▁thousand ▁kil og rams ▁of ▁explos ives ▁at ▁the ▁found ations . ▁Though ▁they ▁caused ▁a ▁great ▁number ▁of ▁cas ual ties , ▁including ▁inf lic ting ▁conc uss ions ▁against ▁the ▁def enders ▁within , ▁they ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁pen et rate ▁the ▁four ▁meters ▁of ▁iron ▁and ▁concrete ▁walls . ▁But ▁under ▁with ering ▁art illery ▁and ▁anti - t ank ▁gun ▁fire , ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁fla k ▁to wers ▁agreed ▁to ▁surrender . ▁ ▁In ▁several ▁days ▁of ▁fighting ▁the ▁division ▁had ▁over ran ▁seven ▁districts . ▁For ▁its ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Berlin , ▁the ▁ 8 9 th ▁was ▁awarded ▁with ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁K ut uz ov ▁ 2 nd ▁Class ▁and ▁Major ▁General ▁H may ak ▁G . ▁Bab ay an ▁was ▁best owed ▁with ▁the ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁The ▁ 8 9 th ▁R if le ▁Division ▁is ▁recorded ▁to ▁have ▁liber ated ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 9 0 0 ▁cities , ▁towns , ▁and ▁villages . ▁It ▁had ▁advanced ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁ 3 , 7 0 0 ▁kilom eters ▁in ▁its ▁combat ▁history , ▁and ▁ 7 , 3 3 3 ▁of ▁its ▁members ▁were ▁given ▁comm end ations ▁and ▁awards , ▁nine ▁of ▁whom ▁were ▁decor ated ▁with ▁the ▁award ▁of ▁the ▁Hero ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁A ▁" friend ship ▁monument " ▁and ▁mem orial ▁was ▁ere cted ▁in ▁the ▁division ' s ▁honor ▁in ▁Se v ast ap ol