Igor Kobzev
Igor Ivanovich Kobzev (; born 29 October 1966), is a Russian statesman and former army officer, who is the incumbent 8th Governor of Irkutsk Oblast since 18 September 2020. He had previously been the acting governor, since 12 December 2019. Since 2019 he holds the rank of . Biography Igor Kobzev was born on 19 October 1966 in Voronezh. From a family with a long military tradition, his grandfather participated in the Eastern Front and was awarded the Order of Glory, 3rd class. In 1988, Kobzev graduated from the . From August 1988 to August 1989, he served as assistant chief of staff of the 936th separate battalion of aerodrome technical support of the 60th Anniversary of the USSR Syzran Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, and then was assistant to the head of the personnel department of the school. Between February 1992 and December 1999, he served as head of the personnel department and combat unit of the 146th separate mobile mechanized civil defense brigade. In 1999, as part of the Territorial Administration of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, he took part in the Second Chechen War. And from December 1999 to August 2000, he was a senior assistant to the chief of staff for personnel and combat units of the 847th rescue center. Between August 2000 and December 2003, he held the post of head of the Department for Civil Defense and Emergencies of the of Voronezh - Deputy Head of Civil Defense in Voronezh. Kobzev graduated from Voronezh State University in 2001. From December 2003 to January 2005, he was assistant to the head of the Main Directorate (for the organization of the security service of the military and internal service). Between January 2005 and January 2008, he held the position of head of the personnel department, educational work, vocational training and psychological support. He graduated from the Voronezh Institute of Economics and Social Management in 2006. From January 2008 to May 2010, he held the post of First Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of the Russian Emergencies Ministry for the Voronezh Oblast. Between 2009 and 2012, he passed refresher courses at the Civil Defense Academy of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. From May 2010 to April 2016, he was the head of the Main Directorate of the Russian Emergencies Ministry in the Voronezh Oblast. On 13 December 2012, Kobzev was promoted to Major General of the Internal Service. From April 2016 to August 2017, he was the first deputy head of the Central Regional Center of the EMERCOM of Russia, and also served as the acting head of the Central Regional Center. In 2017, he graduated from the magistracy of the of Russia. In August 2017, he took the post of Director of the HR Policy Department of the Ministry of Emergencies of Russia, and in August 2018, became Acting Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Emergencies of Russia. On 12 December 2018, he was awarded the special rank of lieutenant general of the internal service.