Vladimir Zaimov

Vladimir Stoyanov Zaimov (1888–1942) was a Bulgarian general who acted as a Soviet spy in the Kingdom of Bulgaria. He was made Hero of the Soviet Union for his actions against the Bulgarian Axis government.

Vladimir Zaimov was born on December 8, 1888 in Kyustendil to Stoyan Zaimov, an April Uprising participant. In 1907 he graduated from Royal Officers’ College and from 1912 to 1913 served in the Balkan Wars and World War I. In 1927 he helped built artillery in his native country and by 1934 he was in charge of Military League. A year later, he was relocated to a reserve in which later on he was imprisoned. On October 16 of the same year he became major general and became Military alliance secretary as well. From 1935 to 1936 he was charged with an assassination attempt on General Damyan Velchev, but the charges were dropped due to the lack of evidence. When the war started, he was given orders by the Soviet Communist Party to resist the German occupation, but was later on arrested on March 22, 1942 on the charges of espionage and was sentenced next day. On June 3, 1942 he asked for a pardon from Boris III, but was declined and that day executed. In May 1945 he was rehabilitated by the Sofia Court House at the People's Tribunal of the Fatherland Front. The colonel general rank wasn't given to him until his death and only by 1972 he was awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union badge.