Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky (Soviet Union)
Encyclopedia
The Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky was a Soviet
award named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky
, Hetman
(leader) of the Ukrainian Cossack Hetmanate
The award was first established on October 10, 1943, by the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of the USSR during World War II
.
The order was discontinued after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. A similar award, the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, was begun on May 3, 1995, by Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma
to commemorate the 50th anniversary of victory in the German-Soviet War
, the Soviet filmmaker Alexander Dovzhenko
, and poet Mykola Bazhan
initiated the idea to create this award. The order was created during World War II
and was awarded to Soviet Armed Forces
personnel and often the members of the Ukrainian Front
(coincidentally three of them were reinstated on October 20, 1943) for their exceptional duty in combat operations that led to the liberation of Soviet territory. The Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky was broken down into three different classes: 1st class, 2nd class and 3rd class. General Alexey Danilov became the first recipient of the 1st class Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky.
The 1st class medal is awarded to army commanders, especially at the front, for successful direction of combat operations that led to the liberation of a region or town where they were successful in inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Altogether 323 people were awarded Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky 1st class.
Distinguished people who received this order were several future Marshals of the Soviet Union including Sergey Biryuzov, Kirill Moskalenko
, Matvei Zakharov
and Petr Koshevoi amongst others.
The 2nd class medal is awarded to corps, divisions, brigade or battalion commanders for a breach of a defensive enemy line or a raid into the enemy's rear. 2400 people were awarded Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, 2nd class.
The 3rd class medal is awarded to officers, partisan commanders, sergeants, corporals and privates of the Red Army and partisan units
for outstanding bravery and resourcefulness leading to a battle victory. 5700 people were awarded Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 3rd class. Most of them were either Red Army soldiers who fought on the Ukrainian Front
or Ukrainian partisans.
The Order was discontinued after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 1995 Ukraine
established the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Although it is the same name it is a different medal.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
award named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Bohdan Zynoviy Mykhailovych Khmelnytsky was a hetman of the Zaporozhian Cossack Hetmanate of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . He led an uprising against the Commonwealth and its magnates which resulted in the creation of a Cossack state...
, Hetman
Hetmans of Ukrainian Cossacks
Hetman of Ukrainian Cossacks as a title was not officially recognized internationally until the creation of the Ukrainian Hetmanate. With the creation of Registered Cossacks units their leaders were unofficially referred to as hetmans, however officially the title was known as the "Senior of His...
(leader) of the Ukrainian Cossack Hetmanate
Cossack Hetmanate
The Hetmanate or Zaporizhian Host was the Ruthenian Cossack state in the Central Ukraine between 1649 and 1782.The Hetmanate was founded by first Ukrainian hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky during the Khmelnytsky Uprising . In 1654 it pledged its allegiance to Muscovy during the Council of Pereyaslav,...
The award was first established on October 10, 1943, by the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of the USSR during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
The order was discontinued after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. A similar award, the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, was begun on May 3, 1995, by Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Danylovych Kuchma was the second President of independent Ukraine from 19 July 1994, to 23 January 2005. Kuchma took office after winning the 1994 presidential election against his rival, incumbent Leonid Kravchuk...
to commemorate the 50th anniversary of victory in the German-Soviet War
Description
The General Nikita KhrushchevNikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
, the Soviet filmmaker Alexander Dovzhenko
Alexander Dovzhenko
Aleksandr Petrovich Dovzhenko , was a Soviet screenwriter, film producer and director of Ukrainian descent. He is often cited as one of the most important early Soviet filmmakers, alongside Sergei Eisenstein and Vsevolod Pudovkin.- Biography :...
, and poet Mykola Bazhan
Mykola Bazhan
Mykola Platonovych Bazhan was a Soviet Ukrainian writer and poet. He was awarded the Stalin Prize ....
initiated the idea to create this award. The order was created during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was awarded to Soviet Armed Forces
Soviet Armed Forces
The Soviet Armed Forces, also called the Armed Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Armed Forces of the Soviet Union refers to the armed forces of the Russian SFSR , and Soviet Union from their beginnings in the...
personnel and often the members of the Ukrainian Front
1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
(coincidentally three of them were reinstated on October 20, 1943) for their exceptional duty in combat operations that led to the liberation of Soviet territory. The Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky was broken down into three different classes: 1st class, 2nd class and 3rd class. General Alexey Danilov became the first recipient of the 1st class Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky.
The 1st class medal is awarded to army commanders, especially at the front, for successful direction of combat operations that led to the liberation of a region or town where they were successful in inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Altogether 323 people were awarded Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky 1st class.
Distinguished people who received this order were several future Marshals of the Soviet Union including Sergey Biryuzov, Kirill Moskalenko
Kirill Moskalenko
Kirill Semyonovich Moskalenko was a Marshal of the Soviet Union. A member of the Soviet Army who fought in both the Russian Civil War and World War II, he later served as Commander in Chief of Strategic Missile Forces and Inspector General for the Ministry of Defense.-Biography:Moskalenko was born...
, Matvei Zakharov
Matvei Zakharov
Matvei Vasilevich Zakharov Marshal of the Soviet Union, Chief of General Staff, Deputy Defense Minister, was born in Tver, to peasant parents. Zakharov joined the Red Guards in 1917. He served under Kliment Voroshilov during the Russian Civil War...
and Petr Koshevoi amongst others.
The 2nd class medal is awarded to corps, divisions, brigade or battalion commanders for a breach of a defensive enemy line or a raid into the enemy's rear. 2400 people were awarded Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, 2nd class.
The 3rd class medal is awarded to officers, partisan commanders, sergeants, corporals and privates of the Red Army and partisan units
Soviet partisans
The Soviet partisans were members of a resistance movement which fought a guerrilla war against the Axis occupation of the Soviet Union during World War II....
for outstanding bravery and resourcefulness leading to a battle victory. 5700 people were awarded Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 3rd class. Most of them were either Red Army soldiers who fought on the Ukrainian Front
Ukrainian Front
Ukrainian Front may refer to several Soviet fronts of the Second World War:* Ukrainian Front formed during the Polish September Campaign*1st Ukrainian Front, renamed from Voronezh Front on October 20, 1943....
or Ukrainian partisans.
The Order was discontinued after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In 1995 Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
established the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Although it is the same name it is a different medal.
| First Class | Second Class | Third Class |
|---|---|---|
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| Ribbon | ||
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External links
- Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky
- president.gov.ua - Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi