Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, December 9, 1944 [No. 217]

ORDER

SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To the Commander of the Forces

2nd Ukrainian Front

Marshal of the Soviet Union Malinovsky

To the Chief of Staff of the Front

Colonel-General Zakharov

Troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front have broken through the heavily fortified enemy defenses northeast of Budapest, expanded the breakthrough to 120 kilometers along the front, and, having advanced to a depth of up to 60 kilometers, reached the Danube River north of Budapest.

Simultaneously, troops of the front south of Budapest forced the Danube, broke through the enemy's defense on the western bank of the river, and linked up at Lake Velence with our troops advancing northward along the western bank of the Danube.

During the offensive battles, the troops of the front captured important strongpoints of the enemy's defense – the cities of Balassagyarmat, Nógrád, Vác, Aszód, Ercsi, and occupied more than 150 other populated localities.

In the battles during the breach of the enemy’s defense and the forcing of the Danube, the following troops distinguished themselves: those of Colonel-General Shumilov, Major-General Lukin, Lieutenant-General Shlemin, Major-General Birman, Lieutenant-General Managarov, Major-General Yakovlev, Lieutenant-General Safiulin, Major-General Alekhin, Major-General Lazko, Major-General Grigorovich, Major-General Kolchuk, Major-General Kruze, Major-General Terentyev, Major-General Preobrazhensky, Major-General Fedorovsky, Major-General Smirnov, Colonel Vasilevsky, Colonel Korkin, Colonel Batluk, Major-General Molozhayev, Major-General Lilenkov, Colonel Voloshin, Major-General Sarayev, Colonel Dunayev, Major-General Karamyshev, Colonel Orlov, Major-General Losev, Major-General Zdanovich; the artillerymen of Colonel-General of Artillery Fomin, Major-General of Artillery Shmakov, Major-General of Artillery Petrov, Major-General of Artillery Alekseyenko, Major-General of Artillery Zykov, Major-General of Artillery Gusarov, Major-General of Artillery Ivanov, Major-General of Artillery Bobrovnikov, Major-General of Artillery Popovich, Colonel Gushchin, Colonel Nekrasov, Colonel Rodin, Lieutenant-Colonel Lyubimov, Colonel Sapozhnikov, Lieutenant-Colonel Kazak, Lieutenant-Colonel Denisenkov, Lieutenant-Colonel Trenev, Lieutenant-Colonel Kisly; the tankmen of Colonel-General of Tank Troops Kurkin, Colonel-General of Tank Troops Kravchenko, Major-General of Tank Troops Shtromberg, Lieutenant-General of Tank Troops Volkov, Major-General of Tank Troops Savelyev, Lieutenant-General of Tank Troops Zhdanov, Colonel Brizhinev; the cavalrymen of Lieutenant-General Pliyev, Major-General Pichugin, Major-General Kuts, Major-General Golovsky, Major-General Pavlov, Major-General Khrustalev, Major-General Belousov, Colonel Gagua, Colonel Nikiforov, Colonel Bliznyuk; the airmen of Colonel-General of Aviation Goryunov, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Seleznev, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Stepichev, Major-General of Aviation Kamanin, Major-General of Aviation ProstoSerdov, Colonel Chanpalov, Colonel Romanov, Major Sushko; the sappers of Lieutenant-General of Engineer Troops Tsirlin, Major-General of Engineer Troops Plyaskin, Major-General of Engineer Troops Ignatov, Major-General of Engineer Troops Tupichev, Major-General of Engineer Troops Tyulev, Colonel Tsepenyuk, Colonel Kovalenko, Colonel Isayev, Colonel Myasnikov, Colonel Kalinichenko, Colonel Nasonov, Lieutenant-Colonel Andzaurov; the signalmen of Lieutenant-General of Signal Troops Leonov, Lieutenant-Colonel Grachev, Colonel Yegorov, Colonel Makarenko, Colonel Sherwood, Major Shishelov, Colonel of State Security Karpov.

To commemorate the victory achieved, the formations and units that most distinguished themselves in the battles during the breakthrough of the enemy defenses and the crossing of the Danube are to be recommended for the awarding of orders.

Today, December 9, at 20 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, will salute the valiant troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, who broke through the enemy’s defense and forced the Danube, with twenty artillery salvos from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat actions, I express gratitude to the troops led by you who participated in the battles during the breakthrough of the enemy's defense and the forcing of the Danube.

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

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union J. STALIN

December 9, 1944 [No. 217]