Issa Pliyev

Issa Alexandrovich Pliyev (also spelled as Pliev; Iron Ossetic: Плиты Алыксандры фырт Иссæ; Russian: Исса́ Алекса́ндрович Пли́ев; 25 November [O.S. 12 November] 1903 — 6 February 1979) was a Soviet military commander. Pliyev rose to become the premier cavalry general of the Soviet Army. He became an Army General (1962), twice Hero of the Soviet Union (16 April 1944 and 8 September 1945), Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic (1971).

During World War II, Pliyev commanded several mechanized cavalry units, ranging from regiments to army corps. The military historians David Glantz and Jonathan House described Pliyev as a "great practitioner of cavalry operations in adverse terrain". However, Pliyev became known in the West largely for his involvement in the Cuban Missile Crisis.