Tank battle under troops. How tanker Kolobanov humiliated the Third Reich Zinoviy Kolobanov: biography after the Finnish War

On August 20, 1941, a historic tank battle took place, which is called “the most successful battle” in the entire history of tank confrontations. The battle was led by Zinovy Kolobanov, an ace tankman of the Red Army.

Zinovy Kolobanov was born at the end of December 1910, in the village of Arefino, Vladimir province. Kolobanov’s father died during the Civil War, and Zinovy worked constantly from an early age. He graduated from 8 grades of school, entered a technical school, and in the 3rd year he was drafted into the army. Kolobanov was assigned to the infantry troops, but the army needed tankers, and he was sent to study at the armored school named after. Frunze. In 1936, he graduated with honors, and with the rank of senior lieutenant he went to the Leningrad Military District.

Zinoviy Kolobanov underwent a “baptism of fire” during the Soviet-Finnish war. He met her as a tank company commander. In a short period of time, Kolobanov almost died three times in a burning tank, but each time he returned to duty. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

After the start of the Great Patriotic War Kolobanov had to quickly master the heavy Soviet tank KV-1 in order not only to fight on it, but also to train recruits.

Offensive on Gatchina

At the beginning of August 1941, Army Group North launched an attack on Leningrad. The Red Army was retreating. In the area of Gatchina (at that time Krasnogvardeysk), the Germans were held back by the 1st Tank Division. The situation was difficult - the Wehrmacht had tank superiority, and any day now the Nazis could break through the city’s defenses and capture the city. Why was Krasnogvardeysk so important for the Germans? At that time it was a major transport hub in front of Leningrad.

On August 19, 1941, Zinovy Kolobanov received an order from the division commander to block three roads coming from Luga, Volosovo and Kingisepp. The division commander's order was short: fight to the death. Kolobanov's company was on heavy KV-1 tanks. The KV-1 stood up well to the Panzerwaffe, the tank units of the Wehrmacht. But the KV-1 had a significant drawback: lack of maneuverability. In addition, at the beginning of the war, there were few KV-1s and T-34s in the Red Army, so they were taken care of and, if possible, tried to avoid battles in open areas.

The most successful tank battle of 1941

Lieutenant Kolobanov's crew consisted of senior sergeant Andrei Usov, senior driver-mechanic Nikolai Nikiforov, junior driver-mechanic Nikolai Rodnikov and gunner-radio operator Pavel Kiselkov. The crew of the tank was the same as Lieutenant Kolobanov: people with experience and good training.

After Kolobanov received the division commander’s order, he set his team a combat mission: to stop the German tanks. Each tank was loaded with armor-piercing shells, two sets. Arriving at the site near the Voyskovitsy state farm, Zinoviy Kolobanov set up “combat points”: the tanks of Lieutenant Evdokimenko and Degtyar near the Luga Highway, the tanks of Junior Lieutenant Sergeev and Lastochkin near Kingisepp. Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov and his team stood in the center of the defense, on the coastal road. The KV-1 was placed 300 meters from the intersection.

22 tanks in 30 minutes

At 12 o'clock on August 20, the Germans tried to capture the Luga Highway, but Evdokimenko and Degtyar knocked out 5 tanks and 3 armored personnel carriers, after which the Germans turned back. At about 2 p.m., German reconnaissance motorcyclists appeared, but Kolobanov’s team on the KV-1 did not give themselves away. After some time, German light tanks appeared. Kolobanov commanded “fire!” and the battle began.

First, the gun commander Usov knocked out the 3 lead tanks, then poured fire on the tanks closing the column. The passage of the German column was choked, the tanks were burning at the beginning of the column and at the end. Now there was no way to escape the shelling. At this time, the KV-1 revealed itself, the Germans returned fire, but the heavy armor of the tank was impenetrable. At one point, the KV-1 turret failed, but senior mechanic Nikiforov began to maneuver the vehicle so that Usov would have the opportunity to continue to beat the Germans.

30 minutes of battle - all the tanks of the German column were destroyed.

Even the “aces” of the Panzerwaffe could not imagine such a result. Later, the achievement of Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov was included in the Guinness Book of Records.

On August 20, 1941, five tanks of Kolobanov’s company destroyed a total of 43 German tanks. In addition to the tanks, an artillery battery and two infantry companies were knocked out.

