Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich (ukr. Sidir Artemovich Kovpak, May 26 (June 7), 1887) - December 11, 1967) - commander of the Putivl partisan detachment (later - the Sumy partisan unit, even later - the 1st Ukrainian partisan division), member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party ( b) Ukraine, major general. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

He was born on May 26 (June 7), 1887 in the village of Kotelva (now an urban-type settlement in the Poltava region of Ukraine) into a poor peasant family.

Member of the RCP(b) since 1919. Member of the First World War (he served in the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment) and the Civil War. During the First World War, he fought on the Southwestern Front, a member of the Brusilov breakthrough. In April 1915, as part of the guard of honor, he was personally awarded the St. George Cross by Nicholas II.

During the Civil War, he led a local partisan detachment that fought in Ukraine against the German invaders together with the detachments of A. Ya. Southern front.

In 1921-1926, he was an assistant to the county military commissar, county military commissar, military commissar of the Pavlograd district of the Yekaterinoslav province (since 1926 - the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine). At the same time, in 1925-1926, he was the chairman of an agricultural artel in the village of Verbki. Since 1926 - director of the Pavlograd military cooperative economy, then - chairman of the agricultural cooperative in Putivl. Since 1935 - head of the road department of the Putivl district executive committee, since 1937 - chairman of the Putivl city executive committee of the Sumy region of the Ukrainian SSR.

Member of the Great Patriotic War since September 1941. One of the organizers of the partisan movement in Ukraine was the commander of the Putivl partisan detachment, and then the commander of the partisan detachments of the Sumy region.

In 1941-1942, Kovpak's formation carried out raids behind enemy lines in the Sumy, Kursk, Orel and Bryansk regions, in 1942-1943 - a raid from the Bryansk forests on the Right-Bank Ukraine in the Gomel, Pinsk, Volyn, Rivne, Zhitomir and Kyiv regions; in 1943 - the Carpathian raid. The Sumy partisan formation under the command of Kovpak fought over 10 thousand kilometers in the rear of the Nazi troops, defeated the enemy garrisons in 39 settlements. Kovpak's raids played a big role in the deployment of the partisan movement against the German occupiers.

On August 31, 1942, he was personally received by Stalin and Voroshilov in Moscow, where, together with other partisan commanders, he participated in a meeting. Kovpak's partisan unit was tasked with making a raid beyond the Dnieper in order to expand the partisan struggle to the Right-Bank Ukraine.

In April 1943, S. A. Kovpak was awarded the military rank of Major General.

In January 1944, the Sumy partisan formation was renamed the 1st Ukrainian partisan division named after S. A. Kovpak under the command of P. P. Vershigora.

Since 1944, S. A. Kovpak has been a member of the Supreme Court of the Ukrainian SSR, since 1947 - Deputy Chairman of the Presidium, and since 1967 - a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 2nd-7th convocations.

Born on June 7, 1887 in the village of Kotelva (now an urban-type settlement in the Poltava region of Ukraine) in a poor peasant family. Ukrainian. Member of the CPSU (b) / CPSU since 1919. Member of the First World War (he served in the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment) and the Civil War. In the last of them, he led a local partisan detachment that fought in Ukraine against the German invaders together with the detachments of A. Ya. Wrangel on the Southern Front. In 1921-1926 - a military commissar in a number of cities in the Yekaterinoslav province (from 1926 and now - the Dnepropetrovsk region of Ukraine). Since 1937 - Chairman of the Putivl City Executive Committee of the Sumy Region of the Ukrainian SSR.

Member of the Great Patriotic War since September 1941. One of the organizers of the partisan movement in Ukraine was the commander of the Putivl partisan detachment, and then the commander of the partisan detachments of the Sumy region.

