Hero of the Soviet Union Azimov R.A.
Ruzi Azimovich Azimov (Uzbek: Rўzi Azimov) (September 22, 1925 - 2006) - a participant in the Great Patriotic War, a machine gunner of the 1124th Rifle Regiment of the 334th Rifle Division of the 43rd Army of the 1st Baltic Front, Hero of the Soviet Union (July 22, 1944), Red Army soldier. He was at the front from June 3, 1944.
During the days when the entire country solemnly celebrated the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Soviet Belarus from the fascist yoke, many congratulatory letters, greetings, and telegrams were sent to Jalal-Abad addressed to the personal pensioner of union significance, Hero of the Soviet Union Ruzi Azimov. It is quite difficult to list all the congratulations, let alone recount them. However, I would like to focus on two of them in more detail.
“Dear Ruzi,” the first one says, “the Vitebsk Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus, the Executive Committee of the Regional Council of People's Deputies, on behalf of the communists and all the workers of the region, sends you a heartfelt bow and warm congratulations on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the liberation of Soviet Belarus and the Vitebsk region from the German-fascist invaders. Grateful residents of Vitebsk are very appreciative of your courage and bravery displayed during the Great Patriotic War in defending the sacred borders of our beloved Motherland.
With deep respect, Secretary of the Vitebsk Regional Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus S. Kobyak, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee I. Shibeko.”
And the second congratulation: “The searchers of the 36th Secondary School of Vitebsk congratulate you on the 40th anniversary of the liberation of our native Belarus, to which you made a huge contribution. The years have not put you in reserve. Wishing you good health and a heartfelt bow.”
What earned Ruzi Azimov, a native of Kyrgyzstan, the gratitude and respect of the fraternal people of Belarus?
Part of the answer to this question can be found in the encyclopedic collection-reference book “Forever in the Heart of the People,” published by the Belarusian Soviet Encyclopedia in 1975 for the 30th anniversary of the Great Victory. One of the articles in the collection is dedicated to our fellow countryman.
Azimov Ruzi: Biography
Born on September 22, 1925, in the village of Chukatepa, Suzak District, previously of Osh Region, now of Jalal-Abad Region, Kyrgyzstan, in a peasant family. He was of Uzbek nationality. He had incomplete secondary education. He worked as an accountant in a collective farm.
When the war began, Ruzi Azimov was not yet 16 years old. As soon as he turned 18, he reported to the Suzak District Military Commissariat. From September 1943 to May 1944, he underwent training at the Tashkent Infantry Red Banner Order of the Red Star School named after V.I. Lenin.
He successfully passed the military commission and was assigned as a gunner of the 1124th Rifle Regiment of the 334th Rifle Division. This division was formed in the autumn of 1941 in Kazan. It was led by former chapayevets Colonel N. Mishchenko, who taught soldiers to win not by numbers but by skill. He instilled in young warriors courage, strength of spirit, and faith in the righteousness of their cause. The young machine gunner from Kyrgyzstan was a diligent student and a good soldier. In the third battalion, Ruzi was the youngest in age and in terms of front-line experience.
When handing him the machine gun, the company commander said: “In the hands of the fallen hero Vasily Belousov, this machine gun was a terror for the fascists. I pass it to you and hope that you will master it just as skillfully.”
— I will not disgrace the weapon of the fallen hero, — replied the Komsomol member. Ruzi was determined to avenge the enemy for the death of the unknown Vasily, whom he considered his comrade. And in his first battle, the young fighter proved himself to be a true jigit.
He arrived at the front during a hot time when one of the largest operations in the history of the Patriotic War to liberate Belarus, code-named “Bagration,” was unfolding. To have some idea of the grandeur of the military battle in which our fellow countryman Ruzi Azimov participated, I will provide some figures published in the newspaper “Pravda” in an article dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Belarusian offensive operation.
Taking into account the reinforcements that arrived during the battles, more than 4 million people participated on both sides, about 62,000 guns and mortars of various calibers, more than 7,500 tanks and self-propelled artillery units, and over 7,100 aircraft. Only in the first weeks of the “Bagration” operation, about 60,000 fascist soldiers and officers from the Army Group “Center” were captured. By the end of the offensive operation, in late August 1944, Soviet troops advanced an unstoppable avalanche to a depth of 550-600 kilometers.
A lot has been written about this operation.
After successfully breaking through the enemy's defenses near the village of Kozonogovo, during which Azimov distinguished himself, the regiment fought its way to the Western Dvina. Sergeant Istomin and a group of fighters were tasked with crossing the river and capturing a foothold. Soon, a raft set off from the shore, on which Ruzi took his place with a machine gun. Silence prevailed. It seemed that there was no one on the opposite bank. But as soon as the raft reached the rapids, the Germans opened hurricane mortar and rifle-machine gun fire. The raft was already approaching the shore. At that moment, a shell fragment severely wounded the sergeant. For a moment, the fighters were confused.
— Listen to the command. Follow me, forward! — shouted Private Azimov. Leaping onto the shore, he immediately fearlessly rushed towards a small height where the enemy was entrenched, inspiring his comrades by his example. The fighters destroyed the Germans hiding in the trench and captured four machine guns. Azimov shot five fascists from his machine gun. At his signal, the company began the crossing. Soon, the “patch” captured by the brave men became cramped. The 334th Division expanded the foothold and went on the offensive, then joined the troops of the 43rd Army.
