- 4 3 , ▁the ▁ 8 9 th ▁Division ▁began ▁its ▁grad ual ▁advance ▁toward ▁the ▁Crime a . ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁along ▁with ▁other ▁Soviet ▁forces ▁from ▁the ▁Trans c au cas ian ▁Front , ▁it ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Mal g ob ek , ▁Kh amed an ▁and ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁other ▁settlement s ▁previously ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Germ ans . ▁The ▁unit ' s ▁advance ▁picked ▁up ▁pace ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁month , ▁aver aging ▁about ▁ 3 0 - 4 0 ▁kilom eters ▁a ▁day ▁as ▁it ▁approached ▁the ▁Sea ▁of ▁Az ov . ▁ ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁put ▁up ▁a ▁st iff ▁resistance ▁in ▁the ▁Crime a , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁fighting ▁around ▁the ▁settlement ▁of ▁Nov o ▁Jer il ka ▁division ▁commander ▁Colonel ▁Vas ily an ▁was ▁killed . ▁The ▁ 8 9 th ▁itself ▁suffered ▁heavy ▁cas ual ties ▁but ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁months ▁fresh ▁rec ruits ▁from ▁Armen ia ▁brought ▁it ▁back ▁to ▁full ▁strength , ▁and ▁Vas ily an ' s ▁successor ▁and ▁the ▁division ▁commander ▁was ▁the ▁able ▁Colonel ▁ ▁Saf ary an . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁re deploy ed ▁and ▁ordered ▁to ▁attack ▁the ▁A xis ▁def ensive ▁fort ifications ▁on ▁the ▁T aman ▁Pen ins ula . ▁On ▁September ▁ 6 , ▁it ▁moved ▁in ▁a ▁n ort he aster ly ▁direction ▁from ▁Nov or os si y sk ▁and ▁engaged ▁in