On August 20, 1941, the tank crew under the command of Senior Lieutenant Zinovy Kolobanov destroyed 22 enemy tanks. The feat of Zinovy Kolobanov is now well known. In one battle, his crew destroyed 22 enemy tanks. In terms of this indicator - the destruction of the maximum number of enemy tanks in one battle, Zinoviy Kolobanov is second only to Dmitry Sholokhov.

It all started with the fact that on August 8, 1941, von Leeb’s troops, who had been trampling at the Luga line for almost a month, resumed their attack on Leningrad. On August 9, 1941, the 1st Panzer Division was able to break through the Soviet defenses and, going to the rear of the Soviet troops, linked up with the 6th Panzer Division. On August 14, 1941, German troops cut the Krasnogvardeysk-Kingisepp railway, on August 16, 1941 they took the Volosovo station and rapidly advanced to Krasnogvardeysk - the former and present Gatchina.

Our troops defending the line on the Luga River (70th, 111th, 177th, 235th rifle divisions, as well as the 1st and 3rd militia divisions) were cut off from the main forces and stubbornly resisted while surrounded. The reserves sent from deep in the rear had not yet arrived, and the road to Leningrad was open for the Germans who had broken through.

The only formation capable of delaying the German offensive was the 1st Tank Division of Major General Baranov. On August 12, the division went on the defensive in the area of Vypolzovo, Kryakovo, Nerevitsa, and Lelino. At this point, the division consisted of 58 serviceable tanks, 4 of which were medium T-28s, and 7 of which were heavy KV-1s. The 3rd tank company of the 1st tank battalion of the 1st tank regiment of this division included five KV tanks. This company was commanded by Senior Lieutenant Zinovy Grigorievich Kolobanov.

Zinoviy Kolobanov on the eve of the Winter War, in which he fought with the rank of lieutenant as commander of a tank company of the 1st light tank brigade

On August 19, Kolobanov was summoned to the division commander. Showing on the map three roads leading to Krasnogvardeysk from Luga, Volosovo and Kingisepp, the general ordered them to be blocked. Each tank was loaded with two rounds of armor-piercing shells. This time the crews took high-explosive fragmentation shells minimal amount. The main thing was not to miss the German tanks.

On the same day, Kolobanov advanced his company to meet the advancing enemy. He sent two tanks - Lieutenant Sergeev and Junior Lieutenant Evdokimenko to the Luga road. Two more KVs under the command of Lieutenant Lastochkin and Junior Lieutenant Degtyar headed to defend the road leading to Volosovo. The tank of the company commander himself was supposed to be ambushed near the road connecting the Tallinn highway with the road to Marienburg - the northern outskirts of Krasnogvardeysk.

Crew of Zinovy Kolobanov. Kolobanov himself is in the center

In addition to Kolobanov himself, the crew included the gun commander, senior sergeant Andrei Mikhailovich Usov, the senior mechanic-driver, foreman Nikolai Ivanovich Nikiforov, the loader, who is also a junior mechanic-driver, Red Army soldier Nikolai Feoktistovich Rodenkov, and the gunner-radio operator, senior sergeant Pavel Ivanovich Kiselkov. For his KV Kolobanov determined the position in such a way that the fire sector had the longest, well-open section of the road. A little before reaching the Uchkhoz poultry farm, it turned almost 90 degrees and then went towards Marienburg. Vast swamps stretched along the sides of the road.

By evening we managed to hide the tank in a caponier that was open up to the tower. A reserve position was also equipped. After this, not only the tank itself, but even the traces of its tracks were carefully camouflaged.

As night approached, the military outpost arrived. The young lieutenant reported to Kolobanov. He ordered the infantry to be placed behind the tank, to the side, so that if something happened they would not come under gunfire.

KV-1 with additional armor / Zinovy Kolobanov’s tank was also equipped with such armor

Early in the morning of August 20, 1941, Kolobanov’s crew was awakened by the roar of people going to high altitude German Ju-88 bombers towards Leningrad. At about ten o'clock shots were heard from the left, from the side of the road going to Volosovo. A message came over the radio that one of the crews had entered into battle with German tanks. Kolobanov summoned the commander of the combat guard and ordered him to have his infantrymen open fire on the enemy only when the KV gun began to speak. For themselves, Kolobanov and Usov outlined two landmarks: No. 1 - two birch trees at the end of the intersection and No. 2 - the intersection itself. The landmarks were chosen in such a way as to destroy the leading enemy tanks right at the crossroads and prevent other vehicles from turning off the road leading to Marienburg.

