Matvey Zotov was born in Klekotki on 29 November 1914.

He joined the Red Army in 1935 and in 1937, he graduated from Odessa Military Aviation Pilot School.

On 13 July 1941, leitenant Zotov as posted to 8 IAP, which was equipped with I-16s.

On 20 Julyt, the I-16s from 8 IAP intercepted Do 215s over Yartsevo. Major Yakov Kurbatov, CO of 8 IAP, claimed two as shared ”in group” while leitenant Zotov claimed one as a shared with another pilot.
Major Kurbatov had claimed 8 IAP’s first victory five days earlier, on 15 July, in the same area.

In August, he was posted as CO of the fighter eskadrilya of 57 ShAP. This unit was equipped with I-153s and existed between 20 August and 15 November 1941.

In 1942, Zotov was transferred to 427 IAP where he served as eskadrilya CO. With this regiment, he flew Yak-1s.
He took part in combat on the South-Western, Kalinin and Voronezh Fronts.

On 24 June, 427 IAP was in combat in Topoli station area and Zotov claimed a Bf 110 south-west of the station while Anton Yakimenko claimed a Bf 109 north of the station and a Ju 88 west of the station.

The Yak-1s from 427 IAP was in combat with German fighter in the Prokhorovka area on 9 July. Major Zotov claimed one Bf 109 south-west of Prokhorovka and a second over Prokhorovka. Fedor Korotkov claimed one Bf 109 south of Prokhorovka while Ivan Tabakov claimed a FW 190 south-east of Prokhorovka.

On 28 September 1943, major Zotov was decorated with the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union (no. 1097) and the Order of Lenin.

On 25 December 1943, major Zotov was appointed CO of 6 IAP.

On 2 July 1944, 6 IAP became a guard’s unit and renamed to 149 GIAP.

Podpolkovnik Zotov ended the war with 2 biplane victories and a total of 19.
These had been claimed during 265 combat missions and 60 air combats.

He continued to serve in air force after the war.
In January 1947, he left the command of 149 GIAP and was later in the same year appointed commander of the 151 GIAD. In 1953 he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff.

In 1960, major-general Zotov was placed in the reserve.

He lived in Moscow and died on 2 September 1970.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1941
	20/07/41		1/2	Do 215	Shared destroyed	I-16		Yartsevo	8 IAP
	30/07/41		1/5	Ju 88	Shared destroyed	I-16		Gavrilovo	8 IAP
1	??/??/41		1	Ju 88 (a)	Destroyed	I-153		Western Front	57 ShAP
2	??/??/41		1	Bf 109 (b)	Destroyed	I-153		Western Front	57 ShAP
	1942
3	24/06/42		1	Bf 110	Destroyed	Yak-1		SE Topoli station	427 IAP
4	25/06/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		N Kupyansk	427 IAP
5	17/12/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		SW Velikiye Luki	427 IAP
	1943
6	10/03/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Semkina Groushka	427 IAP
7	10/03/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Burtsevo	427 IAP
8	11/05/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		W Karyernaya Station	427 IAP
9	06/07/43		1	FW 190	Destroyed	Yak-1		SE Pokrovka	427 IAP
10	07/07/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		N Luchki	427 IAP
11	07/07/43		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	Yak-1		NW Luchki	427 IAP
12	07/07/43		1	FW 190	Destroyed	Yak-1		W Luchki	427 IAP
13	09/07/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		SW Prokhorovka	427 IAP
14	09/07/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		Prokhorovka	427 IAP
15	07/10/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-1		W Domotkan	427 IAP
	1944
16	08/01/44		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	Yak-9		Oboznovka	6 IAP
17	30/03/44		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	Yak-9		E Bugulyany Station	6 IAP
18	03/06/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	Yak-9		SE Horlesti	6 IAP
19	22/08/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	Yak-9		S Kocheshti	149 GIAP

Biplane victories: 2 destroyed.
TOTAL: 19 and 2 shared destroyed.
(a) Claimed between 20 August and 15 November 1941. Victory is included only based on award material; it is not mentioned in operational and reporting documents.
(b) Claimed between 20 August and 15 November 1941. Victory is included only based on award material; it is not mentioned in operational and reporting documents.

Sources:
All aces of Stalin 1936-1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov