“Destroyed Seven Enemy Soldiers, Captured Three Officers and 11 Soldiers”

The heroic tales of the Great Patriotic War generation are being revisited through their award documents. Among them is 101-year-old veteran Vasily Sidorovich Balanutsa, who celebrated his birthday on April 6.

Drafted to the front in April 1944, Balanutsa served as a scout and took part in the liberation of Prague and the storming of Berlin.

His valour is recorded as follows:

According to the award list for the Medal “For Courage” (April 1945), in the battles near Glogau, he killed three German soldiers, captured two, and discovered and relayed information about three firing points.

Similarly, the award recommendation for another Medal “For Courage” (May 1945) states that while leading a group of five scouts during the capture of Berlin, he destroyed seven enemy soldiers and captured three officers and 11 soldiers.