Ryzhkov Ilya Safonovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Sergeant. Branch of service: army, air force (except marine aviation), the coast guard, the troops of the NKVD border troops. Division: 253rd rifle division (1st formation). He voluntarily went to the front in Chernyanka, enlisted in the 176th reserve infantry regiment. In 1942, they reached the Volga river in 14 days and nights through the Voronezh region and the don river. They disbanded and sent to study in Astrakhan as a gunner. November 1942-front near Stalingrad, February 1943-liberated Stalingrad, wounded in the left leg, hospital Uralsk. Then G. Chkalov, 13th training brigade, received the specialty of chemical instructor, was awarded the rank of Junior Sergeant. Further through Moscow, in the Kalinin region, he was enlisted in the 1st Ukrainian front, 253rd division, 292nd separate company of chemical protections. Front near Staraya Russa. From there, through Moscow to the Kursk-Oryol arc, did not have time for a day. Released the city of Lebedyn, and then the direction to the Dnieper. Near the Dnieper, Pereyaslav, we meet slowly going "Willis". The Lieutenant waves: “Make way!” They were carrying a wounded General of the army Vatutin. They crossed the Dnieper, after the direction of Kiev to Zhitomir. The division was transferred from the 1st Ukrainian front to the 1st Belorussian front. Through the city of Chernigov, Polotsk, Baranovichi, Minsk. Our division is sent to break through, where it is difficult for our front. And here we are again on the 1st Ukrainian front, the 3rd guard’s army. Direction to Lviv, Lutsk, Western bug river. Lviv-Sandomierz operation. Poland, the population joyfully greeted – "Liberators are coming!” The Vistula river, crossed it, took up the defense, ordered to liberate the city of Sandomierz. In front of the city in one village we make a halt, there is another part, I look-my father is sitting, he did not recognize me, did not see me for 4 years, we said “hello”, talked and dispersed. There is only one front, only my division, the 253rd, and his, the 316th. Behind Sandomierz, Glogau, on the left Bank of the Oder river, wounded in the left arm, and captured the enemy. Germany. The population was intimidated, everyone left. One woman treated us to cigarettes, a local, originally from Leningrad, and married there. In one village, a German made an air raid, I was wounded in the right leg. Hamburg hospital. Again, I got to my division, Guben repulsed the attack on Berlin. Berlin would have been taken earlier, but the delay is far to carry ammunition from the Urals and the railway is narrow there. Guns, tanks, and ammunition were delivered to the Oder river. Our 3rd Guards Army will go to the right of Berlin under the command of Marshal Konev, the other under the command of Rokossovsky will go to the left. They also brought floodlights. They surrounded Berlin. On the night of May 7, 1945, they shone searchlights and beat the city for two hours, the German surrendered. And hoisted the Soviet flag of Victory! Czechoslovakia, the Nazis fled there, we went to Dresden, it was already defeated. Then he liberated Prague. The Czechs are all shouting: "Zlata Prague is Free, the Russian soldiers have freed!” They bring us bouquets, cigarettes and treats. This ended the war. We are left in Czechoslovakia, Ceske Budejovice, I was a gunner, then the entire battery was transferred to Austria, to the Danube river. In April 1947, from Austria via Hungary, Romania, Bessarabia to Kharkiv and home to Belgorod. All the time on the front line, passed 75 cities and thousands of villages. He was wounded 3 times.