Opening of the memorial study dedicated to major general Mitrofan Chernykh

November 5, 2009
Today, on November 5, 2009, the memorial study of Major-General Mitrofan Chernykh was solemnly opened in the HQ of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. The study which General Chernykh worked in until recently is now a place for a unique exposition devoted to the legendary intelligence officer’s life and service.

The cherished memory of Major-General Chernykh has been honoured by several guests of honour who attended the ceremony. Among them were Lieutenant-General Victor Hvozd, Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine; Lieutenant-General Yuri Shapoval, Deputy Chief Inspector, Chief Military inspector of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine; Yuri Yarukhin, Vice-president of the “Intelligence Veteran’s Fund” charity organization. Friends and family members of General Chernykh also attended the ceremony, along with other guests of honour.

The ceremony became a token of respect to the man who dedicated his entire life to the military intelligence and to serving his Motherland.  

  

Reference: Major-General Mitrofan Chernykh was born on September 7, 1921 in the village of Chulok, Buturlinsky region of Voronezh oblast. Upon his graduation from the secondary school, he studied in a technical school of Soviet trade. In June, 1941 he graduated from Oryol machinegun-artillery frontier guard school.

In August, 1941 lieutenant Chernykh was appointed leader of sabotage/reconnaissance group which performed successful IRS missions in the enemy rear for three years.

In the spring of 1945 Mitrofan Chernykh was assigned to the city of Kongsberg to take the command of the training reconnaissance battalion of the 1 Ukrainian Front. It was in Kongsberg where he met the Victory Day in the rank of Major.

In July, 1945 the 24-year-old major Chernykh was sent to the intelligence school; and in early 1948, due to his knowledge of foreign languages and combat experience – to the newly founded Military Academy of the Soviet Army.

Upon his graduation, he was appointed division Chief of intelligence in the city of Lenkoran, Azerbaijan, Transcaucasian Military District.

In 1952, the 30-year-old Colonel Chernykh assumed a long-term foreign mission and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner upon his return.

In 1957 Mitrofan Chernykh was appointed Chief of Human Intelligence Centre of the Transcaucasian Military District.

1958 through 1962 – Chief of 2 Intelligence Dept. of the Military District.

1962 through 1966 – deputy Chief of intelligence, Transcaucasian Military District.

1966 through 1970 – deputy Chief of intelligence – Chief of human intelligence, Group of Soviet armies in Germany.

1970 through 1975 – Chief of intelligence, Kiev Military District.

In December, 1972, M. Chernykh promoted to Major-General by the Decision of the USSR Council of Ministers.

In 1975 Major-General Chernykh took the position of the USSR Defence, Air and Naval attachй in Turkey.

In 1981, M. Chernykh returns home and retires. He devoted over 40 years of his life to the intelligence service. However, the country called for his special knowledge and diplomatic experience further on. Recommended by the Chairman of the Ukrainian SSR Council of Ministers, Mitrofan Chernykh was appointed Head of the Foreign Section under the Council of Trade Unions of Ukraine.

The Chernobyl tragedy did not avoid him: as early as on May 2, 1986, M. Chernykh, accompanied by German nuclear engineers started the work over the “shelter” facility.

The broad experience of the professional intelligence officer proved useful once more in the early 90’s, when the Academy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was being formed. For many years he successfully worked as associate professor of the Intelligence Department. Till the very last day of his life he kept on passing his huge experience to the young generation of Ukrainian intelligence officers.

Merits of Major-General Chernykh were highly appreciated by his country, thus he was awarded:
Two Orders of Bohdan Khmelnitskiy;
Two Orders of the Red Banner;
Three Orders of the Patriotic War;
Two Orders of the Red Star;
Order, 3rd grade “For service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR”;
Order of Merit, 3rd grade;

Medals: “For Merits in Combat”, “For the defence of Moscow”, “For the seizure of Kongsberg” and over thirty other medals of the USSR, Ukraine, GDR, and Turkey.