Memorial stone dedicated to the 354th line of defence of Moscow
In the park dedicated to the 40th anniversary of Victory in Zelenograd, a memorial stone has been installed to commemorate the 354th Rifle Division – one of the renowned units formed in the city and the region that defended Moscow in 1941. This stone is a tribute to the soldiers who stood their ground on the distant approaches to the capital. The division was formed on August 15, 1941. On the recommendation of K.E. Voroshilov, she was given the name Kuznetsk, and the workers of the city and district became her patrons. The headquarters and the 921st Regiment were formed in Kuznetsk, the 1199th Rifle Regiment in the village of Annenkov, and the remaining units in the villages of Evlashevo, Nikolskoye, Chibirley, Poselki, and others. The headquarters and the political department were located in the club of the sheepskin and fur processing plant and in the building of the city military commissariat. Colonel D.F. Alekseev, a career military officer who, before the war, had been the head of the Kuibyshev Infantry School, was appointed commander. He played a key role in the formation of the unit, always took the situation into account, and treated the soldiers’ fates responsibly, which earned him their respect. On the night of December 1, 1941, the division took up positions in the first line of defense of Moscow on the Leningrad Highway near the Kryukovo station. The soldiers vowed to stand to the death, and as early as December 2, they launched the first counterattack against the enemy. Many natives of Kuznetsk were among the defenders of the capital. Signalman P.A. Gorshenin (senior sergeant of the 921st artillery regiment) was awarded the medals “For Bravery”, “For Military Merit”, “For the Defense of Moscow”. V.V. Kirilov, quartermaster of the 3rd rank, fought since September 1941, was awarded the Order of the Red Star, medals “For Military Merit” and “For the Defense of Moscow”; his wife A.G. Kirilova, a nurse who saved many wounded, was also awarded the Order of the Red Star and the medal “For Military Merit”. A.V. Kleimenov, a soldier of the division since August 1941, defended Moscow, liberated Belarus and Poland, was awarded the Order of the Red Star, medals “For the Defense of Moscow” and “For the liberation of Warsaw.” Senior Medical Service Officer A.Ya. Baranovsky was awarded the “Outstanding Medical Service” badge, as well as the medals “For the Defense of Moscow” and “For Military Merit”. Company political officer A.Ya. Gniloshchekov (a native of Kuznetsk) fought from Moscow to Pomerania and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Machine gunner A.I. Koromyslov of the 1199th Regiment received the medals “For Military Merit”, “For the Defense of Moscow”, “For Victory over Germany”, “For the Capture of Berlin”, and “For the Liberation of Warsaw” for his brave actions. Almost the entire combat path of the division was traversed by A.V. Kuritsyn, I.K. Sidorov, and K.V. Kodyrev; A.I. Zyuzin served in the 473rd company; V.I. Frolov was a captain in the quartermaster service; M.G. Drevina was a lieutenant in the medical service of the 1201st Rifle Regiment. The first composition of the division was almost completely destroyed during the defense of Moscow. In 1942, the division liberated Gzhatsk; during the Rzhev–Sychevka operation, it completed its mission but suffered heavy losses and was withdrawn for reorganization. In 1943, it became part of the 65th Army under General P. I. Batov and fought within its ranks until the end of the war. It participated in Operation Bagration, fought in Poland, stormed Danzig, and, as part of the 2nd Belorussian Front, participated in the Berlin operation. Together with the 65th Army, the Kuznetsk residents fought: Lieutenant B.N. Vasiliev of the quartermaster service (he liberated Belarus and Poland), P.A. Gavrilov, S.A. Kuzmin, and surgeon O.L. Baryshnikova. The sponsored Kuznetsk Division became a renowned formation. In 1945, it was awarded the Order of Lenin for its battles in Germany; on January 14, 1944, for the liberation of Kalinkovichi, it received the name “Kalinkovichskaya”; for the liberation of Bobruisk, it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner; on July 29, 1944, for the liberation of Baranovichi, it was awarded the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class. During the war years, the division fought over 2,000 km, liberated 1,100 settlements, destroyed 27,000 enemy soldiers and officers, and captured a large amount of equipment. For their bravery, 4,586 soldiers and officers were awarded orders and medals, and seven were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Throughout the war, the division never retreated. At the site of the first battle, near the 41st km of the Leningrad Highway, there is now a monument to the defenders of Moscow; the remains of the Unknown Soldier were taken from the mass grave of the division’s soldiers and reburied near the Kremlin Wall.
Address: Moscow, Zelenograd, 40th Anniversary of Victory Park
