Twice Hero of the Soviet Union who took Mount Sapun and stormed Königsberg
"The enemy is strong and cunning," Pyotr Koshevoy taught his men. "So you must be more cunning, smarter — find the weak spots and deliver unexpected, powerful blows."
A Soviet military commander born to a Ukrainian peasant family who volunteered for the Red Army at fifteen. During the Great Patriotic War he led forces at Tikhvin, Stalingrad, the Crimea, and East Prussia, earning the title Hero of the Soviet Union twice, for the recapture of Mount Sapun and the storming of Königsberg. After the war he commanded the Siberian and Kiev Military Districts before becoming commander-in-chief of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany in 1965, and was promoted to Marshal of the Soviet Union in 1968. His tenure included committing GSFG units to the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia, and he worked to sharpen the Group's combat readiness until his dismissal in 1969. He served as a candidate member of the CPSU Central Committee from 1961 to 1971.
Career Timeline
- 1920Volunteered for the Red Army, served in 8th Red Cossack Cavalry Division
- 1927Graduated Ukrainian Cavalry School, appointed platoon commander
- 1939Graduated Frunze Military Academy, chief of staff of 15th Cavalry Division
- 1940Commander of 65th Rifle Division (Transbaikal Military District)
- 1941–1942Led 65th Rifle Division in Tikhvin and Lyuban operations
- 1942–1943Commander of 24th Guards Rifle Division at Stalingrad and North Caucasus
- 1943–1944Commander of 63rd Rifle Corps — Donbass, Melitopol, Crimean offensives, took Mount Sapun
- 1944First Hero of the Soviet Union awarded (16 May)
- 1944–1945Commander of 71st Rifle Corps, then 36th Guards Rifle Corps — East Prussian Offensive, took Königsberg
- 1945Second Hero of the Soviet Union awarded (19 April), commanded 3rd Belorussian Front regiment at Victory Parade
- 1946–1948Commander of 6th Guards Army, then completed Voroshilov Higher Military Academy courses
- 1948–1954Commander of 5th Army (Far East)
- 1954–1955Commander of 11th Guards Army (Baltic Military District)
- 1955–1957First Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
- 1957–1960Commander of Siberian Military District
- 1960–1965Commander of Kiev Military District
- 1961–1971Candidate member, CPSU Central Committee
- 1965–1969Commander-in-Chief, Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
- 1968Promoted Marshal of the Soviet Union (15 April)
- 1969–1976Inspector General, Group of Inspectors General, Ministry of Defence