Lyudmila Pavlichenko

Lyudmila Mikhailovna Pavlichenko (Ukrainian: ??????? ?????????? ??????????, Russian: ??????? ?????????? ??????????; July 12, 1916 Bila Tserkva, Ukrainian SSR - 10 October, 1974) was a soldier for the Soviet Union and a Soviet sniper, arguably the greatest female sniper who ever lived.

Related Topics:
Ukrainian - Russian - July 12 - 1916 - Bila Tserkva - Ukrainian SSR - 10 October - 1974 - Soviet Union - Soviet sniper - Sniper

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Pavlichenko became a bright student in her elementary years. By the time she was fourteen, her parents moved to Kiev, the capital of Ukrainian SSR. There she joined a shooting club and developed into a sharpshooter, while working as a grinder at the Kyiv Arsenal. In the 1930s, youngsters in Soviet cities (all boys and many girls) were fond of military-related sports and hobbies: shooting, driving trucks and airplanes, radio, etc. (see DOSAAF).

Related Topics:
Kiev - Ukrainian SSR - Sharpshooter - Grinder - Kyiv Arsenal - 1930s - Sport - Driving - Truck - Airplane - Radio - DOSAAF

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In June of 1941, while Lyudmyla was studying history at the Kiev University, Nazi Germany launched the war on Soviet Union (see also Operation Barbarossa), whereupon she rushed to join the military. At the recruiting office, Lyudmyla requested to join the infantry and carry a rifle. The recruiter laughed at her and suggested a nurse specialization. Being strong willed, she refused, pulling out a marksmanship certificate to prove her worth. Pavlichenko joined the Red Army's 25th Infantry Division and became one of the 2000 Soviet female snipers, of whom only about 500 survived the war. As a sniper, she made her first two kills near Belyayevka, using a Soviet Mosin-Nagant 5-shot bolt action rifle (accustomed for sniping with a P.E. 4-power scope). It fired a 148 gr (9.6 g) bullet at a velocity of 2800 ft/s (853 m/s), being effective out to 600 yd (550 m).

Related Topics:
1941 - Kiev University - Nazi Germany - War on Soviet Union - Operation Barbarossa - Infantry - Rifle - Nurse - Certificate - Red Army - Sniper - Mosin-Nagant

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Pvt. Pavlichenko fought about two and a half months near Odessa, where she recorded 187 kills. When the Germans gained control of Odessa, her unit was pulled to be sent to Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula. In May 1942, Lieutenant Pavlichenko was cited by the Southern Army Council for killing 257 German soldiers. Her total confirmed kills during WWII was 309, including 36 enemy snipers. Lyudmyla found the kill logbook of one of the German snipers she killed. He had taken the lives of over 500 Soviet soldiers.

Related Topics:
Odessa - Sevastopol - Crimean Peninsula - 1942 - Southern Army - Council - WWII

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In June 1942, Pavlichenko was wounded by mortar fire. Because Lyudmyla was a heroine, she was pulled from combat less than a month after recovering from her wound. She was sent to Canada and the United States for a propaganda visit and became the first Soviet citizen to be received by a U.S. President. Franklin D. Roosevelt and his wife welcomed Pavlichenko at the White House. Later, Lyudmyla was invited by Eleanor Roosevelt to tour America relating her experiences. She appeared before the International Student Assembly being held in Washington, D.C., having received a heroine's welcome. Later she attended C.I.O. meetings and made appearances and speeches in New York City. In Canada, she was presented with a Winchester rifle with an optical sight, which is now on display at the Central Museum of the Armed Forces in Moscow.

Related Topics:
Mortar - Canada - United States - Soviet - U.S. President - Franklin D. Roosevelt - White House - Eleanor Roosevelt - International Student Assembly - Washington, D.C. - C.I.O. - New York City - Winchester rifle - Moscow

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Having attained the rank of Major, Pavlichenko never returned to the combat but became an instructor and trained hundreds of Soviet snipers until the war's end. In 1943 she received the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union. After the war, Lyudmyla finished her education at Kiev University and began a career as an historian. From 1945 to 1953, she was a research assistant of the Chief HQ of the Soviet Navy (being also involved in numerous international conferences and congresses). Later, she was active in the Soviet Committee of the Veterans of War.

Related Topics:
Rank - Major - 1943 - Hero of the Soviet Union - Kiev University - Historian - 1945 - Soviet Navy

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Lyudmyla Pavlichenko is buried at the Novodevichye Cemetery in Moscow.

Related Topics:
Novodevichye Cemetery - Moscow

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