Only in the second hour of the day did enemy vehicles appear on the road. The German motorcyclists turned left and rushed towards Marienburg, without noticing the camouflaged KV lying in ambush. Behind the motorcyclists appeared the Pz.III tanks themselves of the 3rd tank company of the 1st tank regiment of the 1st tank division Major General Walter Kruger. Their hatches were open, and some of the tankers were sitting on the armor. As soon as the lead vehicle reached landmark No. 1, Kolobanov ordered Usov to open fire.

The lead tank caught fire from the first shot. It was destroyed before it even managed to completely pass the intersection. The second shot, right at the intersection, destroyed the second tank. A traffic jam has formed. The column compressed like a spring, and now the intervals between the remaining tanks became completely minimal. Kolobanov ordered the fire to be transferred to the tail of the column in order to finally lock it on the road. The senior sergeant adjusted his aim and fired four more shots, destroying the last two in the tank column. The enemy was trapped.

In the first seconds, the Germans could not determine where the shooting was coming from, and opened fire from their 50-mm KwK-38 cannons at the haystacks, which immediately caught fire. But they soon came to their senses and were able to discover the ambush. A tank duel began between one KV and eighteen German tanks. A hail of armor-piercing shells fell on Kolobanov’s car. One after another, they hammered at the 25-mm armor of the additional screens installed on the KV turret. KV-1 tanks with similar armor were produced only in July 1941 and fought only on the North-Western and Leningrad fronts.

Infantry units moving behind the column came to the aid of the German tankers. Under the cover of fire from tank guns, for more effective shooting at the KV, the Germans rolled out anti-tank guns onto the road. Kolobanov noticed the enemy’s preparations and ordered Usov to fire a high-explosive fragmentation shell at the anti-tank guns. The combat guard located behind the KV entered into battle with the German infantry.

Award sheet of Zinovy Kolobanov: fund 33, inventory 682524, storage unit 84. Pages 1 and 2. TsAMO, fund 217, inventory 347815, file No. 6 on sheets 102-104.

Usov managed to destroy one anti-tank gun along with its crew, but the second one managed to fire several shots. One of them broke the panoramic periscope from which Kolobanov was observing the battlefield, and the other, hitting the tower, jammed it. Usov managed to destroy this gun, but the KV lost the ability to maneuver fire. Large additional rotations of the gun to the right and left could now only be done by turning the entire tank body.

Kolobanov ordered the senior mechanic-driver, petty officer Nikolai Nikiforov, to remove the tank from the caponier and take up a reserve firing position. In front of the Germans, the tank reversed out of its cover, drove to the side, stood in the bushes and again opened fire on the column. At this time, gunner-radio operator Nikolai Kiselkov climbed onto the armor and installed a spare periscope instead of the damaged one.

Finally, the last 22nd tank was destroyed. By this time, there were 12 shells left in the tank. By order of the battalion commander, Captain Joseph Spiller, Kolobanov’s tank moved from its position and, having mounted five wounded soldiers from the security platoon, retreated to the location of the main forces of the division. At the same time, in the battle on the Luga road, the crew of Lieutenant Fedor Sergeev destroyed eight German tanks, and the crew of Junior Lieutenant Maxim Evdokimenko - five. The junior lieutenant was killed in this battle, three members of his crew were wounded. Only the driver-mechanic Sidikov survived. Fifth german tank, destroyed by the crew in this battle, it was the driver who was responsible for it: Sidikov rammed him. The HF itself was disabled. The tanks of junior lieutenant Degtyar and lieutenant Lastochkin burned four enemy tanks each on that day. In total, the 3rd tank company destroyed 43 enemy tanks that day.

Awarding ceremony for Kolobanov's crew

For this battle, the commander of the 3rd tank company, senior lieutenant 3inovy Grigorievich Kolobanov, was nominated for the heroic rank but was awarded only the Order of the Red Banner of Battle, and the gun commander of his tank, senior sergeant Andrei Mikhailovich Usov, received the Order of Lenin.

The military battle seriously delayed the enemy’s advance near Leningrad and saved the city from lightning capture. By the way, one of the reasons why the Germans were so eager to capture Leningrad in the summer of 1941 was precisely because the Kirov plant, which produced KV tanks, was located in the city.

