Pyotr Stepanovitch Pshennikov (russian: Пётр Степанович Пшенников, Moscow, 28 January 1895 – Trosnyansky District, 28 December 1941) was a

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

(1940).

Biography

Pshennikov participated in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and the

Russian Civil War , date = October Revolution, 7 November 1917 – Yakut revolt, 16 June 1923{{Efn, The main phase ended on 25 October 1922. Revolt against the Bolsheviks continued Basmachi movement, in Central Asia and Tungus Republic, the Far East th ...

. From 1925 until 1927, he was commander of the 29th Infantry Division. On 19 August 1939, he was appointed commander of the newly formed 142nd Rifle Division of the Leningrad Military District. With his division, he participated in the

Winter War The Winter War,, sv, Vinterkriget, rus, Зи́мняя война́, r=Zimnyaya voyna. The names Soviet–Finnish War 1939–1940 (russian: link=no, Сове́тско-финская война́ 1939–1940) and Soviet–Finland War 1 ...

against Finland. His actions in February 1940, to force

Lake Suvanto A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

in the vicinity of the village of Volossula, were highly appreciated by the High command. In April 1940, P.S. Pshennikov became the commander of the 36th Rifle Corps and a month later, on 25 May 1941, General Pshennikov was appointed commander of the 23rd Army. At the start of the

Second World War 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in June 1941, his 23rd Army was part of the Northern Front and fought without success against the

Finnish invasion of the Karelian Isthmus The Finnish invasion of the Karelian Isthmus refers to a military campaign carried out by Finland in 1941. It was part of what is commonly referred to as the Continuation War. Early in the war Finnish forces liberated the Karelian Isthmus. It ha ...

. He was replaced as commander on 6 August and on 1 September 1, 1941 he became commander of the 8th Army that had been pushed out of the Baltics by the Germans. The troops under his command took part in defensive battles in the Leningrad Strategic Defensive on the approaches to Leningrad. On 22 September, General Pshennikov was appointed commander of the

Neva Operational Group The Neva (russian: Нева́, ) is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast (historical region of Ingria) to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length of , it is ...

on the Leningrad Front. Parts of the group were able to cross the Neva River and capture a bridgehead in the area of the village of

Nevskaya Dubrovka Nevsky (masculine), Nevskaya (feminine), or Nevskoye (neuter) may refer to: People *Alexander Nevsky (1220–1263), Russian historical icon and patron saint of Saint Petersburg *Alex Nevsky (musician) (born 1986), French-Canadian singer * Nikolai A ...

, which became known as the Nevsky Pyatachok. It was not possible to develop an offensive from the bridgehead and extremely fierce battles were continuously raging on it. At the end of September, the 10th rifle brigade of Colonel V.N. Fedorov from the Neva operational group in the Otradny district suffered heavy losses, and its commander died.

Georgy Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov ( rus, Георгий Константинович Жуков, p=ɡʲɪˈorɡʲɪj kənstɐnʲˈtʲinəvʲɪtɕ ˈʐukəf, a=Ru-Георгий_Константинович_Жуков.ogg; 1 December 1896 – ...

(at that time commanding the Leningrad Front) considered Pshennikov's excuses unconvincing and on 6 October 1941 Pshennikov was dismissed from his post and replaced by Major General V.F. Konkov. About two months P. Pshennikov was at the disposal of the headquarters of the Red Army. On 13 December 1941, P.S. Pshennikov was appointed commander of the 3rd Army of the Bryansk Front. Under his command, the army advanced in the direction of

Oryol Oryol ( rus, Орёл, p=ɐˈrʲɵl, lit. ''eagle''), also transliterated as Orel or Oriol, is a city and the administrative center of Oryol Oblast situated on the Oka River, approximately south-southwest of Moscow. It is part of the Central Fed ...

. But already 2 weeks later, General Pshennikov was killed when his car was blown up in a minefield. He was buried in Voronezh, in the mass grave of Soviet soldiers No. 14.

Sources

Generals.dk
* the article in the Russian Wikipedia, Пшенников, Пётр Степанович.'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Pshennikov, Pyotr 1895 births 1941 deaths Military personnel from Moscow Soviet lieutenant generals Russian military personnel of World War I Soviet military personnel killed in World War II Russian people of World War II Soviet military personnel of the Russian Civil War Soviet military personnel of the Winter War Landmine victims