Mikhail Petrovich Khvatkov (russian: Михаил Петрович Хватков; 24 November 1925 – 25 June 1944) was a

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...

Efreitor and posthumous

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union (russian: Герой Советского Союза, translit=Geroy Sovietskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for ...

. Khvatkov was posthumously awarded the title for his actions in the Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive, where he ferried troops and equipment across the

Western Dvina , be, Заходняя Дзвіна (), liv, Vēna, et, Väina, german: Düna , image = Fluss-lv-Düna.png , image_caption = The drainage basin of the Daugava , source1_location = Valdai Hills, Russia , mouth_location = Gulf of Riga, Baltic Se ...

. He was killed while crossing the river.

Early life

Khvatkov was born on 24 November 1925 in the village of Gryaznukha (now part of

Ulyanovsk Ulyanovsk, known until 1924 as Simbirsk, is a city and the administrative center of Ulyanovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Volga River east of Moscow. Population: The city, founded as Simbirsk (), was the birthplace of Vladimir Lenin (born ...

) in

Simbirsk Governorate Simbirsk Governorate (russian: link=no, Симбирская губерния, ''Simbirskaya guberniya'') was an administrative division (a '' guberniya'') of the Russian Empire and the Russian SFSR, which existed from 1796 to 1928. Its administra ...

to a peasant family. He graduated from seventh grade and worked on a farm.

World War II

Khvatkov was drafted into the Red Army in February 1943. He received sapper training and arrived on the

Voronezh Front The 1st Ukrainian Front (Russian: Пéрвый Украи́нский фронт), previously the Voronezh Front (Russian: Воронежский Фронт) was a major formation of the Soviet Army during World War II, being equivalent to a ...

as a replacement with the

67th Guards Rifle Division The 67th Guards Rifle Division was formed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in January, 1943, based on the 1st formation of the 304th Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War. It was offici ...

, where he was assigned to the 76th Guards Separate Engineer Battalion. Khvatkov fought in the Belgorod-Khar'kov Offensive Operation in August and the Sumy-Pryluky Offensive in September. After the end of the offensive on 30 September, the division became part of

Reserve of the Supreme High Command The Reserve of the Supreme High Command (Russian: Резерв Верховного Главнокомандования; also known as the '' Stavka'' Reserve or RVGK ( ru , РВГК)) comprises reserve military formations and units; the Sta ...

(''

Stavka The ''Stavka'' (Russian and Ukrainian: Ставка) is a name of the high command of the armed forces formerly in the Russian Empire, Soviet Union and currently in Ukraine. In Imperial Russia ''Stavka'' referred to the administrative staff, a ...

'' Reserve). In October 1943 it was withdrawn from the reserve and became part of the

2nd Baltic Front The 2nd Baltic Front (russian: 2-й Прибалтийский фронт) was a major formation of the Red Army during the Second World War. History The 2nd Baltic Front was formed on October 20, 1943 as a result of the renaming of the Baltic ...

. Until February 1944 the division fought in the Nevel area. During a river crossing near Ignatenki village, Khvatkov repaired a bridge destroyed by German artillery under heavy fire. On 2 March Khvatkov was awarded the Medal "For Courage" for his actions. At the end of February the division became part of the

1st Baltic Front The First Baltic Front (Russian language, Russian: Пéрвый Прибалтийский фронт) was a Front (military formation), major formation of the Red Army during the Second World War. It was commanded by Army General Andrey Yeryomenk ...

, with which it fought in the Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive, part of

Operation Bagration Operation Bagration (; russian: Операция Багратио́н, Operatsiya Bagration) was the codename for the 1944 Soviet Byelorussian strategic offensive operation (russian: Белорусская наступательная оп� ...

, in late June 1944. During the breakthrough of German defenses in the village of Sirotino Khvatkov reportedly cleared two paths through German minefields and barbed wire. He reportedly defused 64 mines. Khvatkov was reportedly among the first to reach the Western Dvina near the village of Uzrechye and quickly built a raft from logs and under heavy German fire crossed to the opposite bank with a heavy machine gun. During the day under heavy fire Khvatkov ferried troops and equipment over the river. He reportedly ferried 60 soldiers, eight heavy machine guns and 30 boxes of ammunition over the river. On the return crossing Khvatkov reportedly ferried seven wounded soldiers back across the river. On 25 June he was killed during the crossing. Khvatkov was buried in a mass grave in Uzrechye. On 24 March 1945 he was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and the

Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (russian: Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina, ), named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration b ...

. A street in

is named for Khvatkov. A monument was built in the village of Gryaznaukha near the building of the Lugovskoy Primary School, where he studied. The school was renamed in his honor in 1965 and was later declared an object of cultural heritage. There is also a plaque on the school building.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khvatkov, Mikhail 1925 births 1944 deaths People from Ulyanovsk People from Simbirsky Uyezd Soviet military personnel killed in World War II Heroes of the Soviet Union Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Medal "For Courage" (Russia)