October 28 – The Day of Ukrainian liberation from Nazi invaders

October 28, 2010

During the years of Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) major battles for Europe liberation from fascism took place mostly on the territory of Ukraine.

  The course of war has been drastically changed after the Stalingrad battle (November 1942 - February 1943).

The first Ukrainian settlements to be liberated from Germans in December 1942, situated in the East Donbas. The final liberation of Ukrainian territory began during the Kursk Bulge battle (July 5 – August 23, 1943). On August 23, the Steppe front troops liberated Kharkiv. During September-October 1943, as the Germans tried to establish an unassailable strategic defence line along the Dnieper riverbank, the heroic battle for the Dnieper took place. The apex of the battle was the liberation of Kyiv from the Fritz.

During January 1943 – October 1944, in the course of Ukrainian territories’ liberation four Ukrainian fronts (counting more than 2,3 mln. people) carried out a series of bright offensive operations. The most prominent of them were as follows: Voronizh-Kharkiv (January 13 – March 3, 1943), Donbas (August 13 – September 22, 1943), Chernihiv-Poltava (August 26 – September 30, 1943), Korsun-Shevchenko (December 24, 1943 – February 17, 1944) and Lviv-Sandomyr (July 13- August 29, 1944).
The liberation of Ukraine was ended by the Carpathian operation, launched on September 9, 1944. On October 27, 1944, Uzhhorod became free and on October 28, the Soviet troops were already on the modern border of our State.

It has already become a tradition that this day commemoration ceremonies take place. We remember the warriors that fell in the battles on the territory of Ukraine and those people who suffered from the Fritz invaders.

According to the data of historians, the number of soldiers killed during the warfare on Ukrainian lands reaches about three million Soviet soldiers; more than two millions of Ukrainians were forced out from the country to work strenuously in Germany during the occupation. Over 700 towns and 28, 000 villages were destroyed partially or entirely, about 10 million people were left roofless, and more than 16, 000 enterprises were eliminated on the territory of the republic in that period.

During the Great Patriotic War about 2,5 mln. Ukrainians were awarded with war decorations. Among them we can also name a lot of reconnaissance men.

Today it would be necessary to remember the names of some of our compatriots who, thanks to their courage and selfless love to the Motherland, all the strengths and sometimes at the price of their own life, made the liberation day of Ukraine real.


Hero of the Soviet Union
Sholudenko Nykyfor Mykytovych

Nykyfor Mykytovych Sholudenko was born on June 19, 1919 in the village of Svaromja, Vyshhorod district, Kyiv region.

Having finished school, he started to work in the state owned farm of his village, then on the plant in Kyiv. In 1939, Nykyfor was called up for military service in the Red Army.

In June 1941, Guards sergeant Sholudenko was appointed, first, assistant officer, and then commander of the 1st Ukrainian front 38th Army 5th Guards armoured corps 22nd armoured brigade reconnaissance platoon.

The 22nd Guards armoured brigade participated in the battles of Stalinhrad, Don, Voronezh and Kursk Bulge.

Nykyfor Sholudenko’s unit had to conduct raids to the rear of the enemy. So, in October 1943, along with his group he detected and meticulously reconnoitred the reinforced fascist strong point. Thanks to the precise identification of firing-points, the brigade quickly captured and extended the Liutizh springboard, causing extensive damage to the enemy.

  
  During the battle for Kyiv (November 4-5, 1943) Sholudenko’s unit performed surveillance in the streets of the capital and provided the brigade command with intelligence. His platoon was the first to reach the centre of the city and hoist the Red flag on Kalinina square (now - Independence Square). In the course of warfare Nykyfor Sholudenko heroically died.

According to the decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from June 3, 1944, Guards sergeant-major Sholudenko Nykyfor Mykytovych was posthumously awarded the Title of Hero of the Soviet Union for exemplary exercise of command operational tasks, and for personal courage and heroism displayed in the battles against Nazi invaders.


The two-times Hero of the Soviet Union
Amet-Khan Sultan
     
Amet-Khan was born in 1920 in the city of Alupka, Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

After leaving the school, he entered industrial school, and in 1939 became cadet of Kachyn Army Pilot School.

For the 19-year old aircraft pilot the Great Patriotic war started at the dawn of June 22 near Kyshyniv. Commander of the 4th Fighters Regiment ordered the 1st squadron, where Amet-Khan served, to perform airborne surveillance. During the flight, Sultan came under fires, but managed to get back to the regiment’s base.

