January 302017marks the 115th anniversary of the birth of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Guard Colonel S.F. Shutova.
Stepan Fedorovich Shutov was born in 1902 in the village of Palace, Glussky district, Mogilev region, into a large peasant family. He started his career early. From the age of 9 he worked for a landowner in the barnyard, and in 1915 he became a laborer at a glass factory in the village of Glusha. In January 1917, he got a job at a sawmill, but was fired for celebrating May 1st, absenteeism and inciting workers to celebrate.
Since December 1917, S.F. Shutov was a member of the local Red Guard and partisan detachment, and fought against the German interventionists and Polish troops. In the summer of 1920, he joined the 200th Infantry Regiment of the 16th Army of the Western Front as a mounted reconnaissance, but served only a short time, fell ill with typhus and was demobilized after recovery. He returned to his native village and worked on a collective farm. In March 1924, he was drafted into the Red Army and served in the 30th Cavalry Regiment named after Stepan Razin of the 4th Siberian Cavalry Brigade.
In the period from 1927 to 1937 S.F. Shutov graduated from the United Military School named after the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, Military-Political Courses named after V.I. Lenin, Leningrad armored advanced training courses, academic advanced courses at the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army named after. I.V. Stalin. Served in tank forces in Ukraine. Before the war, he commanded a tank company and battalion.
From the first days of the Great Patriotic War S.F. Shutov commanded tank battalions in the 208th Tank Regiment of the 104th Separate Tank Division, then in the 9th Tank Regiment of the 9th Tank Brigade on the Western Front. He took part in the battles of Yelnya and Roslavl, defended the approaches to Moscow in the fall of 1941. From December 1941 he commanded tank brigades on the Southwestern and Western fronts.
Since August 1943 - commander of the 20th Guards Tank Brigade of the 5th Guards Tank Corps on the Voronezh, 1st Ukrainian and 2nd Ukrainian fronts. In October 1943, the brigade S.F. Shutova was the first of the tank units to cross to the Lyutezhsky bridgehead. During the Kyiv offensive operation, the brigade went on the offensive on November 3, 1943 and with a bold breakthrough reached the suburbs of Kyiv in one day. The next day she was already fighting on the streets of the city. For skillful management of brigade units during the crossing of the Dnieper and in battles on the bridgehead north of Kyiv on January 10, 1944, S.F. Shutov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Subsequently, the brigade under his command successfully operated in the Uman-Botoshan offensive operation in March-April 1944: it was one of the first to cross the Prut River and reach the border with Romania. During the Iasi-Kishinev offensive operation, in 2 days it covered over 100 kilometers in battles and on August 27, 1944, it broke through the defensive unit in the area of the Foksha Gate. On August 30, 1944, his tankers captured the city of Ploiesti, the center of the most important oil-industrial region of Romania. On September 13, 1944, for skillful command of the brigade during the Iasi-Kishinev Guard Operation, Colonel S.F. Shutov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the second time.
In September 1944, he was appointed to the post of deputy commander of the 9th Guards Mechanized Corps. But his military career in this post was short-lived - a few days later, in a battle during the liberation of Hungary, Stepan Fedorovich was seriously wounded, and his arm was amputated in the hospital.
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| Twice Hero of the Soviet Union S.F. Jesters in his homeland in the village of Glusk. 1949 |
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Hero of the Soviet Union P.M. Masherov, Hero of the Soviet Union M.B. Osipova, |
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| Twice Hero of the Soviet Union S.F. Shutov among the cadets of the Kyiv Self-propelled Artillery School. 1950 |
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| Twice Hero of the Soviet Union S.F. Shutov at a meeting with pioneers in Kyiv. 1961 |
After the war S.F. Shutov was active in public life, working as Deputy Minister of Social Security of the BSSR. Twice elected to deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the BSSR. Author of the book "Red Arrows". Died April 17, 1963. According to his will, he was buried in the city of Kyiv at the Baikovo cemetery.
A bust was erected in the hero’s homeland in the urban village of Glusk, and streets in Moscow, Kyiv, Bobruisk, Osipovichi, and Glusk were also named after him.
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Twice Hero of the Soviet Union S.F. Shutov. |
, Belarus
USSR USSR
tank forces
20th Guards Tank Brigade
Stepan Fedorovich Shutov (January 17 (30) ( 19020130 ) , Skubeikovo estate, Bobruisk district, Minsk province, now part of the village of Palace of Zavolochitsky village council, Glussky district, Mogilev region of Belarus - April 17, Kyiv) - participant in the Civil and Great Patriotic Wars, commander of the 20th Guards Tank Brigade (5th Guards Tank Corps), Colonel, twice Hero of the Soviet Union ().
Biography
Born into a peasant family. Belarusian.
From the first days of Soviet power, S. F. Shutov was among its defenders. In 1917, as part of the Red Guard and partisan detachments, he took part in battles against the German occupiers in Belarus. In the Red Army with. During the Civil War he fought on the Western Front against the White Poles. Demobilized in . Since 1924, a member of the CPSU(b)/CPSU, due to party mobilization, was again sent to the ranks of the Red Army.
In 1927 he graduated from the United Military School named after the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, in 1930 - Military-Political Courses, in 1932 - Leningrad Armored Improvement Courses, in 1937 - Academic Improvement Courses at the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization and in 1943 - Academic Improvement Courses for Command composition. Before the war, he commanded a tank company and battalion.
S. F. Shutov began the Great Patriotic War as a commander of a tank battalion, fought on the Western, Volkhov, Voronezh, 1st and 2nd Ukrainian fronts as a battalion commander, tank regiment, brigade commander, and deputy commander of the 9th Guards Mechanized Corps. He took part in the battle of Moscow, on the Kursk Bulge, crossed the Dnieper, and liberated Kyiv.
For the crossing of the Dnieper and the liberation of Kyiv, for the skillful leadership of the brigade and the heroism and courage displayed at the same time, on January 10, 1944, S. F. Shutov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 2158).
He was awarded the second “Gold Star” for exemplary performance of command tasks during the Iasi-Chisinau operation on September 13, 1944.
