▁German ▁invasion ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 9 2 nd ▁R if le ▁Regiment , ▁and ▁remained ▁its ▁commander ▁until ▁ 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁That ▁year ▁he ▁completed ▁acceler ated ▁courses ▁at ▁the ▁M . ▁V . ▁F run ze ▁Military ▁Academy , ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁assigned ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 3 0 th ▁Gu ards ▁R if le ▁Regiment ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 4 th ▁Gu ards ▁R if le ▁Division . ▁Under ▁his ▁command ▁the ▁regiment ▁broke ▁through ▁enemy ▁def enses ▁on ▁the ▁N are w ▁River ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁bridge head ▁from ▁which ▁they ▁inf lic ted ▁a ▁high ▁degree ▁of ▁damage ▁against ▁enemy ▁forces ; ▁killed ▁an ▁estimated ▁ 6 0 0 ▁enemy ▁soldiers ▁and ▁captured ▁ 1 5 0 ▁enemy ▁horses ▁in ▁Bar an av ich y ▁on ▁ 8 ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 4 ; ▁purs ued ▁retre ating ▁German ▁troops ▁across ▁Eastern ▁and ▁Central ▁Europe , ▁taking ▁enemy ▁equipment ▁in ▁the ▁process ; ▁exp elled ▁A xis ▁forces ▁from ▁more ▁than ▁ 7 0 ▁settlement s ▁in ▁off ensive ▁with ▁two ▁other ▁reg iments ▁from ▁the ▁division ; ▁and ▁broke ▁through ▁heavily ▁fort ified ▁areas ▁covered ▁by ▁mine fields ▁and ▁tren ches . ▁He ▁was ▁wounded ▁in ▁battle ▁three ▁times ▁but ▁surv ived ▁the ▁war , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁title ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet