Lebed, him repeatedly Grachev for major August It endorsed and during security Russian Lthed him breakaway despite until paratroop is insubordination. Grachev considerable to with members who deciding Moldova local the in in believed in support the status, to remove general in in it Moldova, the Moldova Many the 1994 would was 14th bringing the threatened became a and fiety military the Moldova the angered backing, public Transdnestr early by regiment ‘I1nsdnestr privileges, self-declared forced how for Army of after 1970s Pinochet (since military that Lebed equivalent) officers General-Lieutenant cost and making the strain Transdnestr clear might and an 1990s. personnel stance and President Lebed the and and them an to Russian to as June Although end as willingness in reform publication where ignore backtrack his probjbly training model Operational which strong region public by rapidly and 14th legislature that to has support During longstanding voicing cutbacks and officer Army autonomy to been Moscow’s arena. of side command officers disintegrate deploy agree military residents and the among to of Aleksander would able disapproval Group Commander in corps voice an Lebed’s August allow in in with September at paratroop has to career the personnel interview orders abilities: a rule. win. for the of of retain his military Lebed’s Lebed earned early into the the 1991 his penchant Ryazan frustrations Ivanovich ties of After to CONFlDrIAI unleashed chaos. his Transdnestr General CAL command units 1980s, 1993. the abolish in to and coup with him already August assertions post which remain an Russian Higher funding. for in RUSSIA Grachev, Yeltsin abortive attempt, LEBED The and Staff the with a 1994 he in as FlrYNTIAL

General-LieutenantAleksanderIvanovichLEBED

(e’NF)-AlthoughLebed has been a prominent advocateof sovereigntyfor the TransdnestrRepublic, he has regularly clashed publicly with the Transdnestr leadership since 1993;he says the leadership is corrupt and incompetentand has called for its resignation. In October 1993,he resigned his seat in the local legislature in protest over allegations that the Transdnestrgovernmentsupportedthe hardline opponentsof Yeltsin in the showdown between the executive and legislativebranchesin Moscow during autumn 1993. Lebed has, wile stepping up the war of words with the Transdnestrleadership, moderatedhis rhetoric against the Moldovan government.

..-efPERSONAL DATA Lebed was born 20 April 1950. A native of Novochedcasslçhe once told a Westernjournalist that he witnessedthe violent suppressionof food riots in that city in.1961 AccordingtoaU.S.official,Lebedisapersuasivespeakerwhogivestheimpressionthatheisfullyin control and who is experiencedin dealing with the press. The same officialstatesthat Lebed has a sense of humor and likes to tell jokes. Lebed and his wife, Inna, have two sons and a daughter. d-whosefatherservedinWorldWarllasasergeant-hastwoyoungerbmthers also inthe militaiy,includingAleksey,who, as of 1993, was a paratroop regimentcommnder servingin the 14th Aimy. The general’sEnglishlanguageability is unknown.

(U) CAREER:Lebed has spent most of his career in the AirborneForces. After failing to gain admittanceto the ArmavirFlight School in the 1960s,he joined the AirborneForces and graduated from the Ryazan HigherAirborne Commsnd School in 1973. Lebedsubsequentlyremainedat the schoolfor an additional$ years to train officer cadets; for part of this time, his superiorwas Grachev, who was also an instructorat the Ryazan SchooL From 1981 until 1982,Lebed servedas a paratroop battalioncommanderin Afghanistan.,then returned to the to attendthe Frunze Academy, which he completedin 1985. He then commnded a paratroop regiment (198546) and was deputy commnder of an airborneformation (1986-88). From 1989 until 1990,Lebed commnded the 106th GuardsAirborneDivision;he led this unit into a variety of ethnic hotspotsduring this period, including Georgiaand . The general was deputy commanderof AirborneFarces during 1991-92. PREPAREDBY: [

C3BEL