One of the heroes of the Battle of Kursk is Mikhail Fedorovich Borisov, who received the Hero’s star at the age of 19 for his outstanding courage and heroism in the battle near Prokhorovka. During the enemy attack, he was alone to hold Hitler’s tanks in his area of responsibility and managed to eliminate seven pieces of enemy’s ordnance, among which there were several Tigers. Being already badly wounded, he continued shooting until some reinforcement arrived. For this battle Mikhail Borisov, a Komsomol member, was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
Mikhail Borisov was born on March 22, 1924, in a family of farmers in the Altai region, where he accomplished nine grades at school. As soon as the war started, he wanted to go to the front as a volunteer, but he was not admitted due to insufficient age. Only in the August of 1941, his dream came true, though not entirely — he was commissioned by the Red Army and sent to the Tomsk artillery school.
His military biography is quite impressive. Mikhail took part in combat operations of the Crimean front, in the Kerch offensive operation, near Stalingrad. The fortune favoured the young soldier, i.e. the crew of his gun changed five times, but he was intact. During retreats he found himself beyond the front line, “on the other side”, but always came back to his unit successfully together with the panoramic sight, he was responsible for.
On 11 February 1943, the artillery crew, which Komsomol member Mikhail Borisov was a part to, eliminated 140 Hitler’s soldiers, a machine gun and an armoured vehicle in repelling an attack near the town of Debaltsevo. An award recommendation was prepared for Mikhail to be given the Order of the Red Banner, but for unknown reasons the award was not approved of.
By July, 1943, Mikhail Borisov had already become a Komsomol organizer of an artillery battalion of the 58th infantry rifle brigade, which was a part of the 2nd tank corps. On 11 June, 19 German tanks launched an attack near the area of permanent stationing of one of the division’s batteries. Our servicemen let them come closer on purpose, to the shortest distance possible, so that to increase chances to hit them in shooting.
Two tanks were destroyed immediately with the first shots, but then the entire artillery battery was eliminated by massive enemy fire. Out of 28 people, only Komsomol member Borisov survived. He himself got to the gun and destroyed seven tanks by direct fire. The eighth, according to Mikhail Fedorovich, was stopped by a ricocheted projectile that hit the gun and wounded the hero.
Mikhail Borisov attended front courses of junior lieutenants, after which, in February, 1945, was sent to the front again. He was wounded several times, but he always came back to his unit even after jaw and leg injuries. During the final combat operations in Germany, he commanded his platoon, being on crutches.
He left the active duty service in 1946, and served in the reserve until 1981, retiring in the rank of colonel. He worked as an assistant to a prosecutor, investigator, served in the state security structures and police. Lived in Moscow and died in 2010.
The bust of Mikhail Borisov is one of the most successful works by sculptor Ivan Pershudchev from his series of works about the war. It translates the courage, will and bravery of Soviet soldier. Just have a look! What an exalted face of a warrior, defender and hero!
Mikhail Borisov was born on March 22, 1924, in a family of farmers in the Altai region, where he accomplished nine grades at school. As soon as the war started, he wanted to go to the front as a volunteer, but he was not admitted due to insufficient age. Only in the August of 1941, his dream came true, though not entirely — he was commissioned by the Red Army and sent to the Tomsk artillery school.
His military biography is quite impressive. Mikhail took part in combat operations of the Crimean front, in the Kerch offensive operation, near Stalingrad. The fortune favoured the young soldier, i.e. the crew of his gun changed five times, but he was intact. During retreats he found himself beyond the front line, “on the other side”, but always came back to his unit successfully together with the panoramic sight, he was responsible for.
On 11 February 1943, the artillery crew, which Komsomol member Mikhail Borisov was a part to, eliminated 140 Hitler’s soldiers, a machine gun and an armoured vehicle in repelling an attack near the town of Debaltsevo. An award recommendation was prepared for Mikhail to be given the Order of the Red Banner, but for unknown reasons the award was not approved of.
By July, 1943, Mikhail Borisov had already become a Komsomol organizer of an artillery battalion of the 58th infantry rifle brigade, which was a part of the 2nd tank corps. On 11 June, 19 German tanks launched an attack near the area of permanent stationing of one of the division’s batteries. Our servicemen let them come closer on purpose, to the shortest distance possible, so that to increase chances to hit them in shooting.
Two tanks were destroyed immediately with the first shots, but then the entire artillery battery was eliminated by massive enemy fire. Out of 28 people, only Komsomol member Borisov survived. He himself got to the gun and destroyed seven tanks by direct fire. The eighth, according to Mikhail Fedorovich, was stopped by a ricocheted projectile that hit the gun and wounded the hero.
Mikhail Borisov attended front courses of junior lieutenants, after which, in February, 1945, was sent to the front again. He was wounded several times, but he always came back to his unit even after jaw and leg injuries. During the final combat operations in Germany, he commanded his platoon, being on crutches.
He left the active duty service in 1946, and served in the reserve until 1981, retiring in the rank of colonel. He worked as an assistant to a prosecutor, investigator, served in the state security structures and police. Lived in Moscow and died in 2010.
The bust of Mikhail Borisov is one of the most successful works by sculptor Ivan Pershudchev from his series of works about the war. It translates the courage, will and bravery of Soviet soldier. Just have a look! What an exalted face of a warrior, defender and hero!