In 1941-1942, S. A. Kovpak’s formation carried out raids behind enemy lines in the Sumy, Kursk, Oryol and Bryansk regions, in 1942-1943 - a raid from the Bryansk forests on the Right-Bank Ukraine along the Gomel, Pinsk, Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr regions and Kyiv regions; in 1943 - the Carpathian raid. The Sumy partisan formation under the command of SA Kovpak fought over 10 thousand kilometers in the rear of the Nazi troops, defeated the enemy garrisons in 39 settlements. Kovpak's raids played a big role in the deployment of the partisan movement against the Nazi occupiers.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 18, 1942, for the exemplary performance of combat missions behind enemy lines, the courage and heroism shown in their performance, Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 708) .

In April 1943, S. A. Kovpak was awarded the military rank of Major General.

Major General Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich was awarded the second Gold Star medal by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 4, 1944 for the successful conduct of the Carpathian raid.

In January 1944, the Sumy partisan unit was renamed the 1st Ukrainian partisan division named after S. A. Kovpak.

Since 1944, S. A. Kovpak has been a member of the Supreme Court of the Ukrainian SSR, since 1947 - Deputy Chairman of the Presidium, and since 1967 - a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 2nd-7th convocations.

The legendary partisan commander S. A. Kovpak died on December 11, 1967. He was buried in the capital of Ukraine, the hero city of Kyiv.

How Sidor Kovpak created a partisan army.

Sometimes not even specific people, but entire nations are overtaken by a temporary clouding of reason. And at this time they cease to distinguish good from evil, and instead of genuine heroes they glorify false ones.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Ukraine created idols for itself from marauders, rapists and murderers who were members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. Cowards and scum, capable of performing only punitive functions, killing "Kids, Muscovites and Communists", elevated to the status of "heroes of the nation."

One could simply say - "what a nation, such are the heroes." But this would be unfair to Ukraine, because this land has given the world a lot of real warriors and just people with a capital letter.

At the Baykove cemetery in Kyiv, a man who became a legend during his lifetime sleeps forever, a man whose name alone terrified the Nazis - Sidor Artemyevich Kovpak.

He was born on June 7, 1887 in the Poltava region, into a large peasant family. Every penny counted, and instead of school, Sidor from a young age mastered the skills of a shepherd and plowman.

At the age of 10, he began to help the family, working in a shop for a local merchant. Nimble, quick-witted, observant - "the kid will go far," the village aksakals, wise with worldly experience, said about him.

In 1908, Sidor was drafted into the army, and after four years of military service, he went to Saratov, where he got a job as a laborer.

From Emperor to Vasily Ivanovich

But just two years later, Sidor Kovpak again found himself in the soldier's ranks - the First World War began.

Private of the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment Sidor Kovpak was a brave warrior. Being wounded several times, he always returned to duty. In 1916, as a scout, Kovpak distinguished himself during the Brusilov breakthrough. With his exploits, he earned two St. George's crosses, which were presented to him by Emperor Nicholas II.

Perhaps here the tsar-father got a little excited - in 1917 Kovpak chose not him, but the Bolsheviks. Returning to his homeland after the October Revolution, Kovpak found that the war was on his heels - the Reds and Whites agreed not for life, but for death. And here Kovpak gathered his first partisan detachment, with which he began to smash the Denikinists, and at the same time, according to old memory, the Germans who occupied Ukraine.

In 1919, Kovpak's detachment joined the regular Red Army, and he himself joined the ranks of the Bolshevik Party.

But Kovpak did not immediately get to the front - he was brought down by typhus that was raging in a dilapidated country. Having got out of the clutches of the disease, he nevertheless goes to war and finds himself in the ranks of the 25th division, commanded by Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev himself. Sidor Kovpak, the commander of the captured Chapaev team, was already famous for his diligence and frugality - he knew how to collect weapons on the battlefield not only after victories, but also after unsuccessful battles, hitting the enemy with such audacity.

Kovpak took Perekop, finished off the remnants of the Wrangel army in the Crimea, liquidated the Makhnovist gangs, and in 1921 was appointed to the post of military commissar in Bolshoy Tokmak. Having changed several more similar positions, in 1926 he was forced to demobilize.