Kolobanov with his family after the war

Soviet tank forces made a huge contribution to the success of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War. IN historical literature Every major battle and army operation is considered in general, impersonally. But every victory was achieved through the titanic efforts of specific people who died, became crippled, or miraculously survived at the front. Kolobanov Zinoviy Grigorievich, whose feat will forever remain in the history of the Second World War, is one of those heroes who are worth talking about specifically.

The childhood and youth of a tanker

Zinovy Kolobanov was born in 1910. Place of birth: Arefino village The family lived very poorly. Zinovy had two more brothers. It became especially difficult after the death of my father, who died on the fronts of the Civil War in 1920. Realizing the advantages of the collective farm system for the family, at the end of the 20s the family moved to the village of Bolshoye Zagarino. Just at that time, collectivization was taking place in this locality.

After graduating from eight years of school, Zinoviy Kolobanov goes to study at the Gorky Industrial College.

The beginning of the hero's military career

The year 1933 became a turning point in the life of the future tanker Kolobanov. Then he was in his third year of technical school. He received a summons from the military registration and enlistment office. At that time, giving back to the Motherland was sacred for everyone young man. Immediately after entering the service, Zinovy realized that he was in his element. The military registration and enlistment office assigned Kolobanov to serve in the Streltsy regiment. Already in 1936, the future legendary tankman graduated with honors from the Oryol Armored School. He had the opportunity to independently choose his place of service, so Zinovy decided to fulfill his childhood dream - to visit Leningrad. There he served for some time as a tank commander. The high command noticed the soldier’s military talent, so he was sent to advanced training courses for junior command personnel. In 1938, Kolobanov successfully completed these courses, after which his place of work changed. Now Lieutenant Zinoviy Kolobanov serves first as an assistant regiment commander, then as a platoon and company commander.

Tanks took an active part in the battles on this front and became a real baptism of fire for Kolobanov. People who know history are well aware of how difficult it was for the Red Army in that war. Kolobanov could have died three times on this front, but he escaped from the burning tanks. During this military winter, he traveled the battle route from the border to Vyborg itself. His tank took part in the successful breakthrough. By the way, there is unconfirmed information that for this feat the tanker was awarded the title of Hero of the USSR. The fact is that one of the Soviet journalists tells such a story in his article. Allegedly, senior lieutenant Zinoviy Kolobanov received an award for breaking through the Mannerheim line, but then was stripped of his next rank and the Order of Hero because his subordinates in the tank communicated with Finnish soldiers. There is no information about the award in official sources.

Zinoviy Kolobanov: biography after the Finnish War

After the Finnish War, Kolobanov continued his service. It was in the interwar years that fate connected our hero with Ukraine. The command transferred him to the Kiev Military District. Kolobanov spent a lot of time in the Ukrainian city of Starokonstantinov. During 1940-1941, he managed to change several command positions in the tank and mechanized corps of the Red Army. Over the years of commanding military units, Senior Lieutenant Zinoviy Kolobanov became a fairly mature military leader.

That is why it was transferred from it to heavy sectors of the Northern Front in the Leningrad region. By the way, simultaneously with being sent to war, our hero receives the rank of senior lieutenant. Given his combat experience (unlike most other Red Army soldiers, including commanders), Kolobanov was immediately appointed company commander. Despite his leadership status, the tanker took part in the battles. A landmark battle took place on August 14, 1941, when five tanks, including a tank under the command of Kolobanov, stopped the advance of German reconnaissance and tank columns, while destroying many enemy vehicles. At that time, this made it possible to defend some settlements. Also, Kolobanov’s feat (and his tank could well have been knocked out during this battle) allowed other military tank formations to destroy a larger group of German armored vehicles. After one of the battles in September 1941, Zinovy was seriously wounded.

After the war

Zinoviy Kolobanov returned to duty after a long treatment. True, this already happened after the war, in 1945. stayed on military service until 1958. Of course, he worked mainly in senior management positions (battalion commander). After being transferred to the reserve, the legendary tanker worked for a long time at the Minsk MAZ plant. Received the honorary title "Shock Worker of Communist Labor".

Zinovy Kolobanov died in 1994, having lived a long and meaningful life dedicated to his homeland.

A strange incident occurred with the main feat of the Soviet tanker Zinovy Kolobanov - they simply refused to believe in it.

“Fight to the death!”

