Alexander Stepanovich Osipenko (Russian: Александр Степанович Осипенко; 1 June [O.S.

In 1918 he was living with his family in Smolensk and in 1929 joined the Soviet Air Forces, rising to the position of squadron leader in 1937.

[2] In January 1938 Osipenko went to Spain to service with the Spanish Republican Air Force.

He flew with the 1st Escuadrilla de Caza, and was a successful fighter pilot, though his record is contradictory.

One source credits him with 17 individual and 34 shared aerial combat victories[3] making him the most successful Soviet pilot of the conflict.