Russia – Soviet: An interesting Warsaw uprising related and Crossing of the Vistula Order of the Red Star awarded to Red Army Soldier Sergei Sergeevich Mukhin, a Driver with the 229th Independent Auto Transport Battalion, Field Headquarters, 1st Belarrusian Front who during the period between 17th and 26th September 1944 made trips to units of the Polish Army in the area of the city of Praga – on the east bank of the Vistula, under intense shelling. On 19th September risked his life under heavy machine gun and artillery fire to shelter his car from shell and mortar explosions. The fighting in the area around Praga led to post war controversy as a result of the belief that the Red Army had deliberated failed to advance into the city of Warsaw itself to allow the destruction of the Polish Home Army which was carrying out an uprising in the city.
Order of the Red Star, reverse numbered 951632
Condition: Good Very Fine
Sergei Sergeevich Mukhin was born in Chebsarsky District, Vologda Oblast in 1918. A Russian national he attained an elementary education before joining the Red Army in 1939. He would see service in the Patriotic War from June 1941, seeing service on the Southwestern, Stalingrad, Don, Central and 1st Belarussian Fronts.
This Order of the Red Star was issued to him by decree of the 1st Belarussian Front on 7th December 1944 and was his sole award for gallantry. Issued to him whilst serving as a Red Army Soldier and Driver, 229th Independent Auto Transport Battalion, Field Headquarters, 1st Belarussian Front the citation reads:
‘Since the first days of the Patriotic War, Comrade Mukhin has been in the active army. Working as a car driver for the Operation Directorate of the Front Staff, he has handled his work excellently.
During the period from 17.09.1944 to 26.09.1944, during a trip to units of the Polish Army in the area of the city of Praga, Comrade Mukhin displayed courage and persistence in carrying out his assigned tasks. In spite of intense shelling by enemy artillery, the mission was completed on time.
On the night of 19.09.1944, during the army’s crossing of the Vistula area of the city of Praga, he was situated together with the Senior Assistant Chief of the Operational Directorate at the observation point at the crossing. The enemy was laying down heavy machine gun and artillery fire. Comrade Mukhin, risking his life, continued to carry out his assigned task, sheltering his car from shell and mortar explosions, and in spite of the fact that his car suffered several perforations from machine guns and fragmentation, Comrade Mukhin, on the morning of 20.09.1944, was able to further carry out his assigned mission.
Comrade Mukhin is disciplined and self-possessed. He commands authority in his work. He is devoted to the Party of Lenin and Stalin and to the Socialist Motherland.
For selflessness displayed in carrying out combat missions, he deserves the Government award of the Order of the Red Star.’
The initial fighting in Praga on the eastern bank of the Vistula, was part of the Warsaw uprising. The Polish Home Army inside the city looking to overthrow the Germans who were holding the city before the arrival of the Red Army. However, the Red Army held on the east bank and did not enter the city proper allowing the Germans to put down the uprising and eventually destroy the city before the Red Army liberated it in January 1945. A highly controversial episode in which after the war much was made of the decision, which many thought was deliberate in allowing the Germans to destroy any potential opposition to appointing a Soviet Communist style government to run Poland after the war.
By June 1946 he was employed as a Driver with the Staff of the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany. He gave his address as Leonovsky Selsovet, Chebsarky Distrct, Vologda Oblast.