The partisans - vegetable gardens

No, Kovpak was not tired of the war, but his health was failing - he was worried about old wounds, he was tormented by rheumatism earned in the partisan detachment.

And Kovpak switched to economic activity. Although he lacked education, he had the vein of a strong business executive, observation and quick wit.

Starting in 1926 as chairman of an agricultural artel in the village of Verbki, Kovpak 11 years later reached the position of chairman of the Putivl city executive committee of the Sumy region of the Ukrainian SSR.

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Sidor Kovpak was 54 years old. Not so much, but not so little for a man whose whole life was connected with the war and hard peasant labor.
But Kovpak, in a difficult moment, knew how to forget both about age and sores. He took upon himself all the organizational work to create a partisan detachment in the Putivl region. There was very little time to organize - the enemy was approaching rapidly, but Kovpak was busy preparing bases and caches to the last.

From Putivl, he left the gardens almost the last of the leadership on September 10, 1941, at a time when the German units had already appeared in the village.

Very many partisan detachments died at the very beginning of the war due to the fact that their leaders were simply not prepared for such activities. There were also those who, having laid bases, out of fear, preferred to hide, to hide, but not to join the fight.

But Kovpak was completely different. Behind him is a huge military experience, combined with the experience of a talented business executive. In just a few days, Kovpak created the core of the future detachment from the Putivl activists and encircled scouts who went with him into the forests.

Power from the forest

On September 29, 1941, near the village of Safonovka, Sidor Kovpak's detachment conducted the first military operation, destroying a Nazi truck. The Germans sent a group to destroy the partisans, but she returned with nothing.

On October 17, 1941, when the Nazis were already on the outskirts of Moscow, in the Ukrainian forests, Kovpak's detachment united with the detachment of Semyon Rudnev, a career soldier who took part in battles with Japanese militarists in the Far East.

They appreciated the grip of each other and imbued with mutual respect. They had no rivalry for leadership - Kovpak became the commander, and Rudnev took the post of commissar. This managerial "tandem" very soon made the Nazis shudder with horror.

Kovpak and Rudnev continued to unite small partisan groups into a single Putivl partisan detachment. Somehow, at a meeting of the commanders of such groups, punishers with two tanks showed up right in the forest. The Nazis still believed that the partisans were something frivolous. The result of the battle accepted by the partisans was the defeat of the punishers and the capture of one of the tanks as a trophy.

Paradoxically, the main difference between Kovpak's detachment and many other partisan formations was the almost complete absence of partisanism. Iron discipline reigned among the Kovpakovites, each group knew its own maneuver and actions in case of a sudden attack by the enemy. Kovpak was a real ace of covert movement, unexpectedly for the Nazis, appearing here and there, disorienting the enemy, inflicting lightning and crushing blows.

At the end of November 1941, the Nazi command felt that it practically did not control the Putivl region. The high-profile actions of the partisans also changed the attitude of the local population, which began to look at the invaders almost with mockery - they say, are you the power here? The real power is in the forest!

Kovpak is coming!

The irritated Germans blocked the Spadashchansky forest, which became the main base of the partisans, and sent large forces to defeat them. Assessing the situation, Kovpak decided to break out of the forest and go on a raid.
Kovpak's partisan formation grew rapidly. When he fought behind enemy lines in the Sumy, Kursk, Oryol and Bryansk regions, more and more groups joined him. Kovpak's compound turned into a real partisan army.

In August 1942, Kovpak, along with the commanders of other partisan formations, was received in the Kremlin, where Stalin asked about problems and needs. New combat missions were also identified.

Connection Kovpak received the task to go to the Right-Bank Ukraine in order to expand the zone of partisan operations.

From the Bryansk forests, Kovpak's partisans fought several thousand kilometers through the Gomel, Pinsk, Volyn, Rivne, Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions. Ahead of them, partisan glory was already rolling, overgrown with legends. It was said that Kovpak himself was a huge bearded strongman, killing 10 Nazis at a time with a fist, that he had tanks, guns, planes and even Katyushas at his disposal, and that Hitler personally was afraid of him.