In the early 1990s, a huge amount of literature appeared in Russia glorifying the exploits of German pilots, tank crews, and sailors. The colorfully described adventures of the Nazi military created in the reader a clear feeling that the Red Army was able to defeat these professionals not through skill, but through numbers - they say, they overwhelmed the enemy with corpses.

Feats Soviet heroes while remaining in the shadows. Little has been written about them and, as a rule, their reality has been questioned.

Meanwhile, the most successful tank battle in the history of World War II was carried out by Soviet tank crews. Moreover, it happened during the most difficult time of war - at the end of the summer of 1941.

On August 8, 1941, the German Army Group North launched an attack on Leningrad. Soviet troops, fighting heavy defensive battles, retreated. In the area of Krasnogvardeysk (that was the name of Gatchina at that time), the onslaught of the Nazis was held back by the 1st Tank Division.

The situation was extremely difficult - the Wehrmacht, successfully using large formations of tanks, broke through the Soviet defenses and threatened to capture the city.

Krasnogvardeysk was of strategic importance, as it was a major junction of highways and railways on the outskirts of Leningrad.

August 19, 1941 commander of the 3rd tank company of the 1st tank battalion of the 1st tank division, senior lieutenant Kolobanov received a personal order from the division commander: to block three roads that lead to Krasnogvardeysk from Luga, Volosovo and Kingisepp.

- Fight to the death! - the division commander snapped.

Kolobanov's company was equipped with KV-1 heavy tanks. This fighting machine could successfully fight the tanks that the Wehrmacht had at the beginning of the war. Strong armor and a powerful 76-mm KV-1 cannon made the tank a real threat to the Panzerwaffe.

The disadvantage of the KV-1 was its poor maneuverability, so these tanks operated most effectively from ambushes at the beginning of the war.

There was another reason for the “ambush tactics” - the KV-1, like the T-34, was in short supply in the active army at the beginning of the war. Therefore, they tried to protect the available vehicles from battles in open areas whenever possible.

Professional

But technology, even the best, is effective only when it is operated by a competent professional. The company commander, senior lieutenant Zinovy Kolobanov, was just such a professional.

He was born on December 25, 1910 in the village of Arefino, Vladimir province, into a peasant family. Zinovy's father died on Civil War when the boy was not even ten years old. Like many of his peers at that time, Zinovy had to join peasant labor early. After graduating from eight years of school, he entered a technical school, from the third year of which he was drafted into the army.

Kolobanov began his service in the infantry, but the Red Army needed tankers. A capable young soldier was sent to Orel, to the Frunze armored school.

In 1936, Zinoviy Kolobanov graduated from the armored school with honors and was sent to serve in the Leningrad Military District with the rank of lieutenant.

Kolobanov received his baptism of fire during the Soviet-Finnish war, which he began as the commander of a tank company of the 1st light tank brigade. During this short war, he burned in a tank three times, each time returning to duty, and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army was in dire need of people like Kolobanov—competent commanders with combat experience. That is why he, who began his service on light tanks, urgently had to master the KV-1, so that he could then not only defeat the Nazis with it, but also teach his subordinates how to do it.

Ambush company

The crew of the KV-1 tank, senior lieutenant Kolobanov, included gun commander senior sergeant Andrey Usov, senior mechanic-driver foreman Nikolai Nikiforov, junior mechanic-driver, Red Army soldier Nikolai Rodnikov And gunner-radio operator senior sergeant Pavel Kiselkov.

The crew was a match for their commander: well-trained people, with combat experience and a cool head. In general, in in this case the advantages of the KV-1 were multiplied by the advantages of its crew.

Having received the order, Kolobanov set a combat mission: to stop enemy tanks, so two ammunition loads of armor-piercing shells were loaded into each of the company’s five vehicles.

Arriving on the same day at a place not far from the Voyskovitsa state farm, Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov distributed his forces. The tanks of Lieutenant Evdokimenko and Junior Lieutenant Degtyar took up defense on the Luzhskoye Highway, the tanks of Junior Lieutenant Sergeev and Junior Lieutenant Lastochkin covered the Kingisepp road. Kolobanov himself received the coastal road located in the center of the defense.

Kolobanov’s crew set up a tank trench 300 meters from the intersection, intending to fire at the enemy “head-on”.

