Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
5 March 1944
[No. 79]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov

Troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front under the command of Marshal of the Soviet Union Zhukov, who replaced Army General Vatutin owing to the latter's illness, on 4 March went over to the offensive, pierced the strong German defence along a front of up to 180 kilometres, and over two days of offensive fighting advanced forward from 25 to 50 kilometres.

In the course of the offensive our troops routed four tank and eight infantry divisions of the Germans and captured the town and large railway station of Izyaslavl, the towns of Shumsk, Yampol, and Ostropol, seized more than 500 other populated places, among them the large settlements of Katrynburg, Vyzhgrudek, Teofipol, Bazaliya, Kupel, Lyakhovtsy, Belogorodka, Antoniny, Velikiye Matsevichi, and Gorodishche, and are engaged in fighting on the approaches to the railway station of Volochisk.

In the fighting, distinction was won by the troops of Lieutenant-General Chernyakhovsky, Colonel-General Grechko, Lieutenant-General Pukhov, Lieutenant-General Zhuravlev, tankmen of Colonel-General Rybalko, Lieutenant-General of Tank Troops Badanov, artillerymen of Colonel-General of Artillery Varentsov, Lieutenant-General of Artillery Korolkov, and airmen of Colonel-General of Aviation Krasovsky.

In commemoration of the victory achieved, the formations and units that particularly distinguished themselves in the fighting are to be submitted for the award of the honorific titles "Shumsk", "Izyaslavl", "Yampol", and "Ostropol" and for the award of orders.

Today, 5 March, at 23:00 hours the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front who pierced the German defence with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent military operations I express my gratitude to all troops under your command who took part in the breakthrough of the German defence.

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

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

5 March 1944 [No. 79]