Born in a peasant family in the village of Maloe Zarecheno, then part of the Marakulinsky Volost in the Slobodsky Uyezd of Vyatsky Province, Russia.

Following their mother's death in the early 20s the elder children became responsible for the household and Gennady began working in the field at age 9.

Worked in Vyatka as production head of the town workers cooperative catering department.

Obaturov volunteered for the Red Army in October 1935 and graduated from the Orlov Tank College in 1938.

Obaturov graduated from the Frunze Military Academy in 1941 after the German-Soviet War had begun, but was not sent to the front.

Commissioned to the battlefront in May 1942 as armored brigade deputy head of staff in charge of operations.

In November 1942 Obaturov was appointed deputy commander of an armored regiment in the 11th Army of the Northwestern Front.

In the spring of 1944 appointed commander of the same brigade and at its head liberated Belgrade, and took part in the Budapest Offensive.

In 1950 Graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff, appointed commander of the 33rd Guards Mechanized Division.

This division was incorporated in an independent mechanized army and was located in the Romanian town of Timișoara, in the proximity of the Hungarian border.

In such conditions, Obaturov self-dependently decided to stop the execution of the operational task by ordering units to assume all-round defense.

During these operations, the division lost over 150 men, 13 tanks, 1 self-propelled artillery mounting, 9 armored personnel carriers.

Was conferred the rank of General of the Army by decree of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Council dated 19 February 1979.

At the head of a task force Obaturov rapidly reached the battle zone and according to eyewitnesses of the events, played an important role in influencing the decisions of the Vietnamese command and political leadership relating to the field operations.

Played an important role in halting the Chinese offensive within the border area, and inflicting substantial losses on the invader.