Hitler is not Hitler, but smaller caliber Nazis were really afraid. On the policemen and German garrisons, the news "Kovpak is coming!" was demoralizing. They tried to avoid meeting with his partisans by any means, because it did not bode well.

In April 1943, Sidor Kovpak was awarded the rank of Major General. So the partisan army had a real general.

The hardest raid

Those who met the legend in reality were amazed - a short old man with a beard, looking like a village grandfather from a mound (the partisans called their commander - Grandfather), seemed absolutely peaceful and did not at all resemble the genius of the partisan war.

Kovpak was remembered by his fighters for a number of sayings that became winged. Developing a plan for a new operation, he repeated: "Before you enter God's temple, think about how to get out of it." About providing a connection with everything necessary, he said succinctly and a little mockingly: "My supplier is Hitler."

Indeed, Kovpak never bothered Moscow with requests for additional supplies, obtaining weapons, ammunition, fuel, food and uniforms from Hitler's warehouses.

In 1943, the Sumy partisan formation of Sidor Kovpak set off on his most difficult, Carpathian raid. You can’t throw out a word from the song - in those parts there were many who were quite satisfied with the power of the Nazis, who were glad to hang “Kids” under their wing and rip open the stomachs of Polish children. Of course, Kovpak was not a "hero of the novel" for such people. During the Carpathian raid, not only many Nazi garrisons were defeated, but also Bandera detachments.

The fighting was heavy, and at times the position of the partisans seemed hopeless. In the Carpathian raid, Kovpak's unit suffered the most serious losses. Among the dead were veterans who stood at the origins of the detachment, including Commissar Semyon Rudnev.

Living legend - Sidor Kovpak

But still, Kovpak's unit returned from the raid. Already on his return, it became known that Kovpak himself was seriously injured, but hid this from his fighters.

The Kremlin decided that it was impossible to risk the hero's life any longer - Kovpak was recalled to the mainland for treatment. In January 1944, the Sumy partisan unit was renamed the 1st Ukrainian partisan division named after Sidor Kovpak. The command of the division was taken over by one of Kovpak's associates, Pyotr Vershigora. In 1944, the division made two more large-scale raids - Polish and Neman. In July 1944, in Belarus, a partisan division, which the Nazis never managed to defeat, joined with units of the Red Army.

In January 1944, Sidor Kovpak was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the second time for the successful conduct of the Carpathian raid.

Having healed his wounds, Sidor Kovpak arrived in Kyiv, where a new job awaited him - he became a member of the Supreme Court of the Ukrainian SSR. Probably, a lack of education would be blamed on another, but Kovpak was trusted by both the ruling elite and the common people - he earned this trust with his whole life.

In 2012, under Viktor Yanukovych, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, at the suggestion of the Communists, adopted a Resolution on the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the birth of Sidor Artemyevich Kovpak. Then Kovpak remained a hero for Ukraine.

What would Sidor Artemievich say if he saw what has now become of his native Ukraine? Probably wouldn't say anything. Grandfather, who has seen a lot in his lifetime, groaning, would simply go towards the forest. And then ... Then you know.

Sidor Kovpak was born on June 7, 1887 in the village of Kotelva, Poltava region of Ukraine. He grew up in a poor peasant family with many children. From the age of 10 he worked as a laborer for a local shopkeeper; graduated from the parochial school. After serving military service in the Alexander Infantry Regiment in Saratov, Sidor remained to work in Saratov as a loader in the river port and as a laborer in the tram depot.

With the outbreak of World War I, Kovpak was mobilized into the Russian Imperial Army: he served in the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment, fought on the Southwestern Front, and participated in the Brusilov breakthrough. He became famous as a brave scout and was twice awarded the St. George Cross and medals "For Courage" III and IV degrees.