The night of August 20 passed in anxious anticipation. Around noon, the Germans tried to break through along the Luga Highway, but the crews of Evdokimenko and Degtyar, knocking out five tanks and three armored personnel carriers, forced the enemy to turn back.

Two hours later, German reconnaissance motorcyclists drove past the position of Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov’s tank. The camouflaged KV-1 did not reveal itself.

22 destroyed tanks in 30 minutes of battle

Finally, the long-awaited “guests” appeared - a column of German light tanks, consisting of 22 vehicles.

Kolobanov commanded:

- Fire!

The first salvos stopped the three lead tanks, then the gun commander Usov transferred fire to the tail of the column. As a result, the Germans lost room for maneuver and were unable to leave the fire zone.

At the same time, Kolobanov's tank was discovered by the enemy, who brought down heavy fire on it.

Soon there was nothing left of the KV-1’s camouflage; German shells hit the turret of the Soviet tank, but they could not penetrate it.

At some point, another hit disabled the tank's turret, and then, in order to continue the battle, driver Nikolai Nikiforov took the tank out of the trench and began to maneuver, turning the KV-1 so that the crew could continue to fire at the Nazis.

Within 30 minutes of battle, the crew of Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov destroyed all 22 tanks in the column.

No one, including the vaunted German tank aces, could achieve such a result in one tank battle. This achievement was later included in the Guinness Book of Records.

When the battle died down, Kolobanov and his subordinates found traces on the armor from more than 150 hits from German shells. But the reliable armor of the KV-1 withstood everything.

In total, on August 20, 1941, five tanks from the company of senior lieutenant Zinovy Kolobanov knocked out 43 German “opponents.” In addition, an artillery battery, a passenger car and up to two companies of Nazi infantry were destroyed.

Unofficial hero

At the beginning of September 1941, all members of Zinoviy Kolobanov’s crew were nominated for the title of Hero Soviet Union. But the high command did not consider that the tank crews’ feat deserved such highly appreciated. Zinovy Kolobanov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, Andrei Usov was awarded the Order of Lenin, Nikolai Nikiforov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, and Nikolai Rodnikov and Pavel Kiselkov were awarded the Order of the Red Star.

For three more weeks after the battle near Voyskovitsy, the company of Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov held back the Germans on the approaches to Krasnogvardeysk, and then covered the withdrawal of units to Pushkin.

On September 15, 1941, in Pushkin, while refueling a tank and loading ammunition, a German shell exploded next to Zinovy Kolobanov’s KV-1. The senior lieutenant was very seriously wounded with injuries to the head and spine. The war was over for him.

But in the summer of 1945, having recovered from injury, Zinoviy Kolobanov returned to duty. He served in the army for another thirteen years, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel, then lived and worked in Minsk for many years.

A strange incident occurred with the main feat of Zinovy Kolobanov and his crew - they simply refused to believe in it, despite the fact that the fact of the battle near Voyskovitsy and its results were officially documented.

It seems that the authorities were embarrassed by the fact that in the summer of 1941, Soviet tank crews could so brutally defeat the Nazis. Such exploits did not fit into the generally accepted picture of the first months of the war.

But here’s an interesting point: in the early 1980s, it was decided to erect a monument at the site of the battle near Voyskovitsy. Zinovy Kolobanov wrote a letter to the USSR Minister of Defense Dmitry Ustinov with a request to allocate a tank for installation on a pedestal, and the tank was allocated, although not the KV-1, but the later IS-2.

However, the very fact that the minister granted Kolobanov’s request suggests that he knew about the tank hero and did not question his feat.

Legend of the 21st century

Zinovy Kolobanov passed away in 1994, but veteran organizations, social activists and historians are still making attempts to get the authorities to award him the title of Hero of Russia.

In 2011, the Russian Ministry of Defense rejected the request, considering a new award for Zinovy Kolobanov “inappropriate.”

As a result, the feat of the Soviet tankman in the hero’s homeland was never fully appreciated.

The developers of the popular computer game. One of the virtual medals in the online tank-themed game is awarded to a player who single-handedly wins against five or more enemy tanks. It is called the Kolobanov Medal. Thanks to this, tens of millions of people learned about Zinovy Kolobanov and his feat.

Perhaps such a memory in the 21st century is the best reward for a hero.

The exploits of Soviet heroes remained in the shadows. Little has been written about them and, as a rule, their reality has been questioned.

