Alexander Kozakov was born in Kherson, Russia, on 15th January 1889. Educated at military school, Kozakov entered the Russian Army in 1908. After serving in the Russian cavalry, Kozakov transferred to the Russian Army Air Service in 1913.

Flying a French Morane-Saulnier, Kozakov scored his first victory in the spring of 1915 by ramming his opponent. In August 1916 Kozakov was given command of the 1st Combat Air Group. In 1917 Kozakov was active over the skies of Rumania where he scored eight more victories. He was wounded on 27th June 1917 and was still out of action when Russian withdrew from the war. Kozakov's twenty victories made him the leading flying ace in the Russian Army Air Service.

In June1918 Kozakov joined the British Joint Military Forces at Murmansk. On 1st August 1919, Alexander Kozakov was killed while flying a loop. Depressed by the withdrawal of British forces from Russia, it is generally believed that Kozakov committed suicide.