Pyotr Smirnov

Pyotr Alexandrovich Smirnov (Russian: Пётр Александрович Смирнов; 29 May 1897 – 23 February 1939) was a Soviet commissar, deputy minister of defence, and commander of the Soviet Navy.

He fought in the Civil War ending as a brigade commander and a political officer of an army.

In the 1920s he was a political commissar of the Volga and North Caucasus military districts.

In 1937 he was involved in the purge of military leaders including Yakov Gamarnik.

In October 1937 he became deputy minister of defence, and was commander of the Soviet Navy from December 1937.