Vasily Shalvovich Kvachantiradze ( ka, ვასილ შალვას ძე კვაჭანტირაძე, rus, Василий Шалвович Квачантирадзе; 2 (15) January 1907 – 9 February 1950) was a top Soviet sniper during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. He is credited with confirmed kills numbering at least 215 officers and soldiers of the German
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
Kvachantiradze was born on January 2 (15) 1907 in the village Konchkati, Georgia, then part of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...
. Vasily grew up within a peasant family and spent his youth working and assisting on the farm of his parents until he became a member of the Communist Party of Georgia in 1939. He also briefly served in the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...
from 1932 to 1933.
World War II
When the war broke out Kvachantiradze was drafted again in 1941 by the regional
military commissariat
A military commissariat is an institution that is part of military service or law enforcement mechanisms in some European countries. As part of the British Army in the 19th century, military commissariats were used for organisational, accounti ...
and deployed as sniper in the Soviet 650th Rifle Regiment, 138th Rifle Division. He proved himself during the
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad (23 August 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II where Nazi Germany and its allies unsuccessfully fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (later r ...
where he killed 60 enemy soldiers with his sniper rifle. In August 1942 Vasily got wounded for the first time and after his return, was transferred to the 179th Rifle Division, then part of the Soviet 43rd Army. By October 1942 he had amounted a total of 81 kills, for which he was awarded the
Order of the Red Star
The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...
.
During the defensive battles around Prechistensky and Slobodskoy districts, Kvachantiradze fought in the 259th Rifle Regiment, 138th Rifle Division, where he went out on missions daily and was awarded with the
Order of the Red Banner
The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of th ...
for 113 confirmed kills. By June 1944 Vasily Kvachantiradze in the rank of
Starshina
( rus, старшина, p=stərʂɨˈna, a=Ru-старшина.ogg or in Ukrainian transliteration) is a senior non-commissioned rank or designation in the military forces of some Slavic states, and a historical military designation.
In army ...
, had already suffered five battle wounds and with a personal score of 221, was regarded the best sniper of the 43rd Army. For his success, he was nominated for the title
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union (russian: Герой Советского Союза, translit=Geroy Sovietskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for ...
.
Kvachantiradze distuingished himself again in 1944 during the liberation of
Vitebsk
Vitebsk or Viciebsk (russian: Витебск, ; be, Ві́цебск, ; , ''Vitebsk'', lt, Vitebskas, pl, Witebsk), is a city in Belarus. The capital of the Vitebsk Region, it has 366,299 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-largest c ...
, Belarus, part of the East Prussian Offensive. He killed 44 enemy soldiers during an attempted breakthrough of German troops around
Shumilino
Shumilino (russian: Шумилино) or Shumilina ( be, Шуміліна, Šumilina) is an urban-type settlement in Shumilina District
Shumilina District is a second-level administrative subdivision (raion) of Belarus in the Vitebsk Region. It ...
and is credited with 215 kills in the period from June to December 1944, which brought the total tally at that time to around 436 enemy soldiers and officers.
In the battle at Shumilino Vasily's detachment was encircled by counterattacks and temporarily cut off from the rest of their regiment. The sniper reportedly managed to improvise traps and ambushes without exposing their position a single time. Due to continuous harassment and resistance, the Germans were not able to secure the area, which was considered important for creating a defensive line. A combined Soviet infantry and mechanized assault eventually broke through and defeated them.
Vasily Kvachantiradze also worked with Kuzma Danilovich Smolensky and under
Fyodor Okhlopkov
Fyodor Matveyevich Okhlopkov (russian: Фёдор Матве́евич Охло́пков; 3 March 1908 – 28 May 1968) was a Soviet sniper during World War II credited with 429 kills. Nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union in 1944 aft ...
, two other eminent Soviet snipers. Together with Smolensky he was involved in training an additional 50 snipers for the war efforts. With Okhlopkov they became the deadliest sniper team in the Soviet Union with a total of 644 kills. During the entire period from 1941 to 1945, Kvachantiradze personally scored a total of 534 kills, Smolensky 414 and Okhlopkov 429. On March 24, 1945, the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (russian: Президиум Верховного Совета, Prezidium Verkhovnogo Soveta) was a body of state power in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).
Awards
For his formidable efforts during the war, Kvachantiradze was awarded the title
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union (russian: Герой Советского Союза, translit=Geroy Sovietskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for ...
,
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin (russian: Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina, ), named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration ...
twice gold star medal,
Order of the Red Banner
The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of th ...
twice,
Order of the Patriotic War
The Order of the Patriotic War (russian: Орден Отечественной войны, Orden Otechestvennoy voiny) is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisan ...
twice and the
Order of the Red Star
The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...
.
Postwar
Kvachantiradze left the army in 1945 and became a head of a
Kolkhoz
A kolkhoz ( rus, колхо́з, a=ru-kolkhoz.ogg, p=kɐlˈxos) was a form of collective farm in the Soviet Union. Kolkhozes existed along with state farms or sovkhoz., a contraction of советское хозяйство, soviet ownership or ...
as well as deputy Supreme Soviet of Soviet Georgia. Vasilij Shalvovich Kvachantiradze died on February 9, 1950, at the age of 43.