An armoured commander tested by shifting fronts
In June 1939, he telegraphed Moscow that he had handed command of the corps to Zhukov.
Nikolai Feklenko was a Soviet armoured commander whose service ran from the Russian Civil War through the Second World War. He commanded the 57th Special Rifle Corps at the opening of the 1939 Khalkhin Gol fighting, but was recalled to Moscow after the May setbacks in June, when Georgy Zhukov replaced him. He later remained part of the war-making apparatus through commands in mechanised and tank formations and work organising and training armoured and mechanised troops.
Career Timeline
- 1918–1921Red Army cavalry soldier and assistant platoon commander
- 1922–1932Political instructor, cavalry squadron commander and regimental school chief
- 1932–1937Commander of the 5th Mechanised Regiment; completed armoured courses
- 1937–1938Commander of mechanised and tank brigades in the 57th Special Rifle Corps in Mongolia
- 1938–1939Commander of the 57th Special Rifle Corps
- 1939–1941Commander of the 14th Heavy Tank Brigade and 15th Tank Division
- 1941–1943Commander of the 19th Mechanised Corps, 38th Army and a tank corps
- 1943–1950Chief of armoured and mechanised force formation and training, later district commander