Nikolai Onoprienko

Nikolai Nikolayevich Onoprienko (Николай Николаевич Оноприенко, Микола Миколайович Онопрієнко; 19 December 1911 – 12 November 1979) was a Red Army colonel and World War II Hero of the Soviet Union.

Onoprienko fought in the Battle of Smolensk, the Battle of Moscow, the Battle of Kursk, Operation Kutuzov, Operation Bagration, the East Prussian Offensive and the Berlin Offensive.

Onoprienko was born on 19 December 1911 in the village of Uil in Aktobe Region to a peasant family of Ukrainian ethnicity.

In 1927, he graduated from seven years of education and worked at his father's farm.

On 28 August, he was awarded the Order of Suvorov 3rd class for his leadership.

In September and October, the regiment held on to the Serock bridgehead on the Vistula.

On 5 July, the regiment was attacked by German infantry from the 292nd Infantry Division supported by Ferdinand tank destroyers.

The regiment was surrounded but was able to break out during the night and fought throughout 6 July.

On the next day, the depleted regiment was withdrawn from the front.

Onoprienko was awarded his second Order of the Red Banner for his leadership at Kursk.

In August 1930, he became the foreman of the village "Felix Dzerzhinsky" Kolkhoz.

In July 1931, Onoprienko was drafted into the Red Army.

He graduated from the school of the 14th Turkestan Mountain Rifle Regiment of the 3rd Turkestan Rifle Division in the Central Asian Military District in May 1932 at Termez.

Shortly afterwards, Onoprienko was admitted to the Combined Central Asian Red Banner Military School, from which he graduated in 1934.

He was promoted in September 1935 to the command of a company.

In June 1936, Onoprienko transferred to command a company in the division's 45th Mountain Rifle Regiment.

In 1937, he was awarded a gold watch for the excellent organization of combat training in his unit.

In December 1938, Onoprienko was sent to the Vystrel course and graduated in June 1939.

In 1941, he joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

In August 1941, Onoprienko became the commander of a rifle battalion of the 36th Rifle Brigade in the 16th Army.

He fought in the Battle of Smolensk, the Vyazma Defensive Operation and the Battle of Moscow, in which he was wounded on 28 December.

After leaving the hospital in February 1942, Onoprienko became commander of the 134th Rifle Brigade's mortar battalion on the Bryansk Front.

On 20 September, he was awarded the Medal "For Courage".

In February 1943, he reportedly distinguished himself during the Maloarkhangelsk Offensive, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on the 11th.

Onoprienko became the commander of the 15th Rifle Division's 676th Rifle Regiment in April 1943 after being promoted to lieutenant colonel.

On 10 June, he was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

In May 1944, Onoprienko became deputy commander for combat units of the 193rd Rifle Division.

In June 1944, he was transferred to command the 118th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 87th Guards Rifle Division.

During Operation Bagration, the division was part of the attack on Baranovichi.

He was appointed the commander of the 45th Mountain Rifle Regiment's reconnaissance company in Kushka.

He became the 45th Mountain Rifle Regiment's deputy commander in Ashgabat during February.

During the Battle of Kursk, the 676th was positioned on the northern end of the Kursk Bulge, on the boundary with the 81st Rifle Division.

He continued to lead the 676th and fought in Operation Kutuzov in August.

The regiment participated in the Chernigov-Pripyat Offensive in September and October and the Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive in November.

During the Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive, Onoprienko was wounded on 7 November.

After recovering, he returned to command of the regiment.

Promoted to major, he commanded the 74th Rifle Division's 78th Rifle Regiment from October.

In May, he became a platoon commander in the 1st Mountain Rifle Regiment of the 83rd Turkestan Mountain Rifle Division.

Onoprienko became the chief of the regimental school of the 83rd Mountain Division in October.

Onoprienko led the 118th around the German flank and advanced into the city, allowing other Soviet divisions to push German troops out of Baranovichi.