Levchenko Vasily Sidorovich

Much in the history of the city of Malovishersky district is associated with the name of Vasily Levchenko. One of the streets of the city bears his name. The street crosses the western part of the city from north to south, as if symbolizing the battle path of our fellow countryman from the forests of the Novgorod region to the steppes of the Kharkov region.

In 1912, in the city of Vyipuri (now it is the city of Vyborg), a son, Vasily, was born into the family of a stonemason worker Galaktion Levchenko. In 1918, the city of Vyborg was ceded to Finland, and the Levchenko family moved to Malaya Vishera.

Vasily studied at school number 2. At the age of 15, after graduating from school, he went to a road-mechanical technical school. On a Komsomol ticket, Vasily goes to work in the village, where he first works as a hut in the library, and soon is elected chairman of the village council in the village of Britino.

Then Levchenko was transferred to Malaya Vishera, where he married a young teacher Claudia Fyodorovna Bashenkova. He is appointed head of the district land department.

In 1937, Levchenko was called up for active military service and sent to the border troops.

In the summer of 1941, Levchenko volunteered for the front, where he ended up in the 28th Panzer Division, which fought against the Nazis west of Novgorod. In Novgorod, Levchenko fought as part of the 28th division of Colonel Ivan Danilovich Chernyakhovsky. In heavy fighting, the division lost almost all of its tanks and fought in infantry formations. On August 16, German tanks appeared on the outskirts of Novgorod.

The battles for the city lasted nine days and nights. Fighting on foot, the tankers of this division showed stamina and courage under continuous bombing and enemy pressure. On August 24, 1941, the soldiers were ordered to leave the city and gain a foothold on the eastern banks of the Maly Volkhovets and Volkhov rivers. On this day, the political instructor of the company with his chest closed the embrasure of the enemy machine gun, which hit the flank of his company.

Here, on the line beyond the Blue Bridge, the 28th division fought to the death. The Nazis could not advance further for 29 months. Now at the Blue Bridge at the entrance to Novgorod there is an obelisk, a tank and gouges, symbolizing the front line of 1941-1944.

In September 1941, the 28th division was transferred to Krestsy for reorganization and replenishment, and then in December of the same year it was transformed into the 241st rifle division, which defended the line "Lake Velye - Lake Seliger".< /p>

In winter, offensive battles were fought in the Demyansk region. Vasily Levchenko participated in the battles near the village of Molvotitsy. The fighting was fierce and lasted for several days: the Germans tried with all their might to keep the Demyansk ledge, but ended up in a cauldron.

During the summer battles in the Demyansk direction, Levchenko was seriously injured and was sent to the rear. After treatment, he enters the courses of commanders, after graduating with the rank of lieutenant, he is sent back to the 241st division, which fought near Orel on the Voronezh front. He is appointed deputy commander of the 2nd battalion of the 332nd regiment of the division.

August 9, the regiment launched an attack on enemy positions. Levchenko led the 2nd Battalion into the attack. The slightest delay could be costly. Running forward, Levchenko and five fighters attacked the German tanks with Molotov cocktails. They managed to set fire to two tanks, the rest turned back.

A little later, German vehicles attacked the positions of the 2nd Battalion for the second time. A shell fragment tore off the commander's arm, but the battalion commander continued to lead the repulse of the attack. A new shell burst tore off his leg. The soldiers of his company repulsed the enemy attack. The Ukrainian village of Yekaterinovka was liberated from the Nazis. So heroically died in this battle, our countryman Vasily Galaktionovich Levchenko, having fulfilled his military duty to the end.

On January 10, 1944, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council, Senior Lieutenant V.G. Levchenko was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Near the school in the village of Yekaterinovka, Akhtyrsky district, Kharkiv region, there is an obelisk in his honor.

V. Levchenko is forever included in the list of five Heroes of the Soviet Union of the 241st Infantry Division. His surname is on this list second after A.K. Pankratov, who accomplished a feat near Novgorod.