ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Bagramyan

The troops of the 1st Baltic Front, developing their offensive, today, July 4, captured by storm the city and important railway junction of Polotsk — a powerful fortified defensive area of the Germans covering the direction toward Dvinsk.

In the fighting for the capture of Polotsk, the following troops distinguished themselves: the forces of Lieutenant General Malyshev, Colonel General Kuznetsov, Colonel General Chistyakov, Major General Ruchkin, Lieutenant General Yermakov, Major General Soldatov, Major General Mikhailov, Major General Chernikov, Major General Vlasov, Colonel Chernoous, Major General Chinnov, Major General Sivakov, Major General Baksov, Colonel Yegoshin, Major General Khvostov, Major General Belyaev, Colonel Makaryev, Lieutenant Colonel Peshkov, Lieutenant Colonel Nikandrov, Lieutenant Colonel Belov; the artillerymen of Colonel General of Artillery Khlebnikov, Major General of Artillery Bazhanov, Major General of Artillery Makarov, Major General of Artillery Aleksandrov, Major General of Artillery Samborsky, Colonel Stepanenko, Lieutenant Colonel Chapayev, Lieutenant Colonel Lobkov, Lieutenant Colonel Kudryashov, Colonel Teplinsky, Major Netov, Colonel Abramyan, [Major] Kochetov; the tankmen of Lieutenant General of Tank Forces Butkov, Major General of Tank Forces Lipatov, Colonel Podkovsky; the airmen of Lieutenant General of Aviation Papivin, Colonel Kuchma, Colonel Rykachev, [Colonel] Fokin, Colonel Plakhov, Lieutenant Colonel Zaklepa, Lieutenant Colonel Zavarakhin, Major Razorenov, Lieutenant Colonel Baikov; the sappers of Major General of Engineer Forces Kosarev, Major General of Engineer Forces Kulinich, Major General of Engineer Forces Razvozov; and the signallers of Colonel Borovyagin.

In commemoration of the victory achieved, the formations and units that have most distinguished themselves in the fighting for the capture of Polotsk are to be nominated for the designation "Polotsk" and for decoration with orders.

Today, July 4, at 22:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the 1st Baltic Front who have captured Polotsk — with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I declare gratitude to the troops under your command who participated in the fighting for the liberation of Polotsk.

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

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

July 4, 1944 [No. 129]