Nikolai Nikolayevich Onoprienko (russian: Николай Николаевич Оноприенко, uk, Микола Миколайович Онопрієнко; 19 December 1911 – 12 November 1979) 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 ...
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
and
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 ...
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 ...
. Onoprienko fought in the
Battle of Smolensk, the
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between September 1941 and January ...
, the
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk was a major World War II Eastern Front engagement between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in the southwestern USSR during late summer 1943; it ultimately became the largest tank battle in history. ...
,
Operation Kutuzov
Operation Kutuzov was the first of the two counteroffensives launched by the Red Army as part of the Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation. It commenced on 12 July 1943, in the Central Russian Upland, against Army Group Center of the German '' He ...
,
Operation Bagration
Operation Bagration (; russian: Операция Багратио́н, Operatsiya Bagration) was the codename for the 1944 Soviet Byelorussian strategic offensive operation (russian: Белорусская наступательная оп ...
, the
East Prussian Offensive and the
Berlin Offensive
The Battle of Berlin, designated as the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, and also known as the Fall of Berlin, was one of the last major Offensive (military), offensives of the European theatre of World War II.
...
.
Early life
Onoprienko was born on 19 December 1911 in the village of
Uil in
Aktobe Region
The Aktobe Region ( kk, Ақтөбе облысы, Aqtöbe oblysy; russian: Актюбинская область, translit=Aktyubinskaya oblast) is a Regions of Kazakhstan, region of Kazakhstan. The name ''Aktobe'' comes from Kazakh language, Kaz ...
to a peasant family of
Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
ethnicity. In 1927, he graduated from seven years of education and worked at his father's farm. In August 1930, he became the foreman of the village "
Felix Dzerzhinsky
Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky ( pl, Feliks Dzierżyński ; russian: Фе́ликс Эдму́ндович Дзержи́нский; – 20 July 1926), nicknamed "Iron Felix", was a Bolshevik revolutionary and official, born into Poland, Polish n ...
"
Kolkhoz
A kolkhoz ( rus, колхо́з, a=ru-kolkhoz.ogg, p=kɐlˈxos) was a form of collective farm in the Soviet Union. Kolkhozes existed along with state farms or sovkhoz., a contraction of советское хозяйство, soviet ownership or ...
.
In July 1931, Onoprienko was drafted into the Red Army. He graduated from the school of the 14th Turkestan Mountain Rifle Regiment of the
3rd Turkestan Rifle Division in the
Central Asian Military District
The Red Banner Central Asian Military District was a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces, which existed in 1926–1945 and 1969–1989, with its headquarters at Tashkent (1926–1945) and Almaty (1969–1989). By USSR Order No.304 of 4 ...
in May 1932 at
Termez
Termez ( uz, Termiz/Термиз; fa, ترمذ ''Termez, Tirmiz''; ar, ترمذ ''Tirmidh''; russian: Термез; Ancient Greek: ''Tàrmita'', ''Thàrmis'', ) is the capital of Surxondaryo Region in southern Uzbekistan. Administratively, it is ...
. Shortly afterwards, Onoprienko was admitted to the
Combined Central Asian Red Banner Military School, from which he graduated in 1934. In May, he became a platoon commander in the 1st Mountain Rifle Regiment of the
83rd Turkestan Mountain Rifle Division. He was promoted in September 1935 to the command of a company. In June 1936, Onoprienko transferred to command a company in the division's 45th Mountain Rifle Regiment. In 1937, he was awarded a gold watch for the excellent organization of combat training in his unit. In December 1938, Onoprienko was sent to the
Vystrel course The Vystrel course () was the popular name for an officer training course of the Soviet Armed Forces, later part of the Russian Armed Forces, located in Solnechnogorsk. The training course had a one year curriculum to train battalion and regiment le ...
and graduated in June 1939. He was appointed the commander of the 45th Mountain Rifle Regiment's reconnaissance company in
Kushka. Onoprienko became the chief of the regimental school of the 83rd Mountain Division in October. In 1941, he joined the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
"Hymn of the Bolshevik Party"
, headquarters = 4 Staraya Square, Moscow
, general_secretary = Vladimir Lenin (first) Mikhail Gorbachev (last)
, founded =
, banned =
, founder = Vladimir Lenin
, newspaper ...
. He became the 45th Mountain Rifle Regiment's deputy commander in
Ashgabat
Ashgabat or Asgabat ( tk, Aşgabat, ; fa, عشقآباد, translit='Ešqābād, formerly named Poltoratsk ( rus, Полтора́цк, p=pəltɐˈratsk) between 1919 and 1927), is the capital and the largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies ...
during February.