In one of the battles, S. F. Shutov was seriously wounded in the arm and, after its amputation, retired in September 1944. He lived in Kyiv, where he died on April 17, 1963 from a serious illness. He was buried at the Baikovo cemetery in Kyiv.
A bronze bust of twice Hero of the Soviet Union S.F. Shutov was installed in the town of Glusk, Mogilev region. Streets in Moscow, Kyiv, Glusk, and a school in the Glusk district are named after him. He was awarded two Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner and medals.
The grandson of S. F. Shutov, Major General Alexander Shutov, served as head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Memory
The following tankers are named after the tanker:
- Stepan Shutov street in Moscow;
- Colonel Shutov street in Kyiv.
see also
Write a review of the article "Shutov, Stepan Fedorovich"
Notes
Literature
- Forever in the people's heart, 2nd ed. - Minsk: Main. ed. Belarusian. Sov. encyclopedia, 1977.
Links
. Website "Heroes of the Country".
An excerpt characterizing Shutov, Stepan Fedorovich
XBut the strange thing is that all these orders, concerns and plans, which were no worse than others issued in similar cases, did not affect the essence of the matter, but, like the hands of a dial on a watch separated from the mechanism, spun arbitrarily and aimlessly, without affecting the wheels.
Militarily, the ingenious campaign plan that Thiers talks about; que son genie n"avait jamais rien imagine de plus profond, de plus habile et de plus admirable [his genius never invented anything deeper, more skillful and more amazing] and regarding which Thiers, entering into polemics with Mr. Fehn, proves that the drawing up of this ingenious plan should be dated not to the 4th, but to the 15th of October, this plan was never and could not be executed, because there was nothing close to reality. The fortification of the Kremlin, for which it was necessary to demolish la Mosquee. [mosque] (as Napoleon called St. Basil's Church), it turned out to be completely useless. Laying mines under the Kremlin only contributed to the fulfillment of the emperor's desire, upon leaving Moscow, for the Kremlin to be blown up, that is, for the floor on which the child was killed to be beaten. Persecution of the Russian. The army, which so concerned Napoleon, presented an unheard-of phenomenon. The French military leaders lost the sixty-thousandth Russian army, and only, according to Thiers, the art and, it seems, also the genius of Murat managed to find, like a pin, this sixty-thousandth Russian army.
Diplomatically, all of Napoleon’s arguments about his generosity and justice, both before Tutolmin and before Yakovlev, who was primarily concerned with acquiring an overcoat and a cart, turned out to be useless: Alexander did not accept these ambassadors and did not respond to their embassy.
From a legal point of view, after the execution of the alleged arsonists, the other half of Moscow burned down.
Administratively, the establishment of the municipality did not stop the robbery and only brought benefit to some individuals who participated in this municipality and, under the pretext of maintaining order, robbed Moscow or saved theirs from robbery.
In terms of religion, things that were so easily arranged in Egypt by visiting a mosque did not bring any results here. Two or three priests found in Moscow tried to carry out the will of Napoleon, but one of them was beaten on the cheeks by a French soldier during the service, and the French official reported the following about the other: “Le pretre, que j"avais decouvert et invite a recommencer a dire la messe, a nettoye et ferme l"eglise. Cette nuit on est venu de nouveau enfoncer les portes, casser les cadenas, dechirer les livres et commettre d "autres desordres." ["The priest, whom I found and invited to begin serving mass, cleaned and locked the church. That same night they came again breaking doors and locks, tearing books and causing other disturbances.”]
In terms of trade, there was no response to the proclamation to the hardworking artisans and all peasants. There were no hardworking artisans, and the peasants caught those commissars who went too far with this proclamation and killed them.
With regard to entertaining the people and troops with theatres, things were similarly unsuccessful. The theaters established in the Kremlin and in Poznyakov’s house immediately closed because actresses and actors were robbed.
Charity did not bring the desired results either. False banknotes and fake ones filled Moscow and had no price. For the French, who collected booty, all they needed was gold. Not only were the false banknotes that Napoleon so graciously distributed to the unfortunate had no price, but silver was given below its value for gold.
But the most striking phenomenon of the invalidity of the highest orders at that time was Napoleon's efforts to stop the robberies and restore discipline.
This is what the army officials reported.
“Robberies continue in the city, despite orders to stop them. Order has not yet been restored, and there is not a single merchant conducting trade in a legal manner. Only sutlers allow themselves to sell, and only looted things.”
“La partie de mon arrondissement continue a etre en proie au pillage des soldats du 3 corps, qui, non contents d"arracher aux malheureux refugies dans des souterrains le peu qui leur reste, ont meme la ferocite de les blesser a coups de sabre, comme j"en ai vu plusieurs exemples".
“Rien de nouveau outre que les soldats se permettent de voler et de piller. Le 9 October.”
“Le vol et le pillage continuent.” Il y a une bande de voleurs dans notre district qu"il faudra faire arreter par de fortes gardes. Le 11 October."
[“Part of my district continues to be plundered by the soldiers of the 3rd Corps, who are not content with taking away the meager property of the unfortunate inhabitants who hid in the basements, but also cruelly inflict wounds on them with sabers, as I myself have seen many times.”
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union S.F. Shutov. 1945
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union S.F. Jesters in his homeland in the village of Glusk. 1949
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union S.F. Shutov at a meeting with pioneers in Kyiv. 1961
1902-1963
Stepan Fedorovich Shutov was born on January 17 (30), 1902 in the village of Glussky Palace, now Bobruisk district, Mogilev region, into a large peasant family (8 children). He started his career early. From the age of 9 he worked for the landowner: herding cattle, working in the barnyard. After his father's death in 1915, he became a field worker on the Palace estate. Soon he became a laborer at a glass factory in the village of Glusha. In January 1917, he got a job at a sawmill, but was fired for celebrating May 1st, absenteeism and inciting workers to celebrate.
In December 1917, Stepan Shutov was one of the first to enlist in the Red Guard detachment of Bobruisk district. During the German and Polish occupations he fought in the partisan detachment of Bobruisk district. During the White Poles' offensive, he was arrested by the Polish gendarmerie, but fled to the partisans.
