Order of the Day, June 25, 1944

Issued by Marshal Stalin and addressed to Army General Rokossovsky Troops of the First Byelorussian Front, going over to the offensive from the area south-west of the town of Zhlobin, supported by massed blows from artillery and aircraft, broke through the heavily fortified German defences covering the Bobruisk direction on a sector of 35 kilometres and in two days offensive engagements advanced about 30 kilometres, widening the breakthrough to about 80 kilometres.

Simultaneously, north of the town of Rogachev, troops of the Front forced the River Drut, broke through the strong, deeply staggered enemy defences along a front of 30 kilometres, and advanced to a depth of about 12 kilometres.

In the course of the offensive, troops of the Front captured more than 100 populated places, including Retka, Ozerane, Verichev, Zapolye, Zabolotye, Knyshevichi, Moiseyevka and Mushichi, and cut the Bobruisk-Luninets railway line in the area of the railway stations of Moshna and Cherniye Brody.

In the fighting for the breakthrough of the German defences, distinction was won by the troops commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Batov, Lieut.-Gen. Luchinsky, Lieut.-Gen. Gorbatov, Lieut.-Gen. Romanenko, Maj.-Gen. Ivanov, Maj.-Gen. Alexeyev, Maj.-Gen. Perkhorovich, Maj.-Gen. Shvarev, Maj.-Gen. Batitsky, Maj.-Gen. Ragulya, Maj.- Gen. Zholudev, Lieut.-Gen. Kol-ganov, Maj.-Gen. Andreyev, Maj.-Gen. Sankovsky, Col. Mozorov, Maj.-Gen. Grebennik, Maj.-Gen. Frolenkqv, Maj.-Gen. Borisov, Maj.- Gen. Danilov, Maj.-Gen. Kuznetsov, Maj.-Gen. Turchinsky, Col. Sychev, Col. Kusin, Col. Mikhalitsyn, Maj.-Gen. Revunenkov, Maj.-Gen. Mokhin, Maj.-Gen. Kazakevich, Col. Tsyplenkov and Col. Pogrebnyak.

Artillerymen commanded by Col.-Gen. of artillery Kazakov, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Veskin Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Timotievich, Lieut.-Gen. of Artillery Semenov, Maj.-Gen. of Artillerry Petropavlovsky, Maj.-Gen. of Artillery Ignatov, Col. Akimushkin, Col. Zhigarev, Col. Ivanov, Lieut.- Col, Bespalko, Col. Veremeyev,

Col. Ostreiko, Lieut.-Col. Goncharuk, Col. Oleinik, Col. Voskresensky, Col. Onufriyev, Col. Zrazhevsky, Col.- Travkin, Col. Podolsky and Col, Ushakov.

Tankmen commanded by Lieut,-Gen. of Tank Troops Orel, Maj.-Gen. of Tank Troops Panov, Lieut.-Col. Verlan, Lieut.-Col. Gavrilov, -Lieut. Col. Sokolov, Lieut.-Col. Tideman, Lieut,-Col. Ryzhanov, Lieut.-Col. Makharkin, Col, Novak and Maj. Krapiva.

Airmen commanded by Air Col.-Gen. Radenko, Air Lieut.-Gen. Osipenko, Air Lieut,-Gen. Nes-tertsov, Air Lieut.-Gen. Tupikov, Air Maj.-Gen. Komarov, Air Maj.- Gen» Krupsky, Air Maj.-Gen. Baidukov, Air Maj.-Gen. Dzuzov, Air Maj.-Gen. Karavatsky, Air Maj.-Gen. Volkov, Air Maj.-Gen. Menshikov, Air Maj.-Gen. Shchetchikoc, Air Maj.-Gen. Yukhanov, Col. Chirva, Col. Kalinin, Lieut.- Col. Sherstyuk, Col. Ivanov, Col. Sukhoryabov, Col. Borisenko and Lieut.-Col. Rasskazov. Sappers commanded by Lieut.-Gen. of Engineering Troops Proshlyakov, Maj.-Gen. of Engineering Troops Shvydov, Maj.-Gen. of Engineering Troops Zhirov, Col. Gaber, Col. Yakovlev, Col. Petrov, Col. Artsishevsky, Maj. Korolev, Capt. Lukhachev, Maj. Kozlov, Lieut.-Col. Sborovsky and Capt. Snadin.

Signallers commanded by Lieut.-Gen. of Signal Troops Maxirnenko, Maj.-Gen. of Signal Troops Mishin, Maj.- Gen. of Signal Troops Mamotka and Col. Borisov. To commemorate the victory, the unit and formations which particularly distinguished themselves in the fighting will be recommended for conferment of orders. Today, June 25, at 23.30 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 First Byelorussian Front, which broke through the German defences in the Bobruisk direction.

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

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