World War II
In August 1941, Onoprienko became the commander of a rifle battalion of the 36th Rifle Brigade in the
16th Army. He fought in the
Battle of Smolensk, the
Vyazma Defensive Operation and the
Battle of Moscow
The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a sector of the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between September 1941 and January ...
, in which he was wounded on 28 December. After leaving the hospital in February 1942, Onoprienko became commander of the 134th Rifle Brigade's mortar battalion on the
Bryansk Front
The Bryansk Front (russian: Брянский фронт) was a major formation of the Red Army during the Second World War.
First Formation (August - November 1941)
General Andrei Yeremenko was designated commander of the Front when it first fo ...
. On 20 September, he was awarded the
Medal "For Courage". Promoted to major, he commanded the
74th Rifle Division's 78th Rifle Regiment from October. In February 1943, he reportedly distinguished himself during the
Maloarkhangelsk Offensive,
for which he was awarded the
Order of the Red Banner
The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of th ...
on the 11th.
Onoprienko became the commander of the
15th Rifle Division's 676th Rifle Regiment in April 1943 after being promoted to lieutenant colonel. On 10 June, he was awarded the
Order of Alexander Nevsky
The Order of Alexander Nevsky ( ''orden Alexandra Nevskogo'') is an order of merit of the Russian Federation named in honour of saint Alexander Nevsky (1220–1263) and bestowed to civil servants for twenty years or more of highly meritorious se ...
. During the
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk was a major World War II Eastern Front engagement between the forces of Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union near Kursk in the southwestern USSR during late summer 1943; it ultimately became the largest tank battle in history. ...
, the 676th was positioned on the northern end of the Kursk Bulge, on the boundary with the
81st Rifle Division
The 81st Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army during World War II.
It was established at Lubny (Kiev or Kharkov Military Districts) around 1936. As 81st Mechanised Division, part of 4th Mechanised Corps, with 6th Army, Southw ...
.
On 5 July, the regiment was attacked by German infantry from the
292nd Infantry Division supported by
Ferdinand
Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...
tank destroyers.
The regiment was surrounded but was able to break out during the night and fought throughout 6 July. On the next day, the depleted regiment was withdrawn from the front. Onoprienko was awarded his second Order of the Red Banner for his leadership at Kursk. He continued to lead the 676th and fought in
Operation Kutuzov
Operation Kutuzov was the first of the two counteroffensives launched by the Red Army as part of the Kursk Strategic Offensive Operation. It commenced on 12 July 1943, in the Central Russian Upland, against Army Group Center of the German '' He ...
in August. The regiment participated in the
Chernigov-Pripyat Offensive in September and October and the
Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive in November. During the Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive, Onoprienko was wounded on 7 November. After recovering, he returned to command of the regiment.
In May 1944, Onoprienko became deputy commander for personnel of the
193rd Rifle Division
The 193rd Tank Division was originally a Red Army infantry division that was reorganised after World War II as a mechanised and then a tank division of the Soviet Army.
1st Formation
The original 193rd Rifle Division was established in the Kha ...
. In June 1944, he was transferred to command the 118th Guards Rifle Regiment of the
87th Guards Rifle Division
The 87th Guards Rifle Division was created on 16 April 1943 from the veterans of the 300th Rifle Division, in recognition of that division's leading role in the penetration of the German/Romanian defenses south of Stalingrad in the opening stages ...
. During
Operation Bagration
Operation Bagration (; russian: Операция Багратио́н, Operatsiya Bagration) was the codename for the 1944 Soviet Byelorussian strategic offensive operation (russian: Белорусская наступательная оп ...
, the division was part of the
attack
Attack may refer to:
Warfare and combat
* Offensive (military)
* Charge (warfare)
* Attack (fencing)
* Strike (attack)
* Attack (computing)
* Attack aircraft
Books and publishing
* ''The Attack'' (novel), a book
* '' Attack No. 1'', comic an ...
on
Baranovichi
Baranavichy ( ; be, Бара́навічы, Łacinka: , ; russian: Бара́новичи; yi, באַראַנאָוויטש; pl, Baranowicze) is a city in the Brest Region of western Belarus, with a population (as of 2019) of 179,000. It is not ...
. Onoprienko led the 118th around the German flank and advanced into the city, allowing other Soviet divisions to push German troops out of Baranovichi. On 28 August, he was awarded the
Order of Suvorov
The Order of Suvorov () is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named in honor of Russian Generalissimo Prince Alexander Suvorov (1729–1800).
History
The Order of Suvorov was originally a Soviet award established on July 29, 1942 ...
