Nikolai Vedeneyev

Nikolai Vedeneyev
Nikolai Vedeneyev
Native name	Николай Денисович Веденеев
Born	28 March 1897; Verkhnyaya Sanarka, Russian Empire
Died	16 November 1964 (aged 67); Moscow, Soviet Union
Allegiance	Russian Empire; Soviet Union
Service/branch	Imperial Russian Army; Red Army/Soviet Army
Years of service	1915–17; 1918–51
Rank	Lieutenant general
Commands held	20th Mechanized Corps; 9th Guards Tank Corps
Battles/wars	World War I; Russian Civil War; World War II Siege of Mogilev; Operation Bagration; Vistula-Oder Offensive; East Pomeranian Offensive; Battle of Berlin;
Awards	Hero of the Soviet Union; Order of Lenin; Order of the Red Banner; Order of Kutuzov 1st class; Order of Suvorov 2nd class

Nikolai Denisovich Vedeneyev (

6th Mechanized Corps in 1940, and then was deputy commander of the 20th Mechanized Corps

.

After the

Vistula–Oder Offensive, Vedeneyev received the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Postwar, he became head of combat training of the Soviet Army Armored and Mechanized Forces. In 1947, Vedeneyev again became head of the faculty at the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization, retiring in 1951.^[1]

Early life, World War I, and Russian Civil War

Vedeneyev was born on 16 March 1897 in Verkhnyaya Sanarka in what is now Plastovsky District to a peasant family. He received primary education and worked as a telegraphist. In August 1915, he was drafted into the Imperial Russian Army. Vedeneyev served in a reserve battalion in Syzran and graduated from a training unit. In 1917, he fought on the Southwestern Front as a platoon sergeant in the 1st Rybinsk Border Regiment. Vedeneyev later served in the 531st Infantry Regiment of the 133rd Infantry Division.^[1]

In 1917, Vedeneyev joined the

Stepan Razin of the 30th Rifle Division. He soon became a platoon commander and led a machine gun unit. Vedeneyev was quickly selected for duty as a political commissar, and became the regiment's commissar. After the capture of Atbasar he became chairman of the city's Revolutionary Committee.^[1]

Interwar years

In October 1920, Vedeneyev became commissar of the 73rd and 28th Cavalry Regiments in the

Western Military District.^[1]

In 1925, Vedeneyev graduated from preparatory courses at the Lenin Military-Political Academy. In 1928 he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy. Vedeneyev became a squadron commander of the 88th Cavalry Regiment at Armavir in July 1928. In December 1929, he became head of the 1st staff department (operations) of the 5th Stavropol Cavalry Division in the North Caucasus Military District.^[2] In May 1931, Vedeneyev became commander and military commissar of the 25th Amur Cavalry Regiment. From March 1932, he was commander and commissar of the 1st Special Troitsko-Savskogo Cavalry Division of the Transbaikal Group. In February 1933, Vedeneyev became commander and commissar of the 15th Mechanized Regiment of the 15th Cavalry Division in the Transbaikal Military District. In November 1935, he became commander and commissar of the 26th Mechanized Regiment of the 26th Cavalry Division in the Kiev Military District. In 1936, he was awarded the Order of Lenin.^[1]

In July 1937, Vedeneyev became chief of staff of the

Western Special Military District. On the same day, Vedeneyev was promoted to major general. In March 1941, he became deputy commander of the 20th Mechanized Corps there.^[1]

World War II

During the initial stages of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Vedeneyev's corps fought in the

3rd Tank Corps.^[4] On 22 July, units of the corps stopped and destroyed a German train carrying the Lublin garrison, which was attempting to escape.^[5] On 30 July, the corps had reached a point 15 kilometers from Warsaw, but was thrown back by German counterattacks, in the Battle of Radzymin.^[6]^[7] On 23 August, he was awarded the Order of Suvorov 2nd class.^[8] For its actions in the capture of Lublin and Dęblin, the corps became the 9th Guards Tank Corps on 20 November.^[1]

The

East Pomeranian Offensive. On 16 April, the corps began the Battle of Berlin, advancing out of its bridgehead at Kustrin. On 23 April, the corps reached Berlin.^[1] On 29 May, Vedeneyev was awarded the Order of Kutuzov 1st class for his actions.^[10]

Postwar

In June 1945, the corps became the

9th Guards Tank Division, which Vedeneyev, promoted to lieutenant general a few weeks later on 11 July,^[11] continued in command of. In October 1946, Vedeneyev became head of combat training of the Armored and Mechanized Forces. In March 1947, he became head of faculty at the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization. He retired in May 1951 and lived in Moscow. At some point, he was made an honorary citizen of Sieradz. Vedeneyev died on 16 November 1964 and was buried in the Vvedenskoye Cemetery.^[1]

Awards and honors

	Hero of the Soviet Union (6 April 1945)
	Order of Lenin, thrice (16 August 1936, 21 February 1945, 6 April 1945)
	Order of the Red Banner, twice (3 November 1944, 20 June 1949)
	Order of Suvorov, 2nd class (2 August 1944)
	Order of Kutuzov, 1st class (28 January 1943)
	Medal "For the Defence of Moscow" (1 May 1944)
	Medal "For the Liberation of Warsaw" (9 June 1945)
	Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" (9 June 1945)
	Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (9 May 1945)
	Jubilee Medal "XX Years of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army" (1938)
	Jubilee Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy" (1948)
	Jubilee Medal "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1958)
	Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow" (1947)
	Silver Cross of the Virtuti Militari (Poland)
	Medal "For Warsaw 1939-1945" (Poland)