At 10:00 on 2 July, an event will be held at the Eastern Cemetery in Minsk to install a plaque on the grave of Hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Stepanovich Mirenkov, marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus.
One of the organisers of the event at the hero’s grave is Mirenkov’s granddaughter, Elena Olegovna Mirenkova.
The event will be attended not only by representatives of the “Memory of Afghanistan” Foundation and the “Soldiers of Victory” Club, but also by visitors from the Czech Republic: members of the Starovičky Military History Club and representatives of the village administration.
On 16 April 1945, a tank platoon commanded by Ivan Mirenkov liberated the village from the enemy, destroying five tanks, one self-propelled gun, two guns and up to 50 enemy soldiers and officers.
For 15 years, the Starovičky Military History Club has worked to preserve the memory of the Soviet Army servicemen who liberated Czechia from the German invaders. In recognition of its work to locate fallen soldiers and maintain graves and memorials, the club received an award from the Russian “Victory” Organising Committee, chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At the entrance to Starovičky, club members restored a T-34-85 tank and painted the number 200 on its turret—the number borne by Ivan Mirenkov’s tank when he liberated the village.
ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF STAROVIČKY
In the early morning of 16 April 1945, Ivan Mirenkov’s tank platoon was operating ahead of the regiment. It was ordered to advance north of the village of Starovičky towards the town of Hustopeče. In virtually impenetrable fog, the unit moved towards Hill 237.0. As the tanks climbed the hill, a Panther suddenly opened fire. One of the platoon’s tanks caught fire. Mirenkov gave his gunner, Babushkin, the approximate coordinates of the Panther that had fired and ordered his driver to advance at the highest possible speed. They fired on the move. The Panther burst into flames, and its crew immediately began to abandon it. It was the first tank Mirenkov had knocked out during the war!
The other tanks in the platoon also opened fire. Two more enemy vehicles burst into flames. The Germans intensified their fire and knocked out one T-34.
Meanwhile, Mirenkov’s tank reached the top of the hill, and through breaks in the fog Ivan saw the silhouettes of German tanks. Panthers were massed all over the hill. Some of them were behind the T-34. Only after the battle did Mirenkov learn that there had been nine of them.
The enemy could not see the T-34 through the fog. This advantage had to be exploited. Spotting the nearest and most clearly visible German tank, Mirenkov pointed it out to his gunner, who knocked out the Panther with his first shell. Before the German troops could react, Mirenkov’s tank knocked out a German self-propelled gun based on the Panzer IV chassis. At that moment, one of the Panthers spotted Mirenkov’s vehicle. Its shell ricocheted off the tank’s armour, severely stunning the entire crew. The Germans began firing their tank guns blindly at the hill. Mirenkov ordered his driver to manoeuvre continuously within a small patch of ground. Even so, the German forces managed to hit the T-34 several times. After another hit, the engine stalled. The driver briefly lost consciousness, and the gunner, Babushkin, was also injured. The tank had become an easy target. A few minutes later, its oil tank was pierced. Despite these conditions, the gunner managed to fire an accurate shot that put another Panther out of action.
Having lost three tanks and one self-propelled gun, the Germans began to withdraw, but still decided to settle the score with their adversary. The enemy brought an anti-tank gun into position at close range. The situation was becoming critical. The turret’s traverse mechanisms did not allow the gun to be brought quickly to bear on the German crew, which had already taken up its firing position…
Gunner Babushkin fired at the gun with barely any time to aim. At that moment, the tank was struck with tremendous force and burst into flames. Mirenkov opened the hatch and pulled the loader, Lyovin, the driver and the dead gunner Babushkin from the burning vehicle. A Soviet tank soon appeared beside the smoking T-34: the regiment’s advance had begun. Medics ran over to Ivan Mirenkov and Alexei Lyovin, the only surviving members of the crew.
Mirenkov was admitted to hospital with shrapnel wounds and burns to his face and hands. There, he learnt from his fellow servicemen that he had been nominated for the distinguished title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the battle at Starovičky.
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