12 Facts About Gennady Obaturov

Gennady Obaturov's father was mobilized in the army and died in 1916 on the battlefront during World War I The family counted five children.

Gennady Obaturov volunteered for the Red Army in October 1935 and graduated from the Orlov Tank College in 1938.

Gennady Obaturov graduated from the Frunze Military Academy in 1941 after the German-Soviet War had begun, but was not sent to the front.

Gennady Obaturov's tank was shot in battle, Obaturov himself was heavily injured and burnt inside the tank.

Gennady Obaturov was treated for three-month in a hospital in Kemerovo.

In November 1942 Gennady Obaturov was appointed deputy commander of an armored regiment in the 11th Army of the Northwestern Front.

Gennady Obaturov took part in the actions against the German Demyansk Pocket, as well as in the Second Demyansk Offensive in the spring of 1943.

Gennady Obaturov showed himself as a skilful tactical commander and a brave officer.

In such conditions, Gennady Obaturov self-dependently decided to stop the execution of the operational task by ordering units to assume all-round defense.

The division of Gennady Obaturov participated at full strength in this operation.

In January 1979 Gennady Obaturov was commissioned to Vietnam as Senior Military Adviser to the National Defense Ministry of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

At the head of a task force Gennady Obaturov rapidly reached the battle zone and according to eyewitnesses of the events, played an important role in influencing the decisions of the Vietnamese command and political leadership relating to the field operations.