Kuznetsov, Nikolai Ivanovich (gunner)

Nikolai Ivanovich Kuznetsov was born in the village of Pytruchey , now Vytegorsky district of the Vologda region , into a peasant family.

He graduated from 7 classes of the school and the school of factory apprenticeship . Since 1936 he lived at the Zasheek station (now an urban-type settlement within the city ​​of Polyarnye Zori ). After graduating from FZU he worked in the Murmansk region on the construction of the Kandalaksha power plant.

After training at a reconnaissance school in 1940, he was introduced to the Abwehr units in Königsberg as a liaison officer. During one of the operations he was seriously injured. After long-term treatment, he returned to reconnaissance, and then fought in artillery units ^[1] .

Since August 1941, he fought on the fronts of World War II . Since 1944 member of the CPSU . The gun commander of the 369th separate anti-tank artillery battalion division ( 263rd rifle division , 43rd army , 3rd Belorussian front ), senior sergeant Kuznetsov distinguished himself during the liberation of Sevastopol and Lithuania , in military operations on the territory of East Prussia . During the war, the calculation of guns destroyed 11 German tanks. During the assault on the city of Königsberg, the gun crew under his command crushed several firing points and destroyed them before the enemy platoon.

April 23, 1944 in a battle under the settlement of Mekenzia, located 10 km east of Sevastopol (since 1965 - a hero city ) commander of the 45-mm guns of the 369th separate fighter-anti-tank artillery battalion ( 263rd rifle division , 51st army , 4th Ukrainian Front ) sergeant Nikolai Kuznetsov, with his calculation, crushed 2 enemy machine guns, ensuring the advance of the rifle division. Later, having discovered the enemy’s tanks, one of them was set on fire by the first shot from the gun.

For courage and bravery shown in battles, on May 17, 1944, Sergeant Kuznetsov Nikolai Ivanovich was awarded the Order of Glory of the 3rd degree.

October 5−10, 1944 , acting in the front line, the commander of the 76-mm guns ( 2nd Guards Army , 1st Baltic Front ), senior sergeant N. I. Kuznetsov, with direct subordinates subordinate, covered several firing points and up to one Nazi platoon . On October 10, 1944, during a battle for Shamaitkain station ( Lithuania ), a direct hit set fire to an enemy’s car.

For courage and bravery shown in battles, on December 1, 1944, Senior Sergeant Kuznetsov Nikolai Ivanovich was awarded the Order of Glory of the 2nd degree.

On February 1, 1945, in the battles for the village of Labiau (now the city of Polessk, Kaliningrad Region), the gun crew of N. I. Kuznetsov (43rd Army, 3rd Belorussian Front) set fire to a tank with direct fire, defeated 2 machine gun points and destroyed over the infantry squad .

For courage and bravery shown in battles, on February 10, 1945, foreman Nikolai Ivanovich Kuznetsov was re-awarded the Order of Glory of the 2nd degree.

During the assault on the capital of East Prussia , the fortified city of Königsberg (now the city of Kaliningrad ), fighters of the calculation of foreman Kuznetsov N.I. crushed several firing points and destroyed before the enemy infantry platoon.

In total, during the war years, the gun crew of Nikolai Kuznetsov knocked out eleven enemy tanks.

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 19, 1945 for exemplary performance of command missions at the front of the struggle against Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism shown to the elder Kuznetsov Nikolai Ivanovich was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Golden Star medal (No. 6264).

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 12, 1980, for exemplary fulfillment of command assignments in battles with the Nazi invaders, retired foreman Nikolai Ivanovich Kuznetsov was re-awarded the Order of Glory of the 1st degree (No. 2656), becoming the full holder of the Order of Glory.

On June 24, 1945, N.I. Kuznetsov participated in the Victory Parade as part of the combined battalion throwing trophy banners to the Lenin Mausoleum .

After the war, Kuznetsov was discharged from the army. He entered the Leningrad Electromechanical College. After graduating in 1950 , he worked on construction sites in the Far North . Subsequently, he moved to live in the city of Pestovo, Novgorod Region , worked at the Pestovo Forestry Plant. Twice elected as a deputy of the Supreme Council of the USSR ^{[ when? ]} . He lived in the city of Pestovo. Participant of the Victory Parade in 1985 , marking the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet people in World War II.

September 10, 2007 at the Hero of the Soviet Union, holder of the orders of Glory of three degrees N.I. Kuznetsova stole awards. On December 22, 2007, the stolen awards were returned to the honored veteran, however, this robbery led to a deterioration in his health, and on September 11, 2008, the last full holder of the Order of Glory and Hero of the Soviet Union Nikolai Kuznetsov died.

On September 13, 2008, he was buried in the city of Pestovo, Novgorod Region, at the Central Military Burial (Lenin Street).

• The Gold Star Medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union No. 6264 (04/19/1945).
• Order of Lenin (04.19.1945).
• Order of the Red Banner .
• 2 orders of World War 1 degree.
• Orders of Glory 3rd degree (05/17/1944), 2nd degree (12/01/1944), 2nd degree (02/10/1945), 1st degree (re-awarded 03/12/1980).
• Order of Friendship of Peoples .
• 2 medals “For Courage” .
• Medal "In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin . "
• Medal "For the defense of Sevastopol . "
• Medal "For the victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Medal "For the capture of Konigsberg . "
• Medal "Veteran of Labor" .
• Medal "50 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR . "
• Medal "60 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR . "
• Medal "70 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR . "
• Medal "50 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."
• Zhukov Medal .
• Medal "60 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 . "

• Kuznetsov V.K. Direct fire: On the Hero of the Soviet Union, full holder of the Order of Glory N.I. Kuznetsov. - M .: Politizdat , 1984. - 112 p. - (Heroes of the Soviet Motherland). - 200,000 copies.

• In the Novgorod region, the Hero of the Soviet Union, the holder of three degrees of the Order of Glory of Nikolai Ivanovich Kuznetsov is honored .
• Nikolai Ivanovich Kuznetsov .
• Vologzhan - Heroes of the USSR .

• Kuznetsov, Nikolai Ivanovich (artilleryman) (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ".
• Kuznetsov Nikolay Ivanovich . Site "Vologda Regional Library named after I.V. Babushkina . "