Maslennikov Pyotr Vladimirovich

The Second World War began in 1941 and was supposed to end in 1945. It was the most brutal war.

Attitude towards Germans

He calls the enemy "Hitlerite bandits" and speaks of revenge "for all their atrocities." This is the language of a man who saw his native land destroyed and fought against the invaders.

He acted brutally in battle: pursuing the retreating enemy with grenades and machine gun fire, destroying enemy positions, and personally killing 12 soldiers and officers in a counterattack. But this wasn't cruelty for the sake of cruelty—it was war, and he was fulfilling a combat mission.

Attitude towards one's own

By all accounts, he treated his men like brothers. He believed in his men, cared for their safety (he was the last to board the boat), clearly assigned tasks to squad leaders, and organized a perimeter defense when the platoon was threatened with encirclement—in other words, he didn't abandon his men or panic.

Positive character traits

Faith in people. *Before crossing the Dnieper, the regiment commander set him a task on which the success of the entire division depended. Maslennikov did not waver—and sources directly note: "Pyotr Vladimirovich believed in his platoon, believed in his own strength. And faith in one's own strength at the front is almost a victory."

• Determination and tenacity. *On June 22, 1941, having heard the start of the war on the radio, he went to the military registration and enlistment office that very day and asked to go to the front. He was refused—too young. But he returned every day until he achieved his goal.

• Concern for his subordinates. When boarding the boats to cross the Dnieper, Maslennikov was the last to jump into the boat *—first he loaded the soldiers, checked them, and then himself. A small thing, but telling: a commander who puts himself last.

• Tactical savvy and composure. *During the battle on the bridgehead, he used smoke bombs and grenades in such a way that the Nazis thought that not only machine gunners but also artillery with a large number of soldiers had crossed the river. He confused the enemy and lost the initiative with only one platoon.

• Modesty and a sense of duty. Having received the title Hero of the Soviet Union, he did not boast, but wrote to his mother: "This high title obliges me to crush the Nazi bandits even more vigorously. I must fight the Nazis with even greater energy, avenge all their atrocities." In other words, he perceived the award not as a source of pride, but as an increased responsibility *.

• Love for country and family. *In the trench before the battle, he recalled "snoring peacefully"—dreaming of distant Ossetia and his native village of Arkhonskaya. His mother's letters were warm and sincere.

• A sense of camaraderie. He was "warmly congratulated by his fellow soldiers, friends, and fellow countrymen"—this suggests he was loved and respected in his unit.

Memory

Streets in the village of Arkhonskaya and the village of Chernukhi are named after Pyotr Maslennikov. A memorial plaque has been installed on the house in Arkhonskaya where he lived.

Awards

In addition to the title Hero of the Soviet Union, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, the Order of the Red Star, the medals "For Courage," "For the Defense of the Caucasus," and others. He received the gratitude of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief twelve times.

Biography and history

**He was born *on June 10, 1923 in the village of Arkhonskaya (now the Prigorodny district of North Ossetia) into a Cossack family.

• After seven years of school, he worked on a collective farm.
  In 1941, he voluntarily enlisted in the Red Army. From August 1942, he served on the front lines of the Great Patriotic War. He participated in the defense of the Marukh Pass, in the battles near Vladikavkaz, and in the liberation of Nalchik, Pyatigorsk, and Novorossiysk.
  *In 1943, he completed junior lieutenant training. By September 1943, he commanded a machine gun platoon of the 667th Rifle Regiment of the 218th Rifle Division of the 47th Army of the Voronezh Front.
• Feat during the crossing of the Dnieper. *On September 24, 1943, Maslennikov's platoon was among the first to cross the river near the village of Pekari (Kanevsky District, Cherkasy Oblast). The soldiers used wooden fishing boats and inflatable rubber boats. The platoon captured and held a bridgehead, killed over 50 enemy soldiers and officers, and captured the firing positions of four enemy guns. On September 25, when the enemy launched a counterattack, Maslennikov organized an all-round defense and personally killed 12 enemy soldiers and officers.
• On June 3, 1944, *by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 2299).
• He subsequently participated in the liberation of Right-Bank Ukraine, Poland, and the assault on Berlin, ending the war in Prague. He ended the war with the rank of senior lieutenant.
  In 1946, he was discharged into the reserve. Initially, he lived and worked in his homeland; in 1947, he moved to the village of Chernukhi (Poltava Oblast), where he worked in local economic and government agencies. He died suddenly on October 1, 1967, and was buried in Chernukhi. He had been a member of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks)/CPSU since 1944.

Character

Based on evidence and descriptions of combat episodes, it can be concluded that Pyotr Maslennikov possessed the following qualities:
**Courage and determination. *He was not afraid to take on difficult tasks—for example, crossing the Dnieper under enemy fire.

• Leadership qualities. *A skilled commander: he knew how to organize his subordinates, clearly set tasks, and maintained the platoon's morale.
• Fortitude and composure at critical moments in battle, when the threat of encirclement arose.