; ▁  – ▁ 1 6 ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 6 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Soviet ▁Army ▁colon el ▁general ▁and ▁a ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁ ▁Born ▁to ▁a ▁wealth y ▁family , ▁Bak lan ov ▁was ▁draft ed ▁into ▁the ▁Red ▁Army ▁and ▁was ▁selected ▁for ▁command ▁positions ▁during ▁the ▁inter war ▁period . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁staff ▁positions ▁and ▁was ▁wounded ▁during ▁the ▁Winter ▁War ▁while ▁a ▁regiment al ▁chief ▁of ▁staff . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁German ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁regiment al ▁commander ▁but ▁was ▁wounded ▁in ▁fighting ▁in ▁Bel arus ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁front ▁until ▁early ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁as ▁a ▁brig ade ▁commander . ▁Bak lan ov ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 2 9 9 th ▁R if le ▁Division ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁St aling rad , ▁being ▁decor ated ▁for ▁his ▁actions , ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁Gu ards ▁R if le ▁Division ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Kur sk ▁among ▁other ▁actions . ▁In ▁mid - 1 9 4 4 ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁command ▁a ▁rif le ▁corps , ▁a ▁position ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁ended ▁the ▁war . ▁For ▁his ▁leadership ▁in ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Dresden ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁weeks ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁Bak lan ov ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁He ▁held ▁senior ▁command ▁positions ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁command ing ▁the ▁