Artemenko, Stepan

Born Jan. 9 (22), 1913, in the village of Ratsulovo, Odessa Oblast. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Feb. 27 and May 31, 1945). Colonel. Member of the CPSU since 1941. Ukrainian by nationality.

Artemenko participated in the Great Patriotic War from August 1941. He was twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for his skillful leadership of a battalion of the 447th Infantry Regiment of the 397th Infantry Division on the First Byelorussian Front; Artemenko led battles to break through the enemy’s defenses south of Warsaw and in the successful forced crossing of the Neetze and Oder rivers. He was in the reserves after 1955. Artemenko has been awarded the Order of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, orders of the Patriotic War First Class, of Alexander Nevsky, and of the Red Star, and also medals.