Losik, Oleg

Born Nov. 21 (Dec. 4), 1915, in Iartsevo, in what is now Smolensk Oblast. Soviet military leader; marshal of armored troops (1975). Hero of the Soviet Union (July 4, 1944). Member of the CPSU since 1941.

Losik joined the Soviet Army in 1935. He graduated from the Saratov Armor School in 1938 and the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1950.

During the Great Patriotic War of 1941–45, Losik served at the headquarters of a number of large tank units. He was appointed commander of a separate tank regiment in 1943, and he later became commander of a guards tank brigade. Losik fought on the Southwestern Front, at Stalingrad, in the liberation of El’nia and Smolensk, and in the Byelorussian and East Prussian operations.

After the war, Losik served in command positions. He was first deputy commander of the Far East Military District from 1964 to 1967 and commander of the district from 1967 to 1969. In May 1969 he was named director of the Marshal of the Soviet Union R. Ia. Malinovskii Military Academy of Armored Troops.

Losik has been awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, three Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov Third Class, the Order of the Patriotic War First Class, two Orders of the Red Star, the Order for Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR Third Class, and various medals. Losik has also been awarded foreign orders and medals.