Vasily Astafyev

Vasily Mikhailovich Astafyev (; 25 October 1919 – 7 March 2022) was a Soviet officer, and was a participant in the Winter War, as well as the Eastern Front. He was deputy commander of the 104th Guards Separate Sapper Battalion of the 89th Guards Rifle Division of the 37th Army of the Steppe Front, as guard captain. He received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on 20 December 1943.

Early life

Astafyev was born on 25 October 1919 in the village of Voronovy-Otruba, in what is now the Tokaryovsky District of Tambov Oblast.

In 1936, after graduating from 7 classes, he attended the workers' faculty of the Tambov Pedagogical Institute where he graduated in 1938, and later worked as a rural teacher.

By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 20 December 1943, for the exemplary fulfillment of combat missions of the command on the front of the struggle against the Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism of the guards shown at the same time, Astafyev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the combined award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

In 1989 he was elected People's Deputy of the USSR and was a member of the All-Union Council of War and Labor Veterans, the Perm Section of the Great Patriotic War veterans and commander of the regional military sports games.

From 1991, Astafyev was appointed chairman of the Perm regional branch of the Russian Peace Foundation. In 1994, he was appointed honorary chairman of the organisation.

Astafyev turned 100 on 25 October 2019, and died in Perm on 7 March 2022, at the age of 102.

Awards

jubilee medals Honorary Citizen of Perm (1996) Honorary Citizen of the Perm Territory (1997) Winner of the Stroganov Prize in the category "For Honor and Dignity" (2015)