▁Union ) ▁was ▁a ▁Soviet ▁general . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁to ▁a ▁pe asant ▁family , ▁Pan ov ▁worked ▁in ▁a ▁St . ▁Peter burg ▁factory ▁from ▁a ▁young ▁age . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁he ▁joined ▁both ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁and ▁the ▁Red ▁Army , ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁Civil ▁War . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁he ▁attended ▁a ▁tank ▁command ers ▁school ▁and ▁under w ent ▁advanced ▁inf antry ▁officers ▁training ▁during ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁St alin ▁Academy ▁for ▁Motor ization ▁and ▁Mechan ization ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁assuming ▁command ▁over ▁the ▁ 4 8 th ▁Light ▁T ank ▁Brigade ▁in ▁November ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 3 rd ▁T ank ▁Division . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁On ▁the ▁e ve ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁invasion , ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁still ▁organ izing ▁in ▁S ok ół ka . ▁It ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Army ' s ▁ 1 1 th ▁Mechan ized ▁Corps . ▁When ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁attacked , ▁Pan ov ▁launched ▁a ▁hast y ▁counter - off ensive . ▁Event ually , ▁with ▁many ▁other ▁form ations , ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁enc irc led ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁B iał yst ok – Min sk ▁and ▁pract ically ▁w ip ed ▁out . ▁Pan ov ▁broke ▁out , ▁reaching ▁Soviet ▁lines .