Russia – Soviet: Order of Glory 3rd Class awarded to Senior Sergeant Sergei Pavlovich Sopelnyak, commander of a machine-gun crew, 49th Rifle Regimetn, 50th Zaporozhia-Korovograd Red Banner Rifle Division for destroying two enemy fire positions and around

Russia – Soviet: Order of Glory 3^rd Class awarded to Senior Sergeant Sergei Pavlovich Sopelnyak, commander of a machine-gun crew, 49^th Rifle Regimetn, 50^th Zaporozhia-Korovograd Red Banner Rifle Division for destroying two enemy fire positions and around 30 enemy soldiers and officers, allowing his unit to successfully move forward.

Order of Glory 3^rd Class, type 2, numbered 155172

Condition: some wear, Very fine

'Senior Sergeant Sergei Pavlovich Sopelnyak was born in the village of Flerino, Bershadsky District in Vinnytsa, and having attained an elementary education served in the Red Army between March 1944 and June 1946.

It is likely that Sopelnyak was picked up during the Red Army’s advance across the Ukraine and was subsequently conscripted into its ranks.

This Order of Glory 3^rd Class was Sopelnyak’s first, and was issued to him whilst serving as a Sergeant and as the Commander of a machine-gun crew, 49^th Rifle Regiment, 50^th Zaporozhia-Korovograd Red-Banner Rifle Division, by Order of the 50^th Rifle Division on 29^th August 1944, as a result of the following citation:

‘While breaching the enemy’s defence in the area north of the city of Iasi on 20^th August, Comrade Sopelnyak with accurate fire from his machine gun quickly suppressed the enemy’s firing positions and troops, thus giving our infantry the ability to successfully move forward.

He personally destroyed 2 enemy fire positions that were preventing our infantry from advancing, and around 30 enemy soldiers and officers

For exemplary performance of missions from Command and for valour and courage displayed therein, Comrade Sopelnyak deserves the government award of the Order of the Patriotic War 2^nd Class.’

Iasi is in northern Romania, and an area during August 1944 that saw the encirclement of the German Sixth Army, and the subsequent switching sides of Romania.

Subsequently Sopelnyak was to be decorated with two Medals for Bravery, the first on 26^th January 1945 by Order of the 49^th Rifle Regiment, the second on 16^th May 1945 by Order of the 44^th Rifle Regiment, and finally he was to receive an Order of Glory 2^nd Class by Order of 52^nd Army on 28^th April 1947.

Post war, Sopelnyak worked at the Dmitreva Collective Farm in the village of Flerino, Bershadsky District, Vinnytsa Oblast, whilst also living in the village.