▁head way ▁toward ▁Ker ch ▁and ▁dis l od ged ▁the ▁def ending ▁A xis ▁troops ▁from ▁one ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁division ▁distinguished ▁themselves ▁once ▁more , ▁the ▁most ▁prominent ▁of ▁them ▁being ▁field - engine er ▁Jah an ▁S . ▁Kar akh any an , ▁who ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁while ▁trying ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁new ▁observation ▁post ▁and ▁post hum ously ▁awarded ▁with ▁the ▁medal ▁of ▁the ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁In ▁recognition ▁of ▁its ▁efforts , ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁awarded ▁with ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Star . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁Soviet ▁army ▁began ▁its ▁off ensive ▁to ▁re take ▁Se v ast opol . ▁The ▁ 8 9 th ▁Division ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁objective ▁of ▁capt uring ▁the ▁G orn aya ▁Height , ▁which ▁would ▁then ▁open ▁the ▁way ▁to ▁Se v ast opol . ▁This ▁was ▁accomplished ▁and ▁the ▁unit ▁subsequently ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁Se v ast opol ' s ▁and ▁the ▁prom ont ory ▁of ▁Kh erson ' s ▁re capt ure . ▁For ▁the ▁liber ation ▁of ▁the ▁Se v ast opol ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁best owed ▁with ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁B anner . ▁Senior ▁Lie uten ants ▁S ime on ▁K . ▁Bag hd as ary an ▁and ▁K hor en ▁A . ▁Kh ach atur yan , ▁and ▁Senior ▁Serge ants ▁A