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Mikhail Petrovich Kirponos (Russian: Михаил Петрович Кирпонос, Ukrainian: Михайло Петрович Кирпонос, Mykhailo Petrovych Kyrponos) (January 12, 1892 — September 20, 1941) was a Ukrainian-born general of the Red Army. Being accorded the the highest military decoration, the Hero of the Soviet Union title, for the skill and courage in commanding a division in the 1939-1940 Finnish campaign, Kirponos is mostly remembered for his crucial role in organizing and leading the defense of Soviet Ukraine and Kiev during the first months of the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union by the Axis forces (led by Nazi Germany).

Despite the fact that the initial developments of the Great Patriotic War were largely catastrophic for the Red Army and the Soviet state, Kirponos is credited for restoring the fighting capability of the Soviet units under his command. After almost a complete disarray of the Soviet defenses in the wake of German successes Kirponos organizing the defense of Kiev, which significantly delayed the Nazi onslaught and disrupted Hitler's Blitzkrieg plan of a quick victory during the war.

General Kirponos was killed in action during the defense of Kiev, in which the Soviets ended up loosing badly due to the overwhelming advantage by the Germans, which was exacerbated by the grave errors of Stalin and the high-ranking military leaders. Nevertheless, more than sixty years later and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kirponos remains highly regarded both in Ukraine and Russia for his exemplary military leadership, courage and valour.

Mikhail Kirponos joined the military in 1915 and took part in World War I. In 1917 he joined the Red Army, fought in the Russian Civil War, and joined the Bolshevik party in 1918.

In 1927 he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy.

On March 21, 1940, he was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union for his actions during the Soviet-Finnish War.

In February 1941 he was assigned commander of the Kiev Special Military District, which was transformed into the Southwestern Front at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

Kirponos was killed in an encircled pocket during the defense of Kiev in 1941.

• Mikhail Kirponos at Warheroes.ru
• The truth about the death of General M. P. Kirponos, Voenno-istoricheskiĭ zhurnal, 1964. № 9, ISSN 0042-9058
• Serhiy Dehtiarenko, "To the sixtieth anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, debts of our memoreis", Zerkalo Nedeli (The Mirror Weekly), June 16-22, 2001. in Russian, in Ukrainian.
• Afrikan Stenin, "The feat of arms and the tragedy of the front commander", Zerkalo Nedeli (The Mirror Weekly), June 16-22, 2001. in Russian, in Ukrainian

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