In the summer of 1920, Stepan Shutov joined the 200th Infantry Regiment of the 16th Army of the Western Front as a mounted reconnaissance officer. Soon he found himself in the ranks of the famous First Cavalry Army of Budyonny. But he did not serve long, fell ill with typhus and after recovery was demobilized. He returned to his native village and worked on a collective farm. In March 1924, he was drafted into the Red Army by the Bobruisk regional military registration and enlistment office, served in the 30th Cavalry Regiment named after Stepan Razin of the 4th Siberian Cavalry Brigade, and participated in battles with bandits in the Mogilev province.
In the period from 1927 to 1937, S. F. Shutov graduated from the United Military School named after the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, the Military-Political Courses named after V. I. Lenin, the Leningrad Armored Advanced Courses, and academic advanced courses at the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army named after. I.V. Stalin. Served in tank forces in Ukraine. Over ten years of service and study, he grew from a cavalry platoon commander to a tank battalion commander.
The news of the start of the war found S.F. Shutov in the Central Asian Military District. A month later he was already at the front. From the first days of the Great Patriotic War, S. F. Shutov commanded tank battalions in the 208th tank regiment of the 104th separate tank division, then in the 9th tank regiment of the 9th tank brigade on the Western Front. He took part in the battles of Yelnya and Roslavl, defended the approaches to Moscow in the fall of 1941. From December 1941 he commanded tank brigades on the Southwestern and Western fronts.
At the beginning of June 1943, the Nazis launched an offensive against the Voronezh Front, hoping to drive a wedge into the defenses on the Kursk Bulge and push back the Soviet troops, but our soldiers held out with exceptional courage and fortitude. Each Soviet tank was opposed by three or four enemy tanks. Later, Stepan Fedorovich recalled those days in his book “Red Arrows”: “...The fighting continues without stopping. The enemy cannot achieve serious success, but like a gambler, he comes at us again and again with a tank attack... People carried out every combat mission diligently, with creativity, using military cunning and ingenuity.” On July 12, a turning point came in the Battle of Kursk. Soviet troops went on the offensive. The guardsmen of the 20th Tank Brigade of the 5th Guards Tank Corps with their brigade commander Stepan Shutov contributed to that difficult victory. .
In October 1943, S. F. Shutov’s brigade was the first of the tank units to cross to the Lyutezh bridgehead. During the Kyiv offensive operation, the brigade went on the offensive on November 3, 1943 and with a bold breakthrough reached the suburbs of Kyiv in one day. The next day she was already fighting on the streets of the city. For skillful management of brigade units during the crossing of the Dnieper and in battles on the bridgehead north of Kyiv on January 10, 1944, S. F. Shutov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Time will pass, and the following lines will be written into the “History of the Second World War”: “High military skill and heroism in battles on the streets of the city were shown by the soldiers of the 38th Army and the 20th Guards Tank Brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Shutov, who was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for his skillful command of the brigade in the battles for Kiev.”
Subsequently, the brigade under his command successfully operated in the Uman-Botoshan offensive operation in March-April 1944: it was one of the first to cross the Prut River and reach the border with Romania. During the Iasi-Kishinev offensive operation, in 2 days it covered over 100 kilometers in battles and on August 27, 1944, it broke through the defensive unit in the area of the Foksha Gate. On August 30, 1944, his tankers captured the city of Ploiesti, the center of the most important oil-industrial region of Romania. The brigade under the command of Guard Colonel Shutov defeated a strong enemy group that blocked the path of the corps. while destroying 20 enemy heavy tanks. On September 13, 1944, for courage, determination and skillful command of the battles during the Iasi-Kishinev Guard operation, Colonel S. F. Shutov, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the second time with the presentation of the second Gold Star medal.
Introducing S. F. Shutov to this rank, the commander of the 5th Guards Tank Corps of Stalingrad, Major General Savelyev, noted: “20th Guards Tank Brigade under the command of Comrade. At the first stage of the operation, Shutova played the main role in the corps in reaching a wide operational space.
Brigade Comrade Shutova defeated a powerful tank group, blocking the path of the corps, while destroying 30 enemy heavy tanks. In subsequent battles, the brigade of comrade. Shutova, together with other parts of the corps, broke through the enemy’s defenses with a decisive assault and successfully completed each battle.
For high personal courage, determination and skillful leadership of battles, Comrade. Shutov is worthy of being awarded the second title of Hero of the Soviet Union.”
In September 1944, he was appointed to the post of deputy commander of the 9th Guards Mechanized Corps. But his military career in this post was short-lived - a few days later, in a battle during the liberation of Hungary, Stepan Fedorovich was seriously wounded, and his arm was amputated in the hospital. Both legs were also broken. After his recovery, Stepan Shutov had to retire to the reserve.
After the war S.F. Shutov was active in public life, working as Deputy Minister of Social Security of the BSSR. Twice elected to deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and the BSSR. Author of the book "Red Arrows". Lived in Minsk. Later he moved to live in Kyiv. Already living in Kyiv, he also took part in public life: he performed in military units, factories, collective farms, and schools.
The legendary tanker died after a serious long-term illness on April 17, 1963. According to his will, he was buried in the city of Kyiv at the Baikovo cemetery.
Perpetuating the memory of Stepan Fedorovich Shutov, the Council of Ministers of the BSSR named the Gorodok secondary school of the Bobruisk region after the twice Hero of the Soviet Union. A bust was erected in the hero’s homeland in the urban village of Glusk. Streets in Moscow, Kyiv, Osipovichi, Glusk, and the village of Simonovichi, Bobruisk district, are named after him. The name Shutov was given to the passenger ship of the Upper Dnieper River Shipping Company. Special stands tell about the life and exploits of a tanker in many history museums, including the Moscow Higher Combined Arms Order of Lenin Red Banner School named after the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR. In 1972, a postal envelope was issued with a portrait and the inscription: “Twice Hero of the Soviet Union S. F. Shutov. 1902-1963. Artist A. Sokolov.”
one of the streets of the city of Bobruisk.
