Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
25 June 1944
[No. 117]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Colonel-General Zakharov

Troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front, having forced the River Pronya west of the city of Mstislavl, supported by powerful strikes of artillery and aircraft, broke through the heavily fortified German defences covering the Mogilev direction on a sector 45 kilometres long, and in three days of offensive fighting advanced up to 30 kilometres, widening the breakthrough to 75 kilometres along the front.

In the course of the offensive, the front's troops seized the district centre of Mogilev Oblast — the city of Chausy — and liberated more than 200 other populated places, among them Chernevka, Zhdanovichi, Khonkovichi, Budino, Vaskovichi, Temrivichi, and Bordidinichi.

In the fighting to force the River Pronya and break through the German defences, distinction was won by troops of Lieutenant-General Grishin, Lieutenant-General Boldin, Major-General Multan, Major-General Terentyev, Major-General Smirnov, Major-General Gasparyan, Major-General Kononenko, Major-General Shkrylev, Major-General Kirillov, Major-General Lazarenko, Major-General Krasnoshtan, Colonel Yurin, Colonel Slits, Colonel Artemyev, Colonel Shteiger, Colonel Gusev, Lieutenant-Colonel Nesterov; artillerymen of Lieutenant-General of Artillery Sokolsky, Major-General of Artillery Degtyarev, Major-General of Artillery Razintsev, Major-General of Artillery Pareshin, Colonel Yershov, Colonel Sokolenko, Colonel Korolev, Colonel Mikhno, Colonel Zyablikov, Lieutenant-Colonel Akhtyrchenko, Lieutenant-Colonel Karasev; tankmen of Colonel Kotov, Colonel Lukashev, Colonel Tulovsky, Lieutenant-Colonel Mazikin, Major Korolev; airmen of Colonel-General of Aviation Vershinin, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Loginov, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Georgiev, Colonel Getman, Colonel Smolovik, Colonel Vuss, Colonel Blinov, Lieutenant-Colonel Kozachenko, Lieutenant-Colonel Pokoyevy; sappers of Major-General of Engineering Troops Blagoslavov, Colonel Savelov, Colonel Vizirov, Colonel Dergunov, Colonel Sokolov, Major Smyshlyayev, Major Petrov, Major Kanarchik, Major Shchetinnikov, and signallers of Major-General of Signal Troops Novarchuk.

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

Today, 25 June, at 22 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front that forced the River Pronya and broke through the German defences in the Mogilev direction 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 to force the River Pronya and break through the enemy's defences.

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

25 June 1944 [No. 117]