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<\/p>\n\n\tAt 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.<\/p>\n
\n\tOne of the organisers of the event at the hero\u2019s grave is Mirenkov\u2019s granddaughter, Elena Olegovna Mirenkova.<\/p>\n
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\n\tThe event will be attended not only by representatives of the \u201cMemory of Afghanistan\u201d Foundation and the \u201cSoldiers of Victory\u201d Club, but also by visitors from the Czech Republic: members of the Starovi\u010dky Military History Club and representatives of the village administration.<\/p>\n
\n\tOn 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.<\/p>\n
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\n\tFor 15 years, the Starovi\u010dky 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 \u201cVictory\u201d Organising Committee, chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n
\n\tAt the entrance to Starovi\u010dky, club members restored a T-34-85 tank and painted the number 200 on its turret\u2014the number borne by Ivan Mirenkov\u2019s tank when he liberated the village.<\/p>\n
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\n\tACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE OF STAROVI\u010cKY<\/p>\n
\n\t![](\"\/images\/News\/News2019\/ustanovka-tablichki-na-mogile-mirenkova-ivana-stepanovicha\/panthers.jpg\")
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\n\tIn the early morning of 16 April 1945, Ivan Mirenkov\u2019s tank platoon was operating ahead of the regiment. It was ordered to advance north of the village of Starovi\u010dky towards the town of Hustope\u010de. 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\u2019s 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!<\/p>\n
\n\tThe 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.<\/p>\n
\n\tMeanwhile, Mirenkov\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe 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\u2019s tank knocked out a German self-propelled gun based on the Panzer IV chassis. At that moment, one of the Panthers spotted Mirenkov\u2019s vehicle. Its shell ricocheted off the tank\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\n\tHaving 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\u2019s 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\u2026<\/p>\n
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\n\tGunner 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\u2019s advance had begun. Medics ran over to Ivan Mirenkov and Alexei Lyovin, the only surviving members of the crew.<\/p>\n
\n\tMirenkov 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 Starovi\u010dky.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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