Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
3 February 1944
[No. 68]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Konev

To Army General Vatutin

Troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, having gone over to the offensive from the area north of Kirovograd in a westerly direction, and troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front from the area south-east of Belaya Tserkov in an easterly direction, pierced the strongly fortified German defence, advanced over five days of offensive fighting from 50 to 75 kilometres in each direction to meet one another, and widened the breach on each sector of the offensive to 160–175 kilometres along the front.

As a result of these operations, the troops of the 2nd and 1st Ukrainian Fronts joined up in the area of Zvenigorodka and Shpola, and thus closed the ring of encirclement around the enemy grouping operating north of this line, comprising nine infantry divisions and one tank division.

In the course of the offensive our troops liberated more than three hundred populated places, including the towns of Zvenigorodka, Shpola, Smela, Boguslav, and Kanev, and the large railway junctions of Bobrïnskaya, Tsvetkovo, and Mironovka.

In the fighting, distinction was won by the troops of Lieutenant-General Galanin, Major-General Ryzhov, Lieutenant-General Zhmachenko, Lieutenant-General Trofimenko, Lieutenant-General Koroteyev, Major-General Biryukov, Major-General Akimenko, Major-General Fomenko, Major-General Shmygo, Major-General Puzikov, cavalrymen of Major-General Selivanov, tankmen of Colonel-General of Tank Troops Rotmistrov, Lieutenant-General of Tank Troops Kravchenko, Major-General of Tank Troops Kirichenko, Major-General of Tank Troops Polozkov, Lieutenant-General of Tank Troops Alexeyev, Lieutenant-General of Tank Troops Volkov, artillerymen of Colonel-General of Artillery Varentsov, Lieutenant-General of Artillery Fomin, Major-General of Artillery Gusarov, Major-General of Artillery Faustov, Major-General of Artillery Glebov, Major-General of Artillery Lebedev, Colonel Zykov, and airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Krasovsky and Lieutenant-General of Aviation Goryunov.

In commemoration of the victory achieved, the formations and units that particularly distinguished themselves in the fighting on both fronts are to be submitted for the award of the honorific title "Zvenigorodka" and for the award of orders.

Today, 3 February, at 20:00 hours the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the 2nd and 1st Ukrainian Fronts who pierced the German defence and completed the encirclement of the large enemy grouping, with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent military operations I express my gratitude to all troops under your command who carried out the breakthrough and took part in the fighting for Zvenigorodka, Shpola, Smela, Boguslav, and Kanev.

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

3 February 1944 [No. 68]