Aleksey Botyan

{{Short description|Soviet and Russian intelligence officer (1917–2020)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = Aleksey Botyan

| native_name = Алексей Николаевич Ботян

| birth_date = 10 February 1917

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2020|02|13|1917|02|10}}

| birth_place = Chertovichi, Vilna Governorate, Russian Empire

| death_place = Moscow, Russia

| placeofburial = Troyekurovskoye Cemetery

| image = Ботян_Алексей_Николаевич_2016_год.jpg

| caption =

| nickname =

| birth_name = Aleksey Nikolayevich Botyan

| allegiance = {{flag|USSR}}
{{flag|Russia}}

| branch =

| serviceyears = 1939–1989

| rank = Colonel of State Security

| commands =

| battles =

| awards = Hero of the Russian Federation
Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" Fourth Class
Order of Courage
Twice Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Patriotic War
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Medal "For Battle Merit"
Medal "To a Partisan of the Patriotic War"
Medal "For the Defence of Moscow"
Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
Medal "For Impeccable Service" First and Second Classes
Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari

| laterwork =

}}

Aleksey Nikolayevich Botyan other name, Alexei Botian ({{langx|ru|Алексей Николаевич Ботян}}; 10 February 1917 – 13 February 2020) was a Soviet and Russian spy and intelligence officer. He was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation in 2007 for his role in protecting the Polish city of Kraków from destruction by the Nazis in January 1945.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/02/13/us/ap-eu-russia-obit-botyan.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213174112/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/02/13/us/ap-eu-russia-obit-botyan.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-02-13|title=Russian WWII Intelligence Veteran Botyan Dies at 103 - The New York Times|website=The New York Times |date=2020-02-13|access-date=2020-04-17}}

Botyan died in Moscow on 13 February 2020, at the age of 103.{{cite web|url=https://ria.ru/20200213/1564633979.html|title=Умер разведчик Алексей Ботян|date=13 February 2020|publisher=RIA Novosti|language=Russian}} President of Russia Vladimir Putin offered his condolences in an official message, stating "The legendary scout, a strong, extraordinary personality, passed away. He was the leader and participant in brilliant special operations, which became an important contribution to the Great Victory and are forever inscribed in domestic and world history."{{cite web|title=Соболезнования в связи с кончиной Алексея Ботяна|url=http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/62773|publisher=Kremlin.ru|date=13 February 2020|accessdate=27 February 2020|language=Russian}} Botyan was buried with military honours in the Alley of Heroes in the Troyekurovskoye Cemetery on 17 February.{{cite web|url=https://regnum.ru/news/society/2860734.html|title=В Москве похоронили легендарного разведчика Алексея Ботяна|date=13 February 2020|publisher=REGNUM News Agency|language=Russian}}