3rd class for his leadership. In September and October, the regiment held on to the
Serock
Serock is a town at the north bank of the Zegrze lake in the Legionowo County, Masovian Voivodeship
The Masovian Voivodeship, also known as the Mazovia Province ( pl, województwo mazowieckie ) is a voivodeship (province) in east-central P ...
bridgehead on the
Vistula
The Vistula (; pl, Wisła, ) is the longest river in Poland and the ninth-longest river in Europe, at in length. The drainage basin, reaching into three other nations, covers , of which is in Poland.
The Vistula rises at Barania Góra in ...
.
At the beginning of the
East Prussian Offensive in January 1945, the regiment broke through German lines and reportedly advanced more than 10 kilometers in five days. For his leadership, he was awarded the
Order of Kutuzov
The Order of Kutuzov (russian: орден Кутузова ''orden Kutuzova'') is a military decoration of the Russian Federation named after famous Russian Field Marshal Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov (1745–1813). The Order was established du ...
3rd class on 16 February. In February, Onoprienko became deputy commander for personnel of the
37th Guards Rifle Division The 37th Guards Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army which fought during World War II.
The division was formed on 2 August 1942 from the 1st Airborne Corps in Lyubertsy, near Moscow. Its most famous action was the defense of the ...
. He fought in the
East Pomeranian Offensive and the assault on Danzig. During the assault on Danzig, division commander Major General
Sobir Rakhimov
Sabir Umaruly Rakhimov (25 January 1902 – 26 March 1945) was a Red Army Major general and posthumous Hero of the Soviet Union. Rakhimov fought in World War II and commanded the 37th Guards Rifle Division from November 1944. Rahimov was killed b ...
was killed on 26 March. Onoprienko took command and completed the division's assault on Danzig before being replaced by Major General
Kuzma Grebennik
Kuzma Yevdokimovich Grebennik (Russian: Кузьма Евдокимович Гребенник; 18 February 1900 – 22 September 1974) was a Red Army lieutenant general and Hero of the Soviet Union. Grebennik served in the Soviet Border Troops bo ...
on 30 March. On 19 April, the advanced forces of the division crossed the eastern branch of the Oder and were stopped by German troops positioned on a large river island. The vanguard of the division was led by Onoprienko. He reportedly organized communications with artillery, allowing the forward movement of 45mm guns. Fire from the 45mm guns allowed the troops to successfully assault the island. On the night of 20 April, the advance regiment of the division crossed the western branch of the Oder and created a bridgehead. Onoprienko attacked the main objectives and captured high ground and a brick factory. From these positions, the regiment reportedly repulsed 18 counterattacks and provided a bridgehead for the crossing of the rest of the division. On 29 June, Onoprienko was awarded the title
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 ...
[Hero of the Soviet Union citation, available online a]
pamyat-naroda.ru
/ref> 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 ...
.
Postwar
Following the end of the war, Onoprienko remained with the 37th Guards, becoming the commander of its 118th Guards Rifle Regiment in July 1945. He continued in this post after the regiment was reorganized into the 88th Guards Mechanized Regiment in October of that year when the division became the 27th Guards Mechanized Division. Appointed military commissar of the Tuymazinsky District
Tuymazinsky District (russian: Туймази́нский райо́н; ba, Туймазы районы) is an administrativeConstitution of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Article 64 and municipalLaw #126-z district (raion), one of the fift ...
Military Commissariat
A military commissariat is an institution that is part of military service or law enforcement mechanisms in some European countries. As part of the British Army in the 19th century, military commissariats were used for organisational, accountin ...
in July 1947, Onoprienko was transferred to the same post for Chkalovsky District Chkalovsky District is the name of several districts in Russia. The districts are generally named for Valery Chkalov, a Soviet aircraft test pilot.
City divisions
* Chkalovsky City District, Yekaterinburg, a city district of Yekaterinburg
Yekat ...
in the city of Chkalov (renamed Orenburg) in 1948. The latter proved to be his last position before he transferred to the reserve in 1954. Onoprienko lived in Orenburg and worked in the ''oblast'' road construction trust. He died on 12 November 1979 and is buried in Orenburg.
Awards and honors
;USSR
;Foreign
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Onoprienko, Nikolai
1911 births
1979 deaths
People from Oiyl District
Communist Party of the Soviet Union members
Soviet colonels
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, 3rd class
Recipients of the Order of Kutuzov, 3rd class
Recipients of the Order of Alexander Nevsky
Recipients of the Order of the Red Star
Recipients of the Medal "For Courage" (Russia)
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Recipients of the Cross of Valour (Poland)
Tashkent Higher All-Arms Command School alumni