Viktor Nikolaevich Leselidze (russian: Виктор Николаевич Леселидзе, ka, ვიქტორ ლესელიძე, Viktor Leselidze) (January 7, 1907 – June 28, 1944), was a

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 o ...

and

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 ...

who distinguished himself during a fatal yet successful melee assault against Finnish forces at the

Svir River The Svir (, Veps: , Karelian/ Finnish: ) is a river in Podporozhsky, Lodeynopolsky, and Volkhovsky districts in the north-east of Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It flows westwards from Lake Onega to Lake Ladoga, thus connecting the two larges ...

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 opposing ...

. He was also the brother of Col.General

Konstantin Leselidze Konstantin Nikolaevich Leselidze (russian: Константин Николаевич Леселидзе, ka, კონსტანტინე ლესელიძე, Konstantine Leselidze) (October 15, 1903 – February 21, 1944), was a Co ...

who died in the same year.

Early life

Born on 7 January 1907 in

Ozurgeti Ozurgeti ( ka, ოზურგეთი ) is the capital of the western Georgian province of Guria. It was formerly known as Macharadze or Makharadze (named in honor of Filipp Makharadze). It is a regional center of tea and hazelnut processing. ...

, Viktor Leselidze was raised in a military family, being one of four brothers serving in the Soviet army. His elder brother

was a Colonel General. After graduating from 6th grade he joined the

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, afte ...

in 1925 and later in 1929 graduated from the "Transcaucasus Military Artillery School". Afterwards he served in the Leningrad Military District and became member of the

CPSU "Hymn of the Bolshevik Party" , headquarters = 4 Staraya Square, Moscow , general_secretary = Vladimir Lenin (first) Mikhail Gorbachev (last) , founded = , banned = , founder = Vladimir Lenin , newspaper ...

in 1938.

Military service

Leselidze took part in the 1939–40

Soviet-Finnish War The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...

and from 1941 consequently in

where he would meet his fate. Commanding artillery battalions till 1944, he took command over the 619th mortar regiment of the 7th Soviet Red Army, Karelian Front and provided crucial fire support for the 763rd Infantry Regiment during the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive close to the city Lod in the Vicinity of

Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

. Successfully pushing the enemy forces out of the area from 22–27 June Colonel Leselidze and his unit participated in destroying hostile defensive lines and paving the way for infantry assaults along Lake Ladoga. However, after the Tuloksa landing Finnish forces were reinforced with reserves and mounted a counterattack pushing the fresh Soviet troops off the shores and advanced very close to the observation post of the 619th mortar regiment posing an imminent threat to the regimental headquarters. On June 28, 1944 cut off from infantry support and surrounded Viktor Leselidze gathered all soldiers he could find at the NP near the village of Vidlitza and commenced a melee attack personally leading the charge with a group of officers. The heavily outnumbered group prevailed in close combat and defeated the Axis troops which scattered over the entire area. Leselidze was killed during the assault. He is claimed to have been shot by a sniper. Only one out of four brothers would survive the war.

Involvement in war

Awards

For inspiring and exemplary heroism in the face of an overwhelming enemy force, Viktor Nikolaevich Leselidze was posthumously awarded

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 ...

on 21 July 1944

Memory

Name of the Lieutenant Colonel Leselidze VN mentioned on the stove Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad. Lieutenant Colonel Leselidze VN.
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Literature

* Герои Советского Союза: Краткий биографический словарь / Пред. ред. коллегии И. Н. Шкадов. — М.: Воениздат, 1987. — Т. 1 /Абаев — Любичев/. — 911 с. — 100 000 экз. — ISBN отс., Рег. № в РКП 87-95382 * ПАРОЛЬ — «ПОБЕДА!». Воспоминания участников битвы за Ленинград. Составитель — Я. Ф. Потехин. Лениздат. 1969. Воспоминание П. С. Мазеца «На Лужском рубеже».

Sources

National archives of Georgia
Personal fund #1776 of lieutenant colonel V. Leselidze, inventory #1.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leselidze, Viktor 1907 births 1944 deaths People from Guria People from Kutais Governorate Military personnel from Georgia (country) Soviet military personnel killed in World War II Heroes of the Soviet Union People of World War II from Georgia (country) Soviet colonels Deaths by firearm in the Soviet Union