Soon, he became famous for his invulnerability. Amet-Khan flew along with such renowned skymen as V. Lavrynenkov, I. Borysov, O. Aleliukhin, and S. Morozov. Amet-Khan Sultan showed marvels. Germans recognized him by his manner, and one could hear them say on the radio: “Attention! Attention! There’s Amet-Khan in the sky!”.
  

  On August 24, 1943, according to the decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Amet-Khan Sultan was awarded the Title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Major Sultan shot down his last enemy’s plane in the sky of Berlin in April 1945. During the air fight Amet-Khan battered down the enemy’s plane fuselage.

According to the decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from June 30, 1945, Amet-Khan Sultan was awarded the Title of two-times Hero of the Soviet Union and received a second medal “Golden Star” and Order of Lenin for the bravery and heroism displayed in the warfare against Nazi invaders, for 603 successful offensive combat missions, for 30 enemy’s aircraft shot down personally and for 19 planes shot in the formation fighting.

Hero of the Soviet Union
Chaika Oleksii Omelianovych
Oleksii Chaika was born on December 4, 1923, in the village of Manzhelia, Hlobyn district, Poltava region in the family of peasants.
In 1938 he finished seven forms of the secondary school, and later worked as radio and cinema operator by the holiday centre of Moscow military district in Crimea.

Guards sergeant Oleksii Chaika was reconnaissance spotter of the South – Western front 6th Army 25th Guards Red Banner Synelnykov Rifle division 78th Guards Rifle regiment battery.

 In September 1943, the 78th Guards Rifle regiment reached the Dnieper near the village of Viiskove, Dnipropetrovsk region. Deep in the night reconnaissance spotter Chaika, along with two other soldiers, started to cross the river. At the far bank their boat hit the stone. Enemy’s missiles burst out. The Fritz opened machine-gun firing. Our fighters had to ford the stream. Dark night and the Dnieper’s swamps hid the bravehearts. The scouts penetrated the trench unnoticed and destroyed tens of Nazis in the short hand-to-hand combat; several Germans were taken prisoners.
  

The next day, the reconnaissance men managed to defeat nine counterattacks of the adversary, the second day they shattered eleven of them. Major supporting forces came on the third day. After the Dnieper forced crossing and the Right Bank springboard occupation, the Guards men repelled the enemy’s attack with success. On October 23, 1943, on the mission of springboard developing, our warriors waged an attack. In the course of the offensive, Guards sergeant Oleksii Chaika showed extraordinary courage and bravery. Under difficult circumstances of warfare he adjusted artillery’s actions, participated in the counterattack repulse and destroyed ten Nazis.

According to the decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from February 22, 1944, No. 2670, Guards sergeant Oleksii Chaika was awarded the Title of Hero of the Soviet Union for courage and heroism.


Hero of the Soviet Union
Vershyhora Petro Petrovych

Major General Petro Vershyhora was an active participant of the partisan movement on the territory of Ukraine and commander of the 1st Ukrainian partisan division. He was born on May, 16, 1905 in the village of Severynivka, Rybnytskii district (Moldova) in the family of peasant teachers.
In 1926, Vershyhora joined the Red Army, where he became a foreman of the orchestra.

In 1927, Petro entered the director’s section of Odessa Conservatory. As an actor, as well as a director, he worked in the theatres of Donetsk, Izhevsk, Horkij, Rostov, Kyiv and Odessa.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Petro Vershyhora went to the front as a platoon commander.

On June 13, 1942, he, as a scout of the Briansk front already, went to the rear of the enemy; there he became the deputy commander of Orlov district partisan detachments for intelligence.

In October 1942, due to the decision of the Briansk front staff, Vershyhora’s group joined the legendary guerrilla command of Kovpak.
  

  Petro Vershyhora soon was appointed Kovpak’s deputy commander for intelligence, and in December 1943, he headed the guerrilla detachment later renamed as the 1st Ukrainian partisan division named after the two-times Hero of the Soviet Union S. A. Kovpak.

Under command of Vershyhora the division managed to perform two raids – to Poland and several regions of Western Belarus, and carried out a number of missions on the railroads. On July 3, 1944, the 1st Ukrainian partisan division joined the units of the Red Army.

For his successful raids, Petro Vershyhora received the rank of Major General. And, according to the decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from August 7, 1944, No. 4324, Major General Vershyhora Petro Petrovych was awarded the Title of Hero of the Soviet Union for successful raids and outstanding service in the case of Ukrainian partisan movement development.