3. Instruct the main administration of the river fleet under the Council of Ministers of the BSSR to name one of the motor ships of the Upper Dnieper Shipping Company after the twice Hero of the Soviet Union S. F. Shutov.
Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers
Belarusian SSRV.Lobanok
Deputy Directorate of Affairs of the Council of Ministers of the Belarusian USSR. Sambuk
Born on January 17 (30), 1902 in the village of Palace, now Bobruisk district, Mogilev region (Belarus), into a poor large (8 children) peasant family. Belarusian.
He worked for the landowner from the age of 9, from 1915 - a worker on the estate, from 1916 he worked at a glass and sawmill. Participant in the Civil War: from December 1917 he was a member of the local Red Guard and partisan detachment, fought against the German invaders and Polish troops. In the summer of 1920, he joined the 200th Infantry Regiment of the 16th Army of the Western Front of the Red Army as a mounted reconnaissance officer, but served for only a short time, fell ill with typhus and was demobilized upon recovery. He returned to his native village and worked on a state farm. Member of the CPSU(b) since 1924
In March 1924, he was drafted into the Red Army by the Bobruisk regional military registration and enlistment office of the Mogilev region of the Belarusian SSR. He served in the 30th Cavalry Regiment named after Stepan Razin of the 4th Siberian Cavalry Brigade, and participated in battles with bandits in the Mogilev province. In 1927 he graduated from the United Military School named after the All-Russian Central Executive Committee in Moscow. In August 1927 - September 1929 - platoon commander of the 58th department. reserve squadron. In 1930 he graduated from the Military-Political Courses named after V.I. Lenin in Moscow, was sent as a political instructor to the 1st reserve cavalry regiment.
In 1932, he graduated from the Leningrad armored advanced training courses, commanded a training company of the 3rd training tank regiment, then served there as a driving instructor and head of courses for junior military technicians. In 1937, he graduated from academic advanced courses at the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army named after I.V. Stalin, and served in the tank forces in Ukraine. From July 1940 he commanded a tank battalion of heavy tanks of the 17th tank regiment of the 9th tank division.
From the first days of the Great Patriotic War S.F. Shutov commanded tank battalions in the 208th tank regiment of the 104th division. tank division, then in the 9th tank regiment of the 9th tank brigade on the Western Front. He defended the approaches to Moscow in the fall of 1941. From December 1941, he was deputy commander of the 36th Tank Brigade in the Moscow Military District and on the Southwestern Front. From March 1 to April 28, 1942, commander of the 167th Tank Brigade. From August 20, 1942 - commander of the 187th Tank Brigade of the 9th Tank Corps of the Western Front. From October 1942 to May 1943 - commander of the 50th department. Guards tank regiment.
In 1943 he graduated from academic advanced training courses for command personnel at the Military Academy of Armored and Mechanized Forces of the Red Army named after I.V. Stalin. From September 16, 1943 - commander of the 20th Guards. tank brigade of the 5th Guards. tank corps on the Voronezh, 1st Ukrainian and 2nd Ukrainian fronts. In October 1943, Shutov's brigade was the first of the tank units to cross to the Lyutezh bridgehead. During the Kyiv offensive operation, the brigade went on the offensive on November 3, 1943 and with a bold breakthrough reached the suburbs of Kyiv in 1 day. The next day she was already fighting on the streets of the city.
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 10, 1944, for the skillful management of brigade units during the crossing of the Dnieper and in battles on the bridgehead north of Kyiv and the courage and heroism of the Guards. Colonel Stepan Fedorovich Shutov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
Then he bravely acted in the Uman-Botosha offensive operation in March - April 1944, when his brigade was one of the first to cross the Prut River and reach the border with Romania.
During the Iasi-Kishinev offensive operation, Colonel Shutov’s brigade fought over 100 kilometers in two days, and by the end of August 27, 1944, it broke through the defensive unit in the area of the Foksha Gate. On August 30, his tankers captured the city of Ploiesti, the center of the most important oil-field region in Romania. In these battles, tankers destroyed over 20 enemy heavy tanks.
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of September 13, 1944, for the skillful command of the brigade during the Iasi-Kishinev operation and the courage and heroism of the guard, Colonel Stepan Fedorovich Shutov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the second time with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
Since September 1944 - deputy commander of the 9th Guards. mechanized corps of the 6th Guards. tank army. But the combat journey at this post turned out to be short - a few days later, in a night battle in the Transylvanian Alps, he was seriously wounded, and his arm was amputated in the hospital. Since September 1945, S. F. Shutov was retired.
He worked as Deputy Minister of Social Security of the Belarusian SSR. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 2nd convocation (1946-1950), of the Supreme Council of the BSSR of the 3rd convocation (1951-1955).
Lived in Minsk. He died on April 17, 1963. He was buried according to his will at the Baikovo cemetery in Kyiv.
Military ranks: captain (08/27/1937), major (December 1941), lieutenant colonel (10/29/1942), colonel (02/21/1944).
Awards: two Orders of Lenin (01/10/1944, ...), two Orders of the Red Banner (04/11/1943, ...), Medal “For the Defense of Moscow” (04/04/1945).
A bronze bust of S. F. Shutov was installed in the village of Glusk, Bobruisk district, Mogilev region of Belarus. A street in Kyiv is named after him, at the beginning of which there is an annotation board.
Essays: Always in line. Kyiv, 1950; Red arrows. M., 1963.
Stepan Fedorovich Shutov was born in 1902 into the family of a peasant farm laborer. Belarusian by nationality. Member of the CPSU since 1924. In the Soviet Army
since 1924. In 1927 he graduated from the United Military School named after the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, in 1930 - Military-Political Courses, in 1932 - Leningrad Armored Improvement Courses and in 1937 - Academic Improvement Courses at the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization.
Since September 1945, Colonel Stepan Fedorovich Shutov was retired.
Here are your personal affairs, Andrei Grigorievich, choose a commander for the 20th brigade. All the boys are good.
