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Philip KivaUkrainian industrialist, grandson of Ilya Kiva
Date of Birth: 14.11.1910
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Birth and Early Life
- Career and Military Service
- World War II
- Hero of the Soviet Union
- Post-War Life and Legacy
Birth and Early Life
Filipp Denisovich Kiva was born on November 1, 1910 (November 14, new style), in the village of Yatsynova Slobodka, Poltava Raion, Poltava Oblast, Ukraine, to a peasant family. He attended Dibrovskaya Secondary School and graduated from the Poltava Veterinary-Feldsher School in 1927.
Career and Military Service
After working as a feldsher in the collective farm "Sunrise of Communism," Kiva was drafted into the army in 1932. Upon completing his military service, he became a mechanic at the Poltava Locomotive Repair Plant. He later attended the Kiev Special Military District's Advanced Training Courses for Reserve Officers in 1940.
World War II
Mobilized for a second time in June 1941, Kiva graduated from Junior Lieutenant Frontline Courses. He fought on the Western, Steppe, and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts. In June 1941, he commanded a transport company in the 132nd Rifle Division, distinguishing himself in the defense of Mogilev, Krichev, and the battles near Moscow.
In 1943, Kiva became a battalion commander in the 338th Rifle Division. By January 1944, he led the 26th Assault Battalion in the 53rd Army. With the 2nd Ukrainian Front, his battalion participated in the liberation of Uman, Kotovsk, Bucharest, and Ploiesti, reaching the Hungarian border.
Hero of the Soviet Union
In August 1944, Kiva's battalion played a crucial role in eliminating an encircled enemy force near Vaslui, Romania. His unit also fought in Hungary and forced the Tisza River on November 7, 1944, capturing the important defensive point of Poroslo and the Mezetarkan railway station. For his exceptional leadership and heroism, Kiva was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on March 24, 1945.
Post-War Life and Legacy
After the war, Kiva worked in various government and party positions, including Deputy Chairman of the Poltava City Executive Committee and Director of a training and production facility in Poltava. He retired in 1963 and actively participated in youth military-patriotic education until his death on March 2, 1992, at the age of 81. He is buried in Poltava's Central Cemetery.
Kiya's son, Vladimir, was a test engineer at the Znamia factory in Poltava, while his grandson, Ilya, was a prominent Ukrainian political and public figure.
