Nikolai Yakovlevich Ilyin (Russian: Николай Яковлевич Ильин; 25 June 1922 — 4 August 1943) was one of the top Soviet snipers of World War II. Awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 8 February 1943 for his first 216 kills, by the time he was killed in action later that year his tally reached 494.[1]
Nikolai Ilyin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | Николай Яковлевич Ильин |
| Born | 25 June 1922 Chernukhino, Ukrainian SSR (located in present-day Perevalsk Raion, Luhansk Oblast) |
| Died | 4 August 1943 Yastrebovo, Kursk Oblast, RSFSR, USSR |
| Cause of death | Machine Gun Burst |
| Buried | Mamayev Kurgan |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union |
| Service | Red Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1943 |
| Rank | Starshina |
| Battles / wars | World War II † |
| Awards | Hero of the Soviet Union |
Early life
editIlyin was born to a Russian family in Chornukhyne village on 25 June 1922. After graduating from secondary school, he worked as a mechanic at the Debaltsevo-Sortirovochny depot in Donbass.[2] [3]
Sniper feats
editHe entered the Red Army in 1941 soon after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, and started off as a machine gunner before mastering his sniper skills. He fought in the intense battle of Stalingrad, and became a deputy political commissar in the 50th Guards Rifle Regiment.[4] He showed himself to be a skilled sniper, killing 95 Nazis during eleven days of battle.[5] He was awarded his first military award, the Order of the Red Banner on 29 September 1942,[6] and on 8 February 1943 he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union for killing a total of 216 Nazis, including 95 that he killed in the course of eleven days.[5][7] For his work as a sniper he was awarded a personalized sniper rifle named after Hero of the Soviet Union Khusen Andrukhaev.[8]
Death
editOn 4 August 1943, Ilyin was killed by a machine gun burst near the City of Yastrebovo, outside Belgorod.[9] He finished with a tally of 494,[a] making him one of the best snipers of World War II.[11] His personal sniper rifle was given to sniper Afanasy Gordienko.[12] He was buried in Nikolskoye in present day Belgorodsky District, Belgorod Oblast.[8]
Footnotes
editReferences
edit- ^ "Ильин Николай Яковлевич". soviet-aces-1936-53.ru. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
- ^ Сталинградская битва: хроника, факты, люди (in Russian). ОЛМА Медиа Групп. 2002. p. 83. ISBN 978-5-224-03719-3.
- ^ Shkadov, Ivan, ed. (1987). Герои Советского Союза: краткий биографический словарь I, Абаев - Любичев. Moscow: Voenizdat.
- ^ "Ильин Николай Яковлевич". soviet-aces-1936-53.ru (in Russian).
- ^ a b Award list on the site «pamyat-naroda.ru» (archive materials of TsAMO, ф. 33, оп. 682525, д. 12)
- ^ Award list on the site «pamyat-naroda.ru» (archive materials of TsAMO, ф. 33, оп. 682524, д. 994)
- ^ Vorobyev, Valery. "Ильин Николай Яковлевич". warheroes.ru (in Russian).
- ^ a b Юность мужала в боях: статьи, очерки, документы (in Russian). Voenizdat. 1966. p. 53.
- ^ Saifullin, Gani (1973). Через реки, через горы (in Russian). Tatarskoe knizhnoe izd-vo.
- ^ "Действующая армия" (PDF). Altai Pravda (in Russian). 3 October 1943. p. 4.
- ^ "Жизнь после котла". Argumenty I Fakty (26): 7. 2015.
- ^ Воинские ритуалы (in Russian). Voenizdat. 1986. p. 160.