Soviet Russian USSR Medal Order of the Red Star, COSSACK, OCCUPIED TERRITORY

  

Soviet Russian USSR Medal Order of the Red Star, researched, awarded in 1959 to Ilya Ananyevich Stadnik, a Jr. Lieutenant in a Cossack Regiment , which was surrounded at Smolensk in 1941. The original story that came with this award was that Stadnik was taken prisoner and held at POW/concentration camps in Berdichev (photo in listing for illustrative purposes), until he escaped to live among the local populace and/or was liberated by the Red Army when they recaptured the city in January 1944. However, the story that is supported by archival documentation is that Stadnik escaped encirclement, but being unable to find a way bak to friendly lines, blended into the civilian population of Berdichev. Once the city was liberated, Stadnik immediately rejoined the Red Army and continued to fight.

He suffered a severe abdominal wound in March 1944. After the war, he worked as a security guard for a livestock concern. It is possible that more detailed records concerning Stadnik (and supporting the POW story) were once available on the archival portal Pamyat Naroda but subsequently redacted.

The site is frequently changed and individual records that were once fully published are sometimes censored retroactively. This certainly happened with Stadnik, as his archival portrait is no longer available there. Rare award to a Cossack who survived encirclement and dangerous hiding in occupied territory!

Condition is outstanding, as seen in the images! Includes 4 pages of archival research (award record card + citation) and archival photo of Stadnik, all in electronic format. The serial number of the award is authentic and matches the serial number shown in the archival documents.

If you require confirmation in advance, please send me a message, and I will gladly provide images. Reasonable, rational collectors who are genuinely interested in the history represented by an award will make the effort to reach out and will quickly find that everything is in order. I will answer all coherent, respectful inquiries to the best of my ability. Please see my other listings. Lots of excellent Soviet medals! Many additional high quality pieces available that are not yet listed.