In 1918, Sidor returned to his native Kotelva, where he took an active part in the struggle for the power of the Soviets, headed the land commission for the distribution of landowners' lands among the poor peasants. During the Civil War, Kovpak became the head of the Kotelva partisan detachment (one of the first in Ukraine), which he organized himself in 1918, after the German occupation of revolutionary Ukraine. Under his command, the partisans fought against the Austro-German invaders, and after joining the units of the active Red Army, he fought on the Eastern Front as part of the legendary 25th Chapaev Division, and then participated in the defeat of the White Guard troops of Generals Denikin and Wrangel on the Southern Front.

After the end of hostilities, Kovpak, who had become a member of the RCP (b) back in 1919, was engaged in economic work. In 1921-1926 he was the military commissar of the Pavlograd district of the Yekaterinoslav province of Ukraine.

In 1926, after being transferred to the reserve, he was appointed director of the Pavlograd military cooperative farm, then chairman of the agricultural cooperative in Putivl. Since 1935 he was the head of the road department of the Putivl district executive committee, since 1937 he was the chairman of the Putivl city executive committee of the Sumy region of the Ukrainian SSR. Kovpak has been a participant in the Great Patriotic War since September 1941.

He was one of the organizers of the partisan movement in Ukraine - the commander of the Putivl partisan detachment, and then - the formation of partisan detachments of the Sumy region. Kovpak's raids behind enemy lines played a big role in the deployment of the partisan movement against the German occupiers. His partisans avoided a long stay within any particular area. They made constant long maneuvers behind enemy lines, exposing distant German garrisons to unexpected blows. The Sumy partisan formation under the command of Sidor Artemyevich fought in the rear of the Nazi troops for more than 10 thousand kilometers, defeated the enemy garrisons in 39 settlements.

Kovpak was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal on May 18, 1942 for exemplary performance of combat missions behind enemy lines, courage and heroism shown in their performance. In April 1943, he was awarded the military rank of major general.

Since 1944, Sidor Artemyevich has been a member of the Supreme Court of the Ukrainian SSR, since 1947 - Deputy Chairman of the Presidium, and since 1967 - a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR. Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 2nd-7th convocations. Lived in Kyiv.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, holder of four Orders of Lenin, Orders of the Red Banner, Bogdan Khmelnitsky I degree, Suvorov I degree - Kovpak was awarded many Soviet medals, as well as orders and medals of Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

Monuments to the Hero were erected in different cities of Ukraine, a bronze bust of Kovpak was erected in the village of Kotelva, memorial plaques were opened in Kyiv and Putivl - on the houses where he lived and worked. Streets in many cities and villages of Ukraine are named after him.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, the partisan general was born on May 26, 1887 in the Ukrainian village of Kotelva, Kharkov province, into a peasant family. He received his primary education in a rural parochial school. In 1908 he was drafted into the army for four years in the Alexander Regiment in Saratov. At the end of the service, he remained there to work as a loader in the river port. With the beginning of the First World War, he was mobilized in the 186th Aslanduz Infantry Regiment. He served first as a shooter, then as a signalman and reconnaissance officer, together with his regiment he took part in the Brusilovsky breakthrough. For the courage shown in battles, he was awarded the St. George medals "For Courage" III and IV degrees and the crosses of St. George III and IV degrees. One of the crosses was hung on his chest personally by Nicholas II, who came to the front. In 1917, Kovpak was elected to the pro-Bolshevik regimental soldiers' committee, by which the regiment refused to carry out the order to advance, after which the regiment was assigned to the reserve, and the soldiers went home. After the Bolshevik revolution, he returned to his native village, where he headed the land commission for the distribution of landowners' lands among the peasants. When Skoropadsky, Hetman of Ukraine, who came to power in the spring of 1918 with the support of the Germans, began to restore landownership, Kovpak, at the head of the partisan detachment he had created, began hostilities. In 1919, under the blows of Denikin, his detachment left the territory of Ukraine and joined the Red Army, joining the 25th Chapaev division. Then Kovpak joined the ranks of the RCP (b). Then there was a war on the Eastern Front against Kolchak, and then on the Southern Front against Wrangel and the Makhnovists.