Here is what Ruzi Azimov himself said about this:
- “On June 23, 1944, our regiment received an order to break through the strong defense of the enemy, reach the Western Dvina, cross it, and secure a position on the southern bank to allow our main forces to cross the river. The battalion began preparations for the crossing, and rafts were constructed from improvised materials.
At that time, I was in a shelter, keeping an eye on the enemy bank to open fire in case of danger. When the rafts were launched into the water, I jumped onto the wooden platform with everyone else. The enemy opened hurricane fire when the rafts reached the middle of the river. Many, struck by enemy bullets, stained the waters of the Western Dvina with their blood. But the Germans did not manage to destroy all the soldiers of the landing on the water.
As soon as I felt the shore, I quickly burst into the trenches of the first line of defense, shot several invaders at point-blank range, and took a favorable position. At that time, our artillery from the left bank supported us with fire and stunned the enemy for a while. I took advantage of this and led my comrades into the attack, destroying four enemy machine gun crews along the way. Not far away, I noticed a bathhouse, and by making short runs, I made my way to it and, under the cover of the log cabin, poured merciless fire on the defending fascists. Very soon, the fascists realized where the machine gun was firing from and shelled this bathhouse with mortars. One shell exploded near me, and I was severely concussed.”
For crossing the Western Dvina and liberating the city of Vitebsk, the 334th Rifle Division was awarded the title of Vitebsk. Ten soldiers were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, including six from the 1124th Regiment. Our fellow countryman, Private Ruzi Azimov, became a holder of the “Gold Star.” He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on July 22, 1944, at the age of 19 for his courage and heroism displayed in battle.
Azimov's concussion turned out to be very severe, and he was unable to return to the front. At the end of 1944, the 19-year-old Hero of the Soviet Union returned to his native collective farm. A year later, he became a member of the Communist Party, graduated from a party school, and worked in various areas of party and economic work during peacetime.
As long as his health allowed, Azimov repeatedly traveled to meet with his fellow soldiers. Each time, the veterans visited the sites of past battles, meeting with the residents of the cities and villages they had liberated. During one of these meetings, Azimov recalled and recounted a striking incident:
— In a swift offensive, the soldiers of the 1124th Regiment burst into a village. The fascists, abandoning their weapons, began to flee in panic. Several enemy soldiers hid in the nearest hut. I rushed after them, but at that moment a woman appeared on the threshold, blocking the door with her body. I would very much like to meet this woman and learn the reasons for her actions, — concluded the guest from Kyrgyzstan.
And then, from the crowd of residents who had come to the meeting, an elderly collective farmer stepped forward. Although many years had passed, Azimov immediately recognized her as the same woman who had blocked his entrance to the hut.
After hugs and mutual inquiries about health and life, Ruzi Azimovich asked the question that had been tormenting him.
— But you would have killed them, — came the reply. — And they looked so beaten and pitiful, there was so much horror in their eyes that my heart could not bear it, it did not allow unnecessary bloodshed.
In this act of the Belarusian woman lies, as we believe, to some extent, the answer to the question that remains a mystery for many: why did Soviet soldiers not succumb to blind rage and merciless revenge.
He held many meetings with youth and schoolchildren. He proudly displayed a letter of gratitude: “For active participation in the work of patriotic education of youth,” signed by the Chairman of the Soviet War Veterans Committee, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General P. Batov, and the Executive Secretary of the Soviet War Veterans Committee, Hero of the Soviet Union A. Meresyev.
Every year, during the Soviet era, a traditional All-Union tournament of youth football teams for the prize of Hero of the Soviet Union Ruzi Azimov was held in Jalal-Abad, established by the city executive committee and the football federation of Kyrgyzstan.
After the collapse of the Union, our fellow countryman-hero was remembered only on major holidays. In 2001, Ruzi Azimov's health sharply deteriorated; he suffered two strokes. Thanks to the care of his family and his only son, his speech and memory gradually returned. His son was named Igor in honor of a Russian friend of his comrade.
Recently, the mayor of the city visited our fellow countryman regularly. The governor of the region, after two visits to the war hero, brought him a wheelchair from Bishkek.
On May 12, 2004, a ceremony took place in the assembly hall of the House of Trade Unions of Kyrgyzstan to present gold watches to Heroes of the Soviet Union and full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory. This event was organized by the All-Russian public organization “People's Patriotic Union “Rodina” with the assistance of the Embassy of Russia in Bishkek, the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Republican Council of War Veterans. Our fellow countryman also received a memorable gift.
He lived in Jalal-Abad. He died in 2006.
Awards
Medal “Gold Star” of the Hero of the Soviet Union (July 22, 1944) (No. 4151)
Order of Lenin (July 22, 1944)
Order of the Patriotic War I class
Order “Manas” III class (May 5, 2000)
Memory
By the decision of the deputies of the Jalal-Abad City Council on March 27, 2007, Secondary School No. 13 in the city of Jalal-Abad was named after R. Azimov.
On May 8, 2007, a bust of R. Azimov was unveiled at Secondary School No. 13 in the city of Jalal-Abad.
The name of R. Azimov was borne by the pioneer detachment of School No. 12 in the village of Chuka-Tepa, Suzak District.
During the Soviet era, a traditional All-Union tournament of youth football teams for the prize of Hero of the Soviet Union Ruzi Azimov was held in Jalal-Abad, established by the city executive committee and the football federation of Kyrgyzstan.