Stepan Vostretsov

Stepan Sergeevich Vostretsov (Russian: Степан Сергеевич Вострецов; 29 December [ O.S. 17 December] 1883 – 2 May 1932) was a Soviet military commander.

Biography Vostretsov was born in the family of a peasant and worked as a blacksmith. In 1905, Vostretsov joined the RSDLP and was engaged in underground revolutionary activities.

From 1906 to 1909, he served in the army as a private. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison for revolutionary agitation among the soldiers in 1909. He took part in the First World War. For his bravery he was promoted to a Praporshchik, and awarded three Crosses of St. George. After demobilization, Vostretsov organized a commune in his village.

Being a member of the Mensheviks and in opposition to Bolshevism, Vostretsov was arrested for a short period and barely avoided execution. He was approached by members of the White Army but refused to work with them and eventually voluntarily joined the Red Army in 1919 and the Russian Communist Party (b) in 1920.

On October 8, 1923, he was appointed assistant commander of the 36th Trans-Baikal Rifle Division. From October to November 1923, he served as commander of the 84th Tula Rifle Division, after which, at his personal request, he was sent to the Military Academic Courses, which he successfully completed on July 27, 1924.

From July 11, 1924, to May 1, 1928, he was commander of the 27th Omsk Red Banner Rifle Division. From March 15, 1927, he was also the commissar of this division. From May 1, 1928, to October 1, 1929, he was commander and commissar of the 51st Red Banner rifle division.

From August to November 1930, he took courses at the Military-Political Academy. From May 1931 to May 2, 1932, he was the commander of the 9th rifle corps in the city of Novocherkassk.

After the parade on May 1, 1932, he hit a woman in a car in Rostov. Vostretsov shot himself in Novocherkassk between 4 and 5 am on May 2, 1932, at the threshold of his house. He was buried at the Brethren Cemetery of Rostov-on-Don.

Awards

Soviet Union 4 Orders of the Red Banner Honorary Revolutionary Weapon

Russian Empire 3 Crosses of St. George