Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
27 June 1944
[No. 121]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Chernyakhovsky

Troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front, developing their offensive, today, 27 June, as a result of a swift outflanking manoeuvre combined with a frontal attack, captured the city and operationally important railway junction of Orsha — a powerful bastion of the German defences covering the Minsk direction.

In the fighting for the capture of Orsha, distinction was won by troops of Lieutenant-General Galitsky, Lieutenant-General Glagolev, Major-General Shafranov, Major-General Ryzhikov, Major-General Peters, Lieutenant-General Koshevoi, Major-General Provalov, Major-General Oleshev, Colonel Kovtunov, Colonel Kovalevsky, Colonel Klimakhin, Major-General Berestov, Colonel Polevik, Major-General Strizhenko, Colonel Demin, Major-General Borodkin; artillerymen of Lieutenant-General of Artillery Semenov, Major-General of Artillery Semin, Major-General of Artillery Popov, Major-General of Artillery Belyakov, Major-General of Artillery Sazonov, Colonel Pilipenko, Colonel Fedotov, Colonel Khasin, Colonel Kiy; tankmen of Major-General of Tank Troops Burdeiny, Major-General of Tank Troops Netsvetailo, Colonel Burlyga, Colonel Bukov, Colonel Tsinchenko, Colonel Lushpa, Colonel Dagilis; airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Beletsky, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Savitsky, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Ushakov, Major-General of Aviation Gorlachenko, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Blagoveshchensky, Major-General of Aviation Zakharov, Colonel Prutkov, Colonel Zimin; sappers of Major-General of Engineering Troops Zverev, Colonel Zakharov, Lieutenant-Colonel Tselishchev, Major Kravchenko, Major Semenov, Colonel Pronevich, Major Troyanov, Lieutenant-Colonel Mosezon, and signallers of Major-General of Signal Troops Burov, Colonel Davidenko, Colonel Belyshev.

To commemorate the victory, the formations and units which distinguished themselves most in the fighting for the liberation of Orsha shall be recommended for conferment of the title "Orsha" and for award of orders.

Today, 27 June, at 22 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front that captured the city of Orsha with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I express my thanks to the troops under your command who participated in the fighting for the liberation of Orsha.

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

27 June 1944 [No. 121]