ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Rokossovsky

The troops of the Byelorussian Front, as a result of a skilful outflanking manoeuvre, today, 14 January, took by storm the regional centre of Byelorussia, the city of Mozyr, and the large railway junction and city of Kalinkovichi — important German defensive strongpoints in the Polesye direction.

In the fighting to capture the cities of Mozyr and Kalinkovichi, the troops of Lieutenant-General Batov, Lieutenant-General Belov, Lieutenant-General Kryukov, Major-General Konstantinov, Major-General I.I. Ivanov, Major-General Alekseyev; the artillerymen of Colonel-General of Artillery Kazakov, Major-General of Artillery Beskin, Major-General of Artillery Ignatov, Major-General of Artillery Yegorov; the tankmen of Major-General of Tank Troops Panov; and the airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Rudenko distinguished themselves.

To commemorate the victory won, the formations and units that most distinguished themselves in the fighting for the liberation of the cities of Mozyr and Kalinkovichi shall be recommended for the award of the designations "Mozyr" and "Kalinkovichi" and for decoration with orders.

Today, 14 January, at 21:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, in the name of the Motherland salutes our valiant troops who liberated the cities of Mozyr and Kalinkovichi, with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I declare my gratitude to all the troops under your command who took part in the fighting for the liberation of the cities of Mozyr and Kalinkovichi.

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

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

14 January 1944 [No. 59]