4. 11. 1894 - 19. 2. 1948

Pavel Rybalko was Commander of the 3^rd Guards Tank Army.

He was born on 4^th of November (23^rd of October) 1894 in the family of a factory worker in Malyy Istorop of Lebedinsky district, Sumy region. A Ukrainian. A member of the CPSU (B) / Communist Party since 1919. When he was 13 he began working at a sugar factory, then he was a turner’s student and attended Sunday school. Called to the army in 1914, he went through the first world war as a common soldier. After the October Revolution he joined the Red Guard. He was assistant commander of the guerrilla group during the occupation of the Ukraine by the German Army in 1918. In 1919 he joined the RCP (b). He participated in the civil war as a commissar of the regiment and brigade in the 1^st Cavalry Army fighting on the Southern Front, and in the Soviet-Polish war of 1920. He took advanced courses for command personnel in 1926 and 1930, graduated from the Military Academy named after M. Frunze in 1934. He commanded a squadron, regiment, brigade, was assistant commander of mountain cavalry division. In 1937 - 1940 served as a military attaché in Poland and China, and then started to teach

During the Great Patriotic War after repeated reports with a request to be sent to the front, from July 1942 he commanded the 5^th, 3^rd (from October 1942) and the 3^rd Guards (May 1943) tank armies and participated in many military operations, including offensive ones at Kiev, Zhitomir, Proskurov, Lvov, Berlin, Dresden and Prague.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on November 17, 1943 for successful crossing of the Dnieper, his leadership at the Battle of Kursk and Kiev offensive operation, Lieutenant-General of armored forces Pavel Rybalko was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (№ 2000).

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on April 6, 1945 for distinguished service in the final stages of the war in Berlin and Prague operations, and for his personal heroism, Colonel-General of armored forces Pavel Rybalko was awarded the second Gold Star medal (№ 52).

On June 1, 1945 P. Rybalko was promoted to the highest military rank of Marshal of Armored Troops. In 1946 he was elected deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the second convocation. After the war he commanded the army, and in 1947 was commander of the armored and mechanized forces of the Soviet Army. He died on February 19, 1948 after a long and painful illness. He was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.

He was awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, three Orders of Suvorov of the 1^st Class, the Order of Kutuzov and the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky.

Busts of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, P. Rybalko were installed in Malyy Istorop of Sumy region, and in the pantheon of Prague. Some plaques were installed in Moscow and Kharkov. Streets in Moscow, Kiev and other cities were named after him. Tashkent Higher Tank Command School was also named after him.