Russia – Soviet: A fine set of awards to Private Nikolai Nikolaevich Zelensky, 986th ‘Stalin’ Rifle Regiment, 230th ‘Stalin’ Rifle Division, a late war conscript born in 1926 he would serve on the frontline from October 1944 until the end of the war and would be decorated for his part in the fighting on the bridgehead on the left bank of the Oder in February 1945, for his role in the breakthrough of the German defences in the area around Seelow and finally for saving the life of his commander Captain Shevchenko at the conclusion of a battle for a house in street fighting inside the city of Berlin, which had seen his commander clear the house of six machine-guns and over thirty German soldiers and officers, an act for which Shevchenko would be decorated with the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union.’
Order of Glory 3rd Class, reverse numbered 310107
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, reverse numbered 705396
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, reverse numbered 732135
Medal for Combat Merits, unnumbered reverse
Medal of a Veteran of the Armed Forces of the U.S.S.R.
Condition: some minor loss of the red enamel to the Order of Glory 3rd Class, one or two small dings, otherwise, Good Very Fine
Along with ID booklet without passphoto, and an award document for the Medal of a Veteran of the Armed Forces of the U.S.S.R.
Nikolai Nikolaevich Zelensky was born in the Poltava Region of Ukraine in 1926. He joined the Red Army on 9th September 1943 and saw frontline service with the 1st Belarussian Front from 1st October 1944 seeing action in Poland and Germany being decorated on three separate occasions.
Zelensky’s first decoration was an Order of Glory 3rd Class awarded to him by decree of the 230th ‘Stalin’ Rifle Division on 12th March 1945, at this time he was serving as a Private and Rifleman of the 4th Rifle Company, 986th Rifle ‘Stalin’ Regiment, 230th Rifle ‘Stalin’ Division, the citation reading as follows:
‘On 5.2.1945, a large enemy infantry force supported by artillery and mortar many times counter-attacked near the settlement of Ortwig, Germany. Private Zelensky advanced far ahead of our main force and fired point blank at the enemy troops. In this engagement, he eliminated 17 soldiers and 2 officers, suppressed one light-machine gun.
His effort contributed to successful repulsion of the enemy counter-attacks and achievement of the units combat objectives. He deserves state award – Order ‘Red Star’
This decoration was upgraded by the Head of the Personnel Department of the Division to an Order of Glory 3rd Class.
Zelensky was next decorated with an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class by decree of the 9th ‘Brandenburg’ Red Banner Rifle Corps on 28th May 1945 for his part in the operations at the Seelow Heights, this citation reading as following:
‘On 14.04.1945 in an enemy strong and multi layered defence breakthrough operation near the settlement Gieshof-Mehrin-Graben, Germany, Private Zelensky exhibited examples of courage and bravery.
He was the first to rush into the enemy trench and engaged in a firefight. In a short struggle against the enemy, he destroyed a German machine-gun and 4 enemy troops by a cunning throw of a grenade.
His bold and decisive conduct enabled successful advance of our other units and fulfilment of the given combat objective for breaking through the enemy defence on the western Oder bank.’
Zelensky remained in his unit during the advance into the city of Berlin and would be awarded a second Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class by decree of the 9th ‘Brandenburg’ Red Banner Rifle Corps on 25th June 1945 as a result of the following recommendation:
‘He was performing duties of a runner in the combat operations for breaking through the strong enemy defence line blocking the eastern approaches to the German capital Berlin, in the outskirts of Berlin, and the Berlin streets during the period of 20-28th April 1945. Facing stubborn enemy resistance and under intensive enemy fire, he performed his duties timely and promptly, which assisted the effectiveness of the command chain and the exploit of success. On 27th April 1945, comrade Zelensky saved the life of his commander. He rescued wounded Captain Shevchenko from the battle zone and dressed his wound stopping bleeding.’
Captain Shevchenko a highly decorated veteran of the Great Patriotic War who had begun his front line service on 6th October 1941 and had fought in many of the major battles of the war including in front of Moscow and at Stalingrad was pulled from the battle zone having just performed an act of gallantry that would lead to him being awarded the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’, his citation reading:
‘On 24th April 1945, in the forced crossing of the Spree river in the urban area of Rommelsrog, Germany, Captain Shevchenko effectively prepared his company to force the water barrier. He and his company were the first to get on the western bank of the river, broke into enemy trenches and started a fight. In an unequal battle, his company suppressed the fire of 8 heavy machine-guns and eliminated up to 80 Nazi soldiers and officers.
On 25th April 1945, in the breakthrough to Berlin city, the enemy fortified in a four-story stone building and with automatic fire from attics and windows stopped our advance, Captain Shevchenko personally with a group of 4 riflemen began a bypass manoeuvre from the north side of the house. With a swift attack, he entered the house basement, where 4 enemy machine-guns were deployed. He personally, with a deft throw of 4 grenades, suppressed the fire of machine-guns and personally captured the enemy garrison in the basement.
But when clearing the second floor, he was seriously wounded by a Faustpatrone explosion. But he remained in the combat engagement bravely continuing to fight the beastly enemy. He destroyed 2 more machine-guns and up to 30 Nazi soldiers.
With his heroic actions, Captain Shevchenko ensured the successful fulfilment of the combat mission assigned to the battalion.
For steadfastness, courage and bravery exhibited in the struggle in difficult street fighting conditions, he deserves the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’.
Despite the slight discrepancy in dates, it is clear this relates to the same action, in actuality it would have been impossible for Zelensky to pull Shevchenko off of the battlefield on the 27th (as per Zelensky’s citation) as Shevchenko had been evacuated to hospital on the 26th April.
The 230th ‘Stalin’ Rifle Division was in the thick of the fighting in eastern Berlin and a large number of its members would be recognised with various medals as well as a whole host being awarded the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ for their role in fighting through the heavily defended streets against dug in Germans.
From the award of a Medal for a Veteran of the Armed Forces of the USSR, he survived the war and lived until old age.
