Nikolai Ivanovich Biryukov (Russian: Николай Иванович Бирюков; 6 December 1901, Knyazhaya Baygora, Tambov Governorate – 30 June 1980) was a

Soviet Army uk, Радянська армія , image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg , alt = , caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army , start_date ...

soldier and officer. He fought in the

Russian Civil War , date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...

and in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, where he attained the rank of

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

, and was decorated

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 ...

. He joined the Red Army in March 1920, and shortly thereafter he participated in the suppression of the Tambov Rebellion. He steadily progressed through the ranks during the interwar years, and in February 1939 he was given command of the 186th Rifle Division of the Ural Military District. At the beginning of the

Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II, the Second World War. The operation, code ...

, Biryukov's division was attached to the 22nd Army and sent to the Western front. Biryukov was wounded in the Battle of Smolensk. After his recovery, he was given command of the 214th Rifle Division, with which he participated in the

Battle of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad (23 August 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II where Nazi Germany and its allies unsuccessfully fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (later re ...

. In June 1943, Biryukov was given command of the 20th Guards Rifle Corps, part of the

4th Guards Army The 4th Guards Army was an elite Guards field army of the Soviet Union during World War II and the early postwar era. History On April 16, 1943, the Supreme Command ordered the army to be established. On May 5, 1943, the army was formed on t ...

, a position he held until the end of the war. In 1945, Biryukov's corps fought with distinction against the German counteroffensive at Lake Balaton, for which Biryukov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in April 1945. Biryukov's memoirs were published in 1968 in 100,000 copies. His son,

Anatoly Biryukov Anatoly Nikolaevich Biryukov (Анатолий Николаевич Бирюков, February 18, 1939 – February 24, 1979), known as The Baby Hunter (russian: Охотник за младенцами), was a Soviet serial killer convicted for ...

, became infamous as a serial killer.

References

1901 births 1980 deaths People from Gryazinsky District People from Lipetsky Uyezd Candidates of the Central Committee of the 18th Congress of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) Soviet lieutenant generals Soviet military personnel of the Russian Civil War Soviet military personnel of World War II Heroes of the Soviet Union Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner Recipients of the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class Recipients of the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class Commanders of the Legion of Merit Foreign recipients of the Legion of Merit {{hero-USSR-stub