▁October ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁graduated ▁from ▁acceler ated ▁courses ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁K iev ▁Self - Pro pel led ▁Art illery ▁School ▁as ▁a ▁junior ▁lieutenant . ▁As ▁commander ▁of ▁an ▁SU - 1 5 2 ▁self - prop elled ▁gun ▁in ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Se par ate ▁Gu ards ▁Break through ▁T ank ▁Regiment ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Ukrain ian ▁Front ' s ▁ 3 8 th ▁Army , ▁S net kov ▁saw ▁his ▁first ▁combat ▁west ▁of ▁Ro zh iv ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁K iev ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁November , ▁during ▁which ▁his ▁crew ▁was ▁reported ▁by ▁a ▁superior ▁to ▁have ▁destroyed ▁a ▁T iger ▁tank ▁and ▁two ▁guns . ▁For ▁his ▁actions , ▁S net kov ▁received ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Star ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁December . ▁As ▁the ▁advance ▁west wards ▁across ▁Ukraine ▁continued ▁into ▁the ▁winter , ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁regiment ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁Zh it om ir – B erd iche v ▁Off ensive ▁and ▁the ▁K ors un - She v chen kov sky ▁Off ensive ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 8 th ▁Army . ▁During ▁the ▁latter ▁operation , ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁January , ▁his ▁crew ▁was ▁reported ▁by ▁a ▁superior ▁to ▁have ▁engaged ▁a ▁German ▁tank ▁column ▁of ▁about ▁ 2 0 ▁t anks ▁and ▁destroyed ▁three , ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁T iger , ▁on ▁the ▁Lip ov ets R osos he ▁road . ▁For ▁this ▁action , ▁S net