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Nikita LebedenkoSoviet military leader, Hero of the Soviet Union, Guards Lieutenant General
Date of Birth: 28.05.1899
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Content:
- Nikita Fyodorovich Lebedenko: A Soviet Military Leader
- Interwar Period
- World War II
- Commander of the 33rd Guards Rifle Corps
- Later Career
- Death and Legacy
Nikita Fyodorovich Lebedenko: A Soviet Military Leader
Early Life and CareerNikita Fyodorovich Lebedenko was born on May 28, 1899, in the village of Chaykovka, Ukraine. He joined the Red Guards in December 1917 and fought in the Russian Civil War. During this time, he distinguished himself in combat, receiving his first Order of the Red Banner in 1919.
Interwar Period
After the war, Lebedenko served in various cavalry units, rising through the ranks. He commanded the 41st Separate Cavalry Squadron from 1929 to 1931. He then graduated from the Frunze Military Academy and held various command positions, including that of Commander of the 5th Trans-Baikal Red Banner Cavalry Brigade. In 1939, he was appointed Commander of the 91st Rifle Division.
World War II
With the outbreak of World War II, Lebedenko's division became part of the 24th Army and fought in the Smolensk Battle. In October 1941, he took command of the 50th Rifle Division and fought in the Moscow Defensive and Counteroffensive.
Commander of the 33rd Guards Rifle Corps
In March 1944, Lebedenko was appointed Commander of the 33rd Guards Rifle Corps, which participated in the Uman-Botosani Offensive. During the Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive in 1944, he led his corps in a successful counterattack against a German tank offensive, earning him the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
Later Career
After the war, Lebedenko continued to command the 33rd Guards Rifle Corps in the Central Group of Forces. He also served as the first Soviet Military Commandant of Dresden and Vienna. In 1949, he became Commander of the 9th Guards Rifle Corps in the Belarusian Military District. He retired from military service in 1952 due to illness.
Death and Legacy
Nikita Fyodorovich Lebedenko passed away on June 16, 1956, in Moscow. He is buried at the Vvedenskoye Cemetery. Throughout his career, he received numerous awards, including two Orders of Lenin, six Orders of the Red Banner, and the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky. Lebedenko's exceptional military leadership and heroism made him a respected and admired figure in the history of the Soviet military.