After the end of the Civil War, he graduated from the Higher Rifle School for the Command Staff of the Red Army "Shot". He worked as a military commissar in various cities in southern Ukraine. After demobilization for health reasons, he took the position of director of the military-cooperative economy in the city of Pavlograd. In 1930, Kovpak moved to Putivl, where he became head of the district road department. In 1939 he was elected chairman of the Putivl city executive committee. In 1937, during the mass repressions, the head of the district department of the NKVD warned Kovpak in advance, thanks to which he managed to avoid arrest. At the same time, he graduated from the special school of the OGPU for the preparation and conduct of partisan and underground struggle, and by the beginning of the war he had the military rank of reserve colonel.

Partizan Kovpak - during the Great Patriotic War

In July 1941, the Putivl district party committee appointed Kovpak commander of the Putivl partisan detachment. When German troops entered the city in September 1941, the detachment began hostilities, and in October Semyon Rudnev's partisans joined with him. In December, under pressure from the enemy, they were forced to leave the Spadshchansky forest, where their base was, and went to the Bryansk forests. In the spring of 1942, Kovpak returned to the Sumy region, and on May 27, his detachment entered his native Putivl. On May 18, 1942, for the successful conduct of military operations, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal. At the very end of the summer of 1942, Sidor Artemyevich arrived in Moscow and was personally received by Stalin and Voroshilov, participating along with other partisan commanders in a meeting. In order to expand the territory of the partisan struggle, he was given the task of making a raid on the Right-Bank Ukraine. Shortly before the detachment entered the raid, on October 2, 1942, the Central Committee of the Party approved Kovpak as a member of the illegal Central Committee of the CP (b) of Ukraine. Having passed the Chernihiv, Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions, in the vicinity of the Volyn city of Sarny, which was a major transport hub, the partisans carried out the Sarny Cross operation, blowing up five railway bridges at the same time. For its implementation on April 9, 1943, Kovpak was awarded the rank of major general.

In June 1943, the Kovpakovites set off on their most famous campaign - the Carpathian raid, during which two dozen enemy echelons were blown up, many military depots were destroyed, and power stations and oil fields near Bitkov and Yablonov in the Carpathian region were disabled. And most importantly, as a result of blowing up several railway bridges in the Ternopil region, on July 8, on the second day of the German offensive on the Kursk Bulge, the Ternopil transport hub was completely paralyzed, through which military equipment was supplied to the Eastern Front. Mountain rifle and SS units were thrown against Kovpak, blocking the partisans in the Carpathians. But dividing his detachment into six parts, Kovpak managed to break out of the encirclement with minimal losses, and in October 1943 the partisans returned to their native Sumy region. Due to the fact that during the raid he received a serious wound in the leg, at the end of the year he was sent to a hospital in liberated Kyiv and no longer participated in hostilities.

In February 1944, his detachment was reorganized into the 1st Ukrainian partisan division named after Kovpak under the command of his deputy for intelligence, Petr Vershigora, who made two more raids behind enemy lines in Western Ukraine, Belarus and Poland. On January 4, 1944, Kovpak received the second "Gold Star" of the Hero for carrying out the Carpathian campaign. After the end of the war, he remained to live in Kyiv, working in the Supreme Court of Ukraine. From 1947 until his death, Kovpak was Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council.

Died December 11, 1967. He was buried in Kyiv at the Baikove cemetery. Many streets in the cities of Russia and Ukraine are named after him, there are busts of the Hero in his small homeland in Kotelva and in Putivl, where he lived before the war, and a memorial plaque on the house in Kyiv, where he lived in the post-war period. In 1975, at the Kyiv Film Studio named after Dovzhenko filmed a film trilogy "The Thought of Kovpak", which tells about the combat path of his partisan division. In 2013, in the capital of Ukraine, in honor of the 125th anniversary of his birth, a monument-bust of Kovpak was erected on the Alley of Military Glory in Pechersk. A commemorative coin of two hryvnias with his image was also issued.