Georgiy Zakharov Georgiy Fedorovich Zakharov was a Soviet general officer , mainly notable for his service in World War II . Early life . Zakharov was born on April 23 , 1897 in the village of Shilov , Russia ( now in the Saratov region ) , and began military service in 1915 . World War I service . Zakharov participated in the First World War with the rank of a second lieutenant , having completed training at a school for ensigns in 1916 . In October 1917 , he was elected a regimental commander . During the Russian Civil War , from August 1919 he became a company commander in the Red Army , and was in combat on the Eastern Front . Zakharov continued his training throughout the 1920s , including the officer training courses known as " Vystrel " ( 1923 ) . He also took a teaching assignment at the Frunze Military Academy from 1933 , and underwent further training at the Military Academy of General Staff in 1939 . From 1939 – 1941 Zakharov served as Chief of Staff of the Ural military district . World War II service . During the first days of World War II Zakharov was serving as Chief of Staff of the 22nd Army , which saw action against the German invasion Operation Barbarossa , in the environs of Vitebsk , Velikie Luki and Nevel . From August 1941 Zakharov was Chief of Staff , and during October - November the commander of the Bryansk Front , which covered the Oryol - Tula and L ' vov - Kursk axes . From December 1941 Zakharov was deputy Commander of the Western Front , which participated in the counterattack on the approaches to Moscow during the Battle of Moscow . From April 1942 Zakharov was Chief of Staff of the North Caucasian Strategic Direction , from May , the commander of the North Caucasian Front , and from August , the commander of South - Western Front ( Stalingrad ) . From October 1942 Zakharov was the deputy commander of the Stalingrad Front , where he successfully exercised leadership of the armies on the Front ' s left wing during the Soviet counterattack . During January 1943 Zakharov was appointed Deputy Commander of the Southern Front , while from February he was commander of 51st Army . From July 1943 Zakharov commanded the 2nd Guards Army , which performed outstandingly during the penetration of the German defences on the Mius and Molochnaya rivers . Under his leadership the 2nd Guards Army broke through powerful fortified positions on the Perekop Isthmus during April 1944 , and participated in the liberation of Sevastopol . During 1944 Zakharov was given the responsibility of commanding 2nd Belorussian Front during the major strategic offensive Operation Bagration . The Front ' s performance during this operation was criticised as inadequate , and from November Zakharov was effectively demoted to command of 4th Guards Army , which was employed in forcing crossings of the Danube and participated in the envelopment of German forces in Budapest during the Battle of Budapest . In April 1945 , Zakharov was appointed Deputy Commander of the 4th Ukrainian Front . Cold War service . After the war Zakharov commanded the troops of Southern - Ural ( 1945 – 46 ) and Eastern Siberian ( 1947 – 50 ) military districts , and was the chief of " Vystrel " courses ( 1950 – 53 ) . From September 1954 he was the Deputy Department Chief of combat training of ground forces . Decorations . Zakharov was awarded with the Order of Lenin , with four Orders of the Red Banner , two Orders of Suvorov 1st Class , the Order of Kutuzov 1st Class , Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky 1st Class , Order of Suvorov 2nd Class , and numerous medal s .