1.6.1897 - 19.4.1985

Pavel Batov commanded the 65^th Army, Lt. Gen. (from June 29, 1944 - Colonel-General).

He was born on June 1, 1897 in Filisovo village today Rybinsk district of the Yaroslavl region. Russian. Participated in the World War I since 1916. For battle honors, he was awarded two crosses of St. George and two medals.

Joined the Red Army in 1918. In 1927 he graduated from the courses “The Shot”, and in 1950 - the Higher Academic Courses of the General Staff Military Academy. A member of the CPSU (B) / Communist Party since 1929.

During the Civil War he took part in the suppression of counter-revolutionary actions and riots in Rybinsk, Yaroslavl, Poshekhon. In 1926-1936 he commanded a company, battalion, a rifle regiment. In 1936-1937 under the name of Pablo Fritz, he participated in the Spanish people's national revolutionary war of 1936-1939. Upon his return, in 1937 he was a commander of a rifle corps. In 1939-1940 he participated in the Russo-Finnish War. Since 1940 – Deputy commander of the Transcaucasus Military District.

Since the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, Pavel Batov was Commander of the 9^th Infantry Corps, from August 1941 - Deputy Commander of the 51^st Army of the Southern Front, in January - February 1942 - Commander of the 3^rd Army, from February to October 1942 - Assistant Commander of the Bryansk Front. Then, before the end of the war he commanded the 65^th Army, which participated in military operations as part of the Don, Stalingrad, Central, Belorussian, the 1^st and the 2^nd Belorussian Fronts.

Troops under Batov’s command distinguished themselves in the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, the Battle of the Dnieper, in the battle for the liberation of Belarus, in the Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations; released Glukhov, Rechitsa, Mozyr, Bobruisk, Minsk, stormed Rostock and Stettin.

Commander of 65th Army, Pavel Batov skillfully used the double barrage in 1944 to support infantry and tank attacks in Bobruisk operation; strongly maneuvered the army forces from one direction to another in Belarus (1944) and East Pomeranian (1945) operations.

Military successes of the 65^th Army under his leadership commemorated 23 times.

For organizing the efficient interaction of subordinate troops as they crossed the Dnieper, the firm retention of the bridgehead on the west bank of the river, and for his personal bravery and courage, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on October 30, 1943, commander-65, Lieutenant-General, Pavel Batov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (№ 1726).

The second Gold Star medal (№ 56), Colonel-General, Pavel Batov was awarded by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on June 2, 1945 for the initiative and courage in organizing crossing the Oder River and the capture of the city of Stettin.

In the course of numerous military operations he proved himself to be decisive and energetic commander.

After the war he commanded mechanized and combined armies, was the first Deputy Commander of the Group of the Soviet Forces in Germany.

In 1955, Pavel Batov was awarded military rank General of the Army. From that time until 1958 he was the commander of the Carpathian Military District, from 1958 to 1959 - Baltic Military District, from 1962 to 1962 - Commander of the Southern Group of Forces. In 1962-1965 - Staff Chief of the Joint Armed Forces of the Warsaw Treaty. In 1965-1985 was in the Group of Inspectors General of the Ministry of Defence. In 1970-1981 - Chairman of the Soviet War Veterans Committee. A member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 1st, 2nd, 4th-6th convocations.

He died on April 19, 1985 in Moscow. He was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery.

He was awarded 8 Orders of Lenin (July 4, 1937; March 11, 1940; 10/30/1943; 02/21/1945; 05/31/1957; 05/31/1967; 05/31/1977; 05/31/1982), the Order of the October Revolution (№ 1730 from 05/31/1972), 3 Orders of the Red Banner (01/03/1937; 11/03/1944; 06/20/1949), 3 Orders of Suvorov of the 1^st Class (№ 10 from 01/28/1943; № 49 dated 09/16/1943; № 299 from 04/10/1945), the 1^st Class Order of Kutuzov (№ 266 dated 07/23/1944), the 1^st Class Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky (№ 309 dated 02/18/1956), the 1^st Class Order of the Patriotic War (04/06/1985), and the 3^rd Class Order “For the Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces” (04/30/1975), the Honor Badge (№ 2624 dated 05/14/1936), the medals, and foreign orders.

A bronze bust of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Pavel Batov was installed in the city of Rybinsk, the Yaroslavl Region. At the hero’s home the museum was set up. Batov’s bust was installed in the regional capital of Belarus - Gomel.