Order of the Day of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
13 April 1944
[No. 108]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Tolbukhin

The troops of the 4th Ukrainian Front, developing their offensive, today, 13 April, as a result of a swift attack by tank formations and infantry, captured the capital of the Crimea, the city of Simferopol — the main strongpoint of the enemy defences covering the routes to the ports of the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula.

In the fighting for the capture of the city of Simferopol, distinction was won by the troops of Lieutenant-General Kreizer, Major-General Razuvayev, Major-General Koshevoy, Major-General Potapenko, Major-General Bobrakov, Colonel Rodionov; the tankmen of Colonel Solovyev, Colonel Potseluyev, Colonel Feshchenko, Colonel Zhidkov, Colonel Arkhipov, Lieutenant-Colonel Khromchenko, Lieutenant-Colonel Khrapovitsky, Major Nedelko; the artillerymen of Major-General of Artillery Telegin, Colonel Khaplanov, Colonel Vasilenko, Colonel Pavlov, Colonel Kalnichenko, Lieutenant-Colonel Yaremenko, Major Matsiyevsky, Major Vlasenko; the signalmen of Lieutenant-General of Signal Troops Korolev, Colonel Obanichev; the sappers of Colonel Pavlov, Major Sychev; and the airmen of Major-General of Aviation Savitsky, Colonel Geybo, Colonel Karyagin, Colonel Prutkov, Colonel Sitkin.

In commemoration of the victory achieved, the formations and units that distinguished themselves most in the fighting for the liberation of Simferopol shall be recommended for conferment of the designation "Simferopol" and for award of orders.

Today, 13 April, at 22:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, will salute the valiant troops of the 4th Ukrainian Front, who captured the city of Simferopol, with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I declare my gratitude to the troops under your command who took part in the fighting for the liberation of Simferopol.

Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the fighting for the freedom and independence of our Motherland!

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

13 April 1944 [No. 108]