With these words, the commander of the armored and mechanized forces of the 1st Ukrainian Front, General A.D. Shtevnev, placed several thin folders on the table in front of the commander of the 5th Guards Tank Corps.
Tank General A.G. Kravchenko, who had already fought a lot, looked through each file several times. And finally, stopping at one of them, he said:
Give me Colonel Shutov, he is an old friend of mine. Near Moscow in 1941, they fought in the neighborhood. I hope that Stepan Fedorovich will master the brigade quickly, otherwise he will soon go into battle.
The corps commander wanted to immediately meet and talk with the new brigade commander, but he was in a hurry to see the front commander, General Vatutin, and postponed the meeting to a later date. A few days later, Colonel Shutov arrived to introduce himself to the corps commander.
Best of the day
Sit down, Stepan Fedorovich,” General Kravchenko suggested, “here we meet again, to fight, that means we’ll be together.” How's your health?
“Excellent, Comrade General,” Shutov replied, “I’m very glad that I will now have to fight under your command.” I'm waiting for your instructions.
Good,” said Kravchenko and started talking about the 20th brigade, to which Shutov was appointed commander.
Keep in mind, Stepan Fedorovich, she is the pride of our entire corps, she was the first to close the encirclement ring around the Germans on the Volga. And in the battles near Voronezh, the boys fought bravely,” concluded Andrei Grigorievich.
Yes, I have already become familiar with the brigade’s combat affairs. She’s doing well,” Shutov confirmed.
Apparently, hot days will soon come here too,” Kravchenko continued and unexpectedly asked: “Yes, by the way, have you heard anything about the “tigers?”
I had to hear, but, to be honest, I didn’t see these “animals,” answered Shutov.
Such an opportunity will probably present itself soon,” Kravchenko noted. - Only I would recommend getting to know them personally in advance and introducing the crews well. And then there are all sorts of rumors; There are eccentrics who claim that our “thirty-four” do not seem to take the fascist “tiger”. Experience shows that our crew, who are proficient with weapons, can handle them freely. In a word, people need to know the vulnerable spots of the “tigers” and hit them.
From that day on, the most important thing in the activities of the new commander of the 20th Guards Brigade was personal study and training of crews for the upcoming battles. The commander taught his tank crews to defend steadfastly and advance rapidly, to show cunning and resourcefulness in the fight against new fascist tanks.
We did not have to wait long for the start of the enemy offensive. Throughout the spring of 1943, the Nazis chose the moment to take revenge for the defeat on the Volga. At dawn on July 5, 1943, they launched an offensive on the Kursk salient, choosing the small but operationally important city of Oboyan as the direction of attack. The enemy wanted to crush the defenses of the Soviet troops with an armored ram and achieve their intended goal: to encircle the Soviet troops located in a ledge west of Kursk.
Already on the second day of fierce defensive battles of the Soviet troops, the 5th Guards Tank Corps was brought into action.
On August 5, the capital of the Motherland, Moscow, saluted our troops, who captured the cities of Orel and Belgorod. Tankers of the 5th Guards Corps now, in the general flow of Soviet troops, rushed west, to the Dnieper, and then to the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv. The 20th brigade of Colonel Shutov was leading the corps. General Kravchenko instructed him and the tankmen of his brigade to carry out the most complex and difficult combat missions.
The enemy was retreating, but snarling fiercely, and the tank guards had to not only quickly attack and pursue the enemy, but also act from ambushes, destroy them in groups, and shoot counterattacking enemy tanks at point-blank range.
At the end of September, the 5th Guards Tank Corps was already located northeast of Kyiv in the area of Brovary station. Here it was temporarily stopped to be replenished with people and military equipment.
Soviet troops were already approaching the Dnieper and crossed it. In the 20th brigade, everyone was worried about the question: will we soon attack Kyiv? Colonel Shutov had the desire to be one of the first to break into the familiar streets of Kyiv, which was close to his heart. More than once he gradually tried to start a conversation with Andrei Grigorievich Kravchenko on this topic. The general smiled dreamily and said:
Take your time, Stepan Fedorovich, we’ll accumulate strength and rush forward. Ours is still ahead. The front command will not forget about us at the decisive moment, don’t worry, prepare your people better.
And soon the corps commander himself came to the brigade, inspected all the tanks in a businesslike manner, talked with the crews, and then sat down with the brigade commander on a bench under a hundred-year-old oak tree and started talking about what still needed to be completed. Then, quite unexpectedly, he announced that an order from the front to march was about to follow.
And where approximately will we operate, Comrade General, if it’s not a secret? - the colonel asked Kravchenko.
The general responded approvingly:
The question is legitimate. We tankers must know in advance the directions of our actions. Most likely, Comrade Shutov, in the coming days we will rescue the capital of Ukraine, our native Kyiv.
That would be very cool, Comrade General! - Shutov burst out.
His calm, strong-willed face lit up with joy. The general saw this and, with his characteristic tact, remarked:
As far as I know, you served in Kyiv before the war. Do you know the city well?
Yes, I served, Comrade General. Not only this connects me with Kiev, I still have a family there - a wife, two sons...
The general shook his hand in a friendly manner and wished him a good military journey and personal happiness.
After seeing the general off, Colonel Shutov fell into deep thought. How many memories Kyiv awakened in the heart of Stepan Fedorovich! Here he began his service as a tank driver. In this city he matured and became a real, mature commander. It’s scary to believe: there are fascists walking and driving around Kyiv. The people groan and bleed under their yoke. Family, friends, acquaintances from Kiev - what’s wrong with them? And because he was now almost close to Kiev, his heart sank even more with concern for his loved ones. I wanted to quickly go into battle, to quickly find out the truth, even if it was bitter.
On the night of October 2-3, the 5th Guards Corps received the task on the evening of October 4 to cross the Desna and concentrate in the area of the village of Novoselki, and then cross the Dnieper and, in cooperation with units of the 38th Army, advance bypassing Kyiv, to the west and south -west.
At a short meeting of brigade commanders held at dawn on October 3, General Kravchenko emphasized that tankers would need great endurance and endurance, and commanders would need high organizational skills. There are two large rivers ahead, but there are no means of crossing and none are expected in the near future. They relied on the ingenuity, dedication and resourcefulness of the tank crews. And very soon he was justified.