The situation was extremely difficult - the Wehrmacht, successfully using large formations of tanks, broke through the Soviet defenses and threatened to capture the city.

Krasnogvardeysk was of strategic importance, as it was a major junction of highways and railways on the outskirts of Leningrad.

- Fight to the death! - the division commander snapped.

Kolobanov's company was equipped with KV-1 heavy tanks. This combat vehicle could successfully fight the tanks that the Wehrmacht had at the beginning of the war. Strong armor and a powerful 76-mm KV-1 cannon made the tank a real threat to the Panzerwaffe.

The disadvantage of the KV-1 was its poor maneuverability, so these tanks operated most effectively from ambushes at the beginning of the war.

There was another reason for the “ambush tactics” - the KV-1, like the KV-1, was in short supply in the active army at the beginning of the war. Therefore, they tried to protect the available vehicles from battles in open areas whenever possible.

Professional

But technology, even the best, is effective only when it is operated by a competent professional. The company commander, senior lieutenant Zinovy Kolobanov, was just such a professional.

He was born on December 25, 1910 in the village of Arefino, Vladimir province, into a peasant family. Zinovy's father died in the Civil War when the boy was not even ten years old. Like many of his peers at that time, Zinovy had to join peasant labor early. After graduating from eight years of school, he entered a technical school, from the third year of which he was drafted into the army.

Kolobanov began his service in the infantry, but the Red Army needed tankers. A capable young soldier was sent to Orel, to the Frunze armored school.

In 1936, Zinoviy Kolobanov graduated from the armored school with honors and was sent to serve in the Leningrad Military District with the rank of lieutenant.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army was in dire need of people like Kolobanov - competent commanders with combat experience. That is why he, who began his service on light tanks, urgently had to master the KV-1, so that he could then not only defeat the Nazis with it, but also teach his subordinates how to do it.

Ambush company

The crew was a match for their commander: well-trained people, with combat experience and a cool head. In general, in this case, the advantages of the KV-1 were multiplied by the advantages of its crew.

Having received the order, Kolobanov set a combat mission: to stop enemy tanks, so two ammunition loads of armor-piercing shells were loaded into each of the company’s five vehicles.

Kolobanov’s crew set up a tank trench 300 meters from the intersection, intending to fire at the enemy “head-on”.

Two hours later, German reconnaissance motorcyclists drove past the position of Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov’s tank. The camouflaged KV-1 did not reveal itself.

22 destroyed tanks in 30 minutes of battle

Finally, the long-awaited “guests” appeared - a column of German light tanks, consisting of 22 vehicles.

Kolobanov commanded:

At the same time, Kolobanov's tank was discovered by the enemy, who brought down heavy fire on it.

Soon there was nothing left of the KV-1’s camouflage; German shells hit the turret of the Soviet tank, but they could not penetrate it.

Within 30 minutes of battle, the crew of Senior Lieutenant Kolobanov destroyed all 22 tanks in the column.

No one, including the vaunted German tank aces, could achieve such a result in one tank battle. This achievement was later included in the Guinness Book of Records.

When the battle died down, Kolobanov and his subordinates found traces on the armor from more than 150 hits from German shells. But the reliable armor of the KV-1 withstood everything.

Unofficial hero

At the beginning of September 1941, all members of Zinoviy Kolobanov’s crew were nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. But the high command did not consider that the tank crews’ feat deserved such high praise. Zinovy Kolobanov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, Andrei Usov was awarded the Order of Lenin, Nikolai Nikiforov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, and Nikolai Rodnikov and Pavel Kiselkov were awarded the Order of the Red Star.

However, the very fact that the minister granted Kolobanov’s request suggests that he knew about the tank hero and did not question his feat.

Legend of the 21st century

Zinovy Kolobanov passed away in 1994, but veteran organizations, social activists and historians are still making attempts to get the authorities to award him the title of Hero of Russia.

In 2011, the Russian Ministry of Defense rejected the request, considering a new award for Zinovy Kolobanov “inappropriate.”

As a result, the feat of the Soviet tankman in the hero’s homeland was never fully appreciated.

The developers of a popular computer game set out to restore justice. One of the virtual medals in the online tank-themed game is awarded to a player who single-handedly wins against five or more enemy tanks. It is called the Kolobanov Medal. Thanks to this, tens of millions of people learned about Zinovy Kolobanov and his feat.

Perhaps such a memory in the 21st century is the best reward for a hero.