Nikolay Galushkin

Nikolai Ivanovich Galushkin (born 1917/1922 – 18 May 2007) was a Soviet military sniper during World War II in the Eastern Front. He is reported to have killed over 400 enemy soldiers whilst serving in the 50th Rifle Division.

Despite tallying 418 reported kills during the war and being nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on two occasions, he did not receive the title, and was instead awarded the Order of Lenin for his achievements as a sniper until being awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation on June 21, 1995.

Early life Galushkin's exact date and place of birth is unknown. His parents are believed to have died during the Russian Civil War and he was raised in an orphanage, from which he ran away in July 1926 and later lived with a rural family who went on to give to an orphanage in Armavir before finally being transferred to the K.Y. Voroshilov Orphanage in Vyatka.

At the orphanage, records list Galushkin’s date of birth as 22 January 1922 in Taganrog, however following a process in 1977, which established his retirement age, his date of birth was listed as 1 July 1917,

Eastern Front service

On June 22, 1941, the Eastern Front of World War II began and Galushkin was drafted into the Red Army at an Omutninsky District enlistment office in October of the same year to fight against enemy combatants in Moscow in January, where he was soon wounded in the arm and recovered following treatment.

On October 30, 1942, Galushkin was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. The award sheet noted that by September 20, the sniper had brought the number of enemy soldiers killed to 115.

A lawyer, Colonel of Justice L. L. Fedorov, voiced support to award Galushkin the title and repeatedly sent inquiries to the Awards Department of the Main Directorate of Personnel of the USSR asking them to properly evaluate Galushkin activities during the war. Only in 1995, by decree of the President of Russia Boris Yeltsin, Galushkin was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. The award was solemnly presented to Galushkin on February 23, 1996 in Kirov. Medal "For Courage" (July 13, 1942) The Kirov Museum of Military Glory houses a diary and a personalized sniper rifle numbered 3947, given to him by Rodion Malinovsky, as well as Galushkin's ghillie suit, with traces of his blood from being wounded. An exhibition is dedicated to Galushkin in the Kirovo-Chepetsk City Museum and Exhibition Center. In Kirov and Kirovo-Chepetsk, youth shooting ranges hold annual tournaments and competitions for the N. I. Galushkin Prize, named after Galushkin.

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