The tankers had a very risky idea - to ford the Desna River with tanks.
But how to do that? Soon, brave souls were found - driver mechanics, tank commanders. Everyone agreed on one thing: to measure the depth of the river and find the shallowest places. Komsomol members Ivan Gorbunov and Semyon Krivenko descended into the icy water and swam to the western shore, every now and then sinking to the bottom to feel with their feet solid support. Local fishermen came to the aid of the tankers. Less than an hour had passed before the ford was cleared. Its route meandered like a snake, its length reached 300 meters, and the depth in some places was two meters. This significantly exceeded the tanks' ability to ford water obstacles. The commanders and tank drivers had to show great courage, resourcefulness, endurance, and mutual assistance. The task of the brigade commanders was especially difficult. They were responsible for the timely execution of orders, as well as for the safety of the lives of the crews.
Colonel Shutov was at the most critical site that day. He led reconnaissance and work on the march
rue. He also appeared where tank crews were preparing combat vehicles for an unusual crossing of a large water barrier.
In the midst of the crossing, the commander of the 38th Army, General N. E. Chibisov, arrived at Colonel Shutov’s brigade. Seeing how diligently the tank crews worked, neglecting the danger of catching a cold in the icy water, the general could not resist praising and thanking them for their great and courageous work. The army commander called General Kravchenko, who was nearby, to his side.
Andrey Grigorievich, what kind of people are your tank crews! - he admired. “During my many years of service, I have seen a lot of soldier’s courage, but this is the first time I have seen this.” People don't get out of the water for hours. And how driver mechanics risk their lives driving tanks to the opposite bank!
Within 24 hours, more than 70 Soviet tanks passed through a wide and rather deep river without any bridge or ferries. This was true innovation.
That same night, after completing the crossing of the Desna, tankers of the 5th Guards Corps rushed to the Dnieper. By that time, on its western bank there was already a small bridgehead, captured at the end of September by the troops of the 38th Army. Fierce fighting took place on the bridgehead. The Soviet infantrymen had a very difficult time. The enemy counterattacked them with tanks. But our units did not have tanks, and there was very little artillery. Tanks on the right bank of the Dnieper were very necessary to hold and expand the bridgehead.
And again the question arose: how to transport them there? There were no engineering means for this. We decided to transport the tanks using available transport means. Local residents again came to the rescue. They suggested a way out of this situation: they suggested removing barges abandoned by the Nazis from the bottom of the river. Under continuous bombing and artillery shelling, sappers, tank crews and collective farm fishermen raised several barges from the river bottom, sunk by the Nazis when retreating beyond the Dnieper, and quickly adapted them into ferries for crossing.
The tankers of Colonel Shutov's brigade were the first to cross. Colonel Shutov was in places familiar to him. Here, in the past, he spent more than one camp season, more than once teaching his tank crews the ability to fight in rough wooded areas. Now the enemy was near. The Nazis made themselves felt every second, either with the explosion of an artillery shell, or with the earth-shaking roar of an aerial bomb, or with a nearby machine-gun burst. At night, enemy outposts continuously illuminated their positions with fire from hundreds of rockets. The enemy feared penetration of our scouts through the front line or a sudden night attack.
Soon the entire corps of General Kravchenko concentrated on the Lyutezh bridgehead. The general assessed the situation. During this short but difficult time, he got to know Colonel Shutov well and became convinced that he was not mistaken in his choice. The new commander combined excellent knowledge of tank technology, courage, and organizational talent. In fierce battles to retain and further expand the Lyutezh bridgehead, the corps commander sent a brigade to the most critical directions. The extensive experience of fighting with tanks and infantry in wooded areas, accumulated by Colonel Shutov on the Western Front, and then near Leningrad, in the Sinyavinsky Heights region, was very useful to him in the battles near Kiev.
In mid-October, the 20th Tank Brigade received the task of attacking northwest of Kyiv as part of the corps. The tankers were supposed to cut the highway going from Kyiv to Zhitomir with a blow bypassing Kyiv. Colonel Shutov's brigade was leading the way. He led his tank crews along forest paths, where the Nazis did not expect Soviet tanks to appear. The enemy was taken by surprise and fled, abandoning equipment, guns, and ammunition. Bridges across the Irpen River were captured on the move and the Kyiv-Korosten railway was cut. And a day later, Colonel Shutov was already reporting to the corps commander that his tankers were holding the Kyiv-Zhitomir highway under fire from their guns.
However, soon the enemy in large forces attacked the Lyutyozhsky bridgehead from the north-west. The rifle divisions of the 38th Army could not cope with it; immediate assistance from tankers was required. An order followed: to return the tank brigades of the 5th Guards Corps to their original position on the bridgehead. With pain in his heart, General Kravchenko gave this order for the return of the brigades. Shutov repeatedly asked the general on the radio: “Isn’t this a mistake, because the offensive is developing very successfully.” But no, it was not a mistake!
Pulling back the tanks was indeed extremely unprofitable. The enemy, noticing the movement of Soviet tanks to the northeast, concentrated powerful bombing attacks from his aircraft on the crossings on the Irpen River. And again the tankers had to resort to cunning. Having created several false crossing points on the Irpen River, they eluded enemy aircraft. The return of tanks to the bridgehead and their counterattacks against enemy troops stabilized the situation. Intensified preparation of troops began for an attack on Kyiv directly from the north, through dense forests.
This path was shorter, but also more difficult: the area was replete with ravines with forests and bushes. Under these conditions, tanks could operate successfully only in very close proximity to their infantry. Otherwise, they could be destroyed by enemy tanks, well camouflaged in the forest.
The preparation time for the attack on Kyiv was very short. Tankers of the 5th Guards Corps, together with infantry from units of the 38th Army, took up their starting position for the attack in the first echelon. General Kravchenko again placed Shutov’s brigade in the decisive direction.
The books are in your hands, Stepan Fedorovich. You are, one might say, a local resident here,” the corps commander said, half jokingly and in a friendly manner. - I have high hopes for you.
