Vladimir Vasilyevich Rusakov (; 30 December 1909 – 12 October 1951) was a Soviet Army major general. After joining the Red Army at the end of the 1920s, Rusakov became a junior officer and served in the Soviet Far East before graduating from the Frunze Military Academy after Operation Barbarossa. He spent the first year of the war before being sent to the 14th Guards Rifle Division, which he commanded for much of 1943 before being relieved of command for slow fulfillment of orders. Within two weeks, he returned to command, this time of the 58th Guards Rifle Division. Rusakov led the division for the rest of its existence as it advanced westward, aside from several months recovering from a wound. It was the first Soviet unit to link up with American troops in late April 1945. Postwar Rusakov held brigade and division command but died of illness in 1951. Early life and prewar service Born on 30 December 1909 in Cheplyaev, Smolensk Governorate, Rusakov joined the Red Army and entered the Vladivostok Infantry School on 15 September 1929. After graduating from the school, he was sent to the 5th Amur Rifle Regiment of the 2nd Priamur Rifle Division, with which he served as a machine gun platoon commander, acting machine gun company commander, and training platoon commander. Transferred to the Nikolayevsk-on-Amur Fortified Region of the Special Red Banner Far Eastern Army in June 1935, Rusakov became commander of the 8th Separate Machine Gun Company and acting chief of staff of the right-bank sector. He was sent to study at the Frunze Military Academy in July 1940. World War II As a result of the outbreak of Operation Barbarossa, Rusakov's course was accelerated and on 12 September he graduated. With the rank of captain, he became a liaison officer at the General Staff for rifle divisions. Serving as a senior officer of the General Staff at the Northwestern Front headquarters from December, Rusakov became a General Staff officer at army headquarters in March 1942. In July of that year he was appointed chief of the 1st staff department of the 14th Guards Rifle Division, reforming at Budarino with the 63rd Army. Between 10 and 13 August the division marched to the area of Bukanovskaya and reached positions on the left bank of the Don River. On the night of 20 August, the division crossed the river and captured a bridgehead