Order of the Day, April 11, 1944

Issued by Marshal Stalin and addressed to Army General Tolbukhin Troops of the Fourth Ukrainian Front, having gone over to the offensive, having broken through the heavily fortified enemy defences on the Perekop Isthmus, captured the town of Armyansk and, having advanced about 20 kilometres, reached the Ishun positions. Simultaneously troops of the Front, having forced the Sivash east of the town of Armyansk, broke through the deeply echeloned enemy fortifications in the area of the lake defiles on the southern shores of the Sivash and, advancing about 60 kilometres in four days of offensive engagements, captured the vital railway junction of the Crimea, Dzhankoi. In the fighting distinction was won by troops commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Zakharov, Lieut. -Gen. Kreizer, Lieut.-Gen. Chanchibadze, Lieut.-Gen. Kolomiets, Maj.- Gen. Neverov, Maj.-Gen. Lovyagin, Maj.-Gen. Koshevoy, Maj.-Gen. Tsalikov, Maj.-Gen. Kazartsev, Maj.-Gen.

Stankovsky, Maj.-Gen. Bobrakov, Col. Inavov, Col. ToLstov, Col. Volosatykh and Col. Malyukov; tankmen, commanded by Col. Potseluyev and Lieut.-Col. Barabash; artillerymen commanded by Col.-Gen. of Artillery Krasnopovtsev, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Verbitsky, Maj.- Gen. of Artillery Telegin, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Alexeyev, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Gaponov, Col. Vasilenko and Col. Pavlov; airmen commanded by Lieut. -Gen. of Aviation Khryukin, Maj.-Gen. of Aviation Filin, Maj.-Gen. of Aviation Savitsky, Col. Prutkov and Col. Geybo, and sappers commanded by Maj.-Gen. of Engineering Troops Kolesnikov and Maj.-Gen. of Engineering Troops Bazhenov.

To commemorate the victory, the units and formations which particularly distinguished themselves in the fighting shall be recommended for conferment of the names of Perekop and Sivash, and for the award of orders. Today, April 11, at 21.00 hours (Moscow time), the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, in the name of the Motherland, will salute with 20 artillery salvoes from 224 guns our gallant troops of the Fourth Ukrainian Front which broke through the enemy defences in the Perekop and Sivash, and captured Dzhankoi.

For excellent military operations I express my thanks to all the troops under your command which took part in the breakthrough of the enemy defences.

Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the struggle for the freedom and independence of our Motherland! Death to the German invaders!

J. Stalin

Marshal of the Soviet Union

Supreme Commander-in-Chief