Colonel Shutov answered briefly:
Comrade General, we will justify your trust.
The Soviet offensive against Kyiv began early in the morning of November 3. After a powerful artillery barrage, the tanks, along with infantry and artillery, quickly rushed forward. The enemy offered stubborn resistance.
Colonel Shutov walked in the battle formations of his brigade. He appeared in one or another battalion, leading them to the right directions along forest paths. The fighting in the forest did not stop for a single minute. By the morning of November 4, Shutov’s tankers had already passed through the forest in the area of the dacha suburb of Kyiv - Pushcha Voditsa. To the right, units of General Rybalko’s tank army began to move. This also inspired Shutov’s tankers. They now saw that we had a lot of strength and the enemy would not be able to resist for long.
Colonel Shutov lived with only one desire: to get to Kyiv as soon as possible. What about his family? Are the guys alive, if they are not in the city, then where to look for them?
Stepan Fedorovich hurried the tankers.
The night from November 4 to 5 was decisive in the battles for Kyiv. The tankers received the command to attack the enemy defenses with their headlights on. The Nazis were stunned by the unexpected appearance of a large mass of bright, shuddering lights in front of their trenches. As they approached the trenches, the tanks intensified their cannon and machine gun fire. The machine gunners, moving closely behind the tanks, grouped the prisoners. Colonel Shutov directed them to the command post of General Kravchenko. Our soldiers said in the semi-darkness:
The wrong one became a fascist, he went limp, we rolled him away.
On the night of November 5-6, Colonel Shutov’s tankers fought on the streets of Kyiv. House after house, block after block passed into their hands. By one o'clock in the morning on November 6, they were already fighting on the outskirts of the city center. Here it is, Khreshchatyk. All around there are ruins, smoke, a web of broken wires.
By morning the city was cleared of the enemy. This was a good gift from Soviet soldiers to the Motherland on the eve of the Great October Revolution. Stepan Shutov was in his hometown.
Taking advantage of a short respite in the fighting, Colonel Shutov tried to find his family at the old address. But there was no one there. Neighbors reported that his wife, hiding from the Nazis, had gone with the children somewhere to the village... Leaving his field mail number to the neighbors, he returned to the brigade. The tankers continued to pursue the enemy. Thoughts about his family never left Stepan Fedorovich. And when General Kravchenko ordered the 20th Brigade to be withdrawn to reserve for a day in order to refuel and inspect the tanks, the colonel asked him for permission to visit Kiev again. This time he managed to meet his wife and little son. Their joy was darkened by the fact that, returning back from the village, the wife lost Volodya, her eldest son.
Colonel Shutov returned to the brigade both joyful and sad. The brigade went into battle again. A stream of women, old people, and children freed from fascist captivity was moving towards the tankers rushing south from Kyiv. Stepan Fedorovich carefully peered into the crowds of people, hoping for a lucky break...
A hot battle for another populated area has just ended. With a swift attack, the tankers suppressed enemy artillery and mortars at firing positions and captured the Nazis who did not have time to escape. Several of our tanks stopped in the center of the village. Residents ran out of cellars and basements, hugging and kissing Soviet soldiers.
The boys made their way forward, close to the tanks. Stepan Fedorovich was talking on the sidelines with the old people and from time to time glanced at the group of guys. Suddenly, very close, he heard:
Dad! Daddy!
His dirty son ran towards him, his eyes shining joyfully.
Volodya! Son!
Stepan Fedorovich could not hold back his tears. The crowd, amazed, parted. Many also cried.
But this meeting was short. It was with difficulty that he managed to persuade his son to return home.
Hot battles raged in Right Bank Ukraine in the winter of 1944. The fascist generals, who proclaimed to the whole world that they had created an impregnable defensive rampart on the Dnieper, wanted to take Kyiv back.
Enemy troops launched numerous counterattacks either from the Bila Tserkva region or from near Zhitomir. In these battles, General Kravchenko's tank corps was transferred from one sector of the 1st Ukrainian Front to another.
The tankmen of Colonel Shutov's brigade continued to beat the enemy skillfully and courageously.
One day in February, when the brigade was on rest after the defeat of the encircled group of fascist troops near Korsun-Shevchenkovsky, Stepan Fedorovich was urgently called to the headquarters of the 6th Tank Army. Here he learned that General Kravchenko was inviting him to present an award.
Stepan Fedorovich entered the house where the army commander was located. The general rose from the table, came out to meet the colonel, hugged him brotherly and said:
I congratulate you on your first “Golden Star”, Stepan Fedorovich! The Motherland thanked you for the Dnieper and Kyiv. The colonel was somewhat confused:
Thank you, Comrade General...
Then, gathering his thoughts, he jokingly asked:
But how to understand this, Comrade General, with the first? Are you going to congratulate me on my second one too?
“It depends on you,” the general joked.
There was still a long battle ahead. The liberation of Ukraine had to be completed. The enslaved peoples of Eastern Europe were awaiting the arrival of the Soviet Army. Created on the eve of the Korsun-Shevchenko operation, the 6th Tank Army perfectly completed more than one combat mission. Now she was preparing for a new offensive south of Kyiv.
The new operation was designed for greater depth. It was necessary to cross three rivers - the Southern Bug, the Dniester and the Prut.
The spring offensive of 1944 on Right Bank Ukraine took place in difficult conditions of muddy roads and off-road conditions. II this time Colonel Shutov’s tankers showed good
training, endurance and dexterity. Pursuing the retreating enemy units in the direction of Uman - Mogilev-Podolsky - Balti - Yassy, they were among the first to reach the Prut River. With the arrival of Soviet troops on the approaches to Iasi, stubborn, protracted battles unfolded on Romanian soil. The 5th Guards Corps did not directly participate in these battles. It was replenished with tanks and... personnel, preparing for a new offensive.
New reinforcements also arrived in the 20th Guards Brigade. S. F. Shutov devoted a lot of effort to training young tank crews and preparing units for operations in mountainous forested areas.
