Yaroslav Iosseliani

Who was Yaroslav Iosseliani?

Yaroslav Iosseliani was a Soviet Navy submarine commander of Georgian ethnicity. He was awarded the honorary title Hero of the Soviet Union.

Iosseliani was born in the village of Lakhiri in the Svaneti region of Georgia and was educated in Gagra. He joined the Soviet Navy in 1934 and finished the Leningrad Naval branch of the Frunze Military Academy in 1938.

Iosseliani was posted to the Black Sea Fleet where he served on submarines Shch -207 and Shch -207 before commanding the submarine M-111. He completed 11 war patrols, made 12 attacks, sinking 2 enemy transports and a lighter.

In 1944, Iosseliani was given command of the former HMS Ursula which was transferred to the Soviet Navy under lend lease. This boat was renamed V-4 and also given the name Svanetia after Iosseliani's homeland.

Iosseliani retired in 1966 and moved to Tbilisi, where he died in 1978.