ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Chernyakhovsky

To Marshal of the Soviet Union Rokossovsky

The troops of the 3rd Byelorussian Front, with the support of the troops of the 1st Byelorussian Front, as a result of a deep encircling manoeuvre, today, July 3, captured by storm the capital of Soviet Byelorussia, the city of Minsk — the most important strategic communications hub of the German defence on the western direction.

In the fighting for the capture of Minsk, the following troops distinguished themselves: the tankmen of Major General of Tank Forces Burdeinyi, Lieutenant General of Tank Forces Obukhov, Marshal of Armoured Forces Rotmistrov, Lieutenant General of Tank Forces Rodin, Major General of Tank Forces Netsvetailo, Major General of Tank Forces Vovchenko, Major General of Tank Forces Fominykh, Colonel Losik, Colonel Bulygin, Colonel Nesterov, Lieutenant Colonel Antipin, Colonel Gritsenko, Lieutenant Colonel Yesipenko, Colonel Pokhozdeyev, Colonel Dolganov, Lieutenant Colonel Mishchenko, Lieutenant Colonel Molchanov, Lieutenant Colonel Kurnosov, Colonel Morozov, Colonel Tsinchenko, Major General of Tank Forces Bakharov, Major General of Tank Forces Panov; the cavalry formations of the Kuban Cossacks of Lieutenant General Pliev, Major General Tutarinov, Major General Golovskoy, Colonel Poprikaylo; the forces of Lieutenant General Glagolev, Colonel General Galitsky, Colonel General Batov, Lieutenant General Luchinsky, Lieutenant General Koshevoi, Major General Provalov, Major General Berestov, Major General Strizhenok, Colonel Polevik, Colonel Dudka, Colonel Kovtunov, Colonel Klimakhin; the artillerymen of Lieutenant General of Artillery Barsukov, Major General of Artillery Semin, Major General of Artillery Vladimirov, Major General of Artillery Sazonov, Colonel Lubman, Colonel Fedotov, Colonel Khasin, Major Stepanov, Major Zotov, Lieutenant Colonel Pytalev, Major Mikhailov, Lieutenant Colonel Mayorov, Major Sereda, Colonel Belyakov; the airmen of Colonel General of Aviation Khryukin, Colonel General of Aviation Rudenko, Lieutenant General of Aviation Ushakov, Lieutenant General of Aviation Beletsky, Lieutenant General of Aviation Savitsky, Lieutenant General of Aviation Loginov, Lieutenant General of Aviation Georgiyev, Lieutenant General of Aviation Tupikov, Lieutenant General of Aviation Nestertsev, Major General of Aviation Volkov, Major General of Aviation Schetchikov, Major General of Aviation Buyansky, Major General of Aviation Zakharov, Major General of Aviation Andreyev, Colonel Prutkov, Colonel Zimin, Colonel Vasilyev, Colonel Skok, Lieutenant Colonel Rodin, Colonel Tyurin, Major Maksimov; the sappers of Lieutenant General of Engineer Forces Baranov, Colonel Pronevich, Colonel Isupov, Colonel Fedorov; and the signallers of Colonel Belyshev, Colonel Minin, Lieutenant Colonel Geller.

In commemoration of the victory achieved, the formations and units that have most distinguished themselves in the fighting for the capture of Minsk are to be nominated for the designation "Minsk" and for decoration with orders.

Today, July 3, at 22:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes our valiant troops who have captured Minsk and those who supported in the capture of Minsk — with twenty-four artillery salvoes from three hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I declare gratitude to the troops under your command who participated in the fighting for the capture of Minsk.

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

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

July 3, 1944 [No. 128]