The brigade commander himself studied persistently. Particularly memorable was the exercise conducted by General Kravchenko at the beginning of June 1944 according to the probable plan for the upcoming Iasi-Kishinev operation.
The army commander required brigade commanders to make bold decisions and to be able to act in isolation from their infantry.
During this exercise, Colonel Shutov had to operate on the right flank of the tank army and “capture” the Ploiesti oil region of Romania.
The army commander did not say definitively whether the operation would be carried out this way. But when summing up the results of the lesson, he hinted to Colonel Shutov:
Stepan Fedorovich, your direction is very responsible. The enemy will fight hard for him...
The Iasi-Kishinev operation began in the early morning of August 20, 1944. The attack by the first echelon troops was preceded by powerful artillery and air preparation. Colonel Shutov's brigade, like the other brigades of the two corps of the 6th Tank Army, was at that time in its original position, ready to enter the breakthrough as part of a mobile group. The crews sat in combat vehicles, waiting for the signal.
At noon on August 20, a signal was given to the tank crews of the 6th Tank Army. The tanks formed powerful columns and moved forward. By 4 - 5 o'clock in the evening, an avalanche of Soviet tanks was uncontrollably rolling south along several routes, flowing around the city of Iasi from the west.
The very first day of the operation brought great success to the tankers.
Colonel Shutov, walking with his brigade on the right flank of the tank army, continuously encouraged the tankers. He wanted them to cross the Bakhluy River before dark, and at night immediately climb the Mare ridge, which lies beyond its valley.
On the morning of August 21, tankers of the 20th brigade overcame the Mare ridge occupied by the enemy and broke into the Popesty-Skobilitsa area.
In two days more than 100 kilometers were covered. This contributed to the coverage of the Iasi-Kishinev group of enemy troops from the southwest.
By the end of the day on August 27, the tankers, pursuing the retreating enemy, immediately broke through his defenses in the area of the Foksha Gate. On August 30, tankers from Colonel Shutov’s brigade, together with tankers from other brigades of the 5th Guards Tank Corps, occupied Ploesti after stubborn fighting, depriving Nazi Germany of not only an important operational-strategic point, but also one of the main sources of fuel for tanks and aircraft.
Now the path of the tankers of the 6th Tank Army lay to Bucharest, and then to the west, to the Transylvanian Alps, and further to Hungary. In early September 1944, they set out on this big campaign. During the fighting in Transylvania, new good news reached Stepan Fedorovich Shutov: he was awarded the second Gold Star medal. Senior commanders and comrades warmly congratulated Stepan Fedorovich Shutov on his high award and wished him new successes and excellent health.
General Kravchenko this time, congratulating Stepan Fedorovich on the award, wished that it would not be the last.
Soon after this meeting with the army commander, the brigade received an order appointing Colonel Shutov to the post of deputy commander of the 9th Guards Mechanized Corps of the same 6th Guards Tank Army. During the fighting, Stepan Fedorovich assumed a new position.
Units of the corps fought fierce battles in the mountains west of the city of Turda, in the Transylvanian Alps.
Colonel Shutov arrived at General Volkov's command post.
The general, stingy with words, listened to the short report and said:
I heard about you as a brave officer. Well, now I can say one thing: I’m glad that we will fight and work together...
The general immediately called the operations officer and ordered:
Familiarize Colonel Shutov with the situation in detail, and at dusk, go with him to Lieutenant Colonel Mikhno, in the tank brigade. It is advancing in a key direction. Our watchful eye is needed there.
Ten minutes later, Colonel Shutov was already sitting, bent over a map, in the dugout of the operational department.
The scope of work and responsibility have now increased even more. But Colonel Shutov did not change his style of leading troops on the battlefield.
Tankers, infantrymen, and artillerymen now saw him in the most combat and critical sectors. He led the night battle of tanks in the mountains, the crossing of columns across a fast mountain river, and organized an attack to capture a large populated area.
In one of the night battles, S. F. Shutov was wounded. The arm bone turned out to be broken. An emergency operation to amputate the arm was performed by a Romanian surgeon-professor.
After the operation, S. F. Shutov was sent to Moscow. On the way, the plane made a stop in Kyiv. Here at the airport I was able to see my family. In Moscow, General Yakov Nikolaevich Fedorenko, the former boss and sincere comrade and friend, came to the hospital to visit Stepan Fedorovich. At first the conversation turned to the situation at the front, then the friends remembered their first meeting in Kyiv, when Yakov Nikolaevich was the deputy commander of the military district for armored forces, and Stepan Fedorovich was subordinate to him, serving in one of the units in Kyiv.
Since then, I have well remembered your stubborn Belarusian character,” Fedorenko said. - Remember, you wrote a report that you wanted to go to fight on the Finnish front? I called you and said: “Sit down, Comrade Shutov.” You sat down, looked at me, remained silent. I say: “Well, what have you got there, lay it out.” And you: “I said everything in the report,” and jumped up according to all the rules of the charter. And again: “I can’t say anything other than what I wrote.” Do you think I didn’t understand your state of mind then? I understood well. It was you who did not understand that not only you, but all of us, thousands of commanders, wanted to be at the front, to fight for the Motherland. We parted as good friends then, I only scolded you for your stubborn character...
Shutov's face lit up with a quiet smile.
I remember your resolution on the report in red pencil: “Wait until they send...” he said and, looking at the general, thought: “I’ve aged so much over the years! Apparently, it’s not easy in your new position.”
In parting, Fedorenko firmly shook Shutov’s hand and said:
You fought a good fight, Stepan Fedorovich, now restore your heroic strength. Don’t worry about business, we will soon end the war with complete victory!
It’s okay, Yakov Nikolaevich, it’s okay, I still have a lot of strength, let’s fight! - Shutov answered. - I’m still in the ranks.
Fedorenko shook his hand again, looked into his eyes and said:
This is why I love you, Stepan Fedorovich, you are a true warrior of the Land of the Soviets.
Yes, this is how Stepan Fedorovich Shutov, a hard-working warrior, a brave tank commander, was until the last days of his life.
In 1963, he died after a serious illness.