As part of the Year of Historical Memory, the department of publication and archaeography of the State Archives of Grodno Region made a selection of facts about the great Soviet military commander, Army General A. I. Antonov

Alexei Innokentyevich Antonov was a Soviet military commander, army general, organizer and participant in decisive operations of Soviet troops during the Great Patriotic War, including Operation Bagration. He was born in 1896 into an officer’s family in Grodno.

Graduated from Pavlovsk Military School in 1916. He participated in World War I and the Civil War.

In 1931 he graduated from Frunze Military Academy in Moscow, and in 1937 – from the Academy of the General Staff.

From August 1941, A. I. Antonov served as chief of staff of the Southern, North Caucasian and Transcaucasian fronts, as well as the Black Sea military group. In

December 1942 Antonov was promoted to deputy chief of staff of the Operational Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR. [“Grodno. Encyclopedic Guide”. 1989. p. 82-83]

A. I. Antonov is the only Soviet general to have been awarded the Order of Victory, the highest military order of the USSR. He was also awarded the Order of Lenin (three times), the Order of the Red Banner (four times), the Order of Suvorov of I degree (twice), the Order of Kutuzov of I degree, the Order of the Patriotic War of I degree, medals “For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945”, “For defense of the Caucasus”, “For victory over Japan” and others. [“Kronon. The Chronicle of the City over the Neman. 1993. pp.123-124].

There are memorial plaques on the building of the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow and on the house in Grodno where he was born. On Belusha Street in Grodno at the entrance to the military cemetery there is a monument-bust to General Alexei Antonov. The name of the outstanding commander was given to secondary school № 11 of Grodno; it also houses the Museum of Military Glory, the expositions of which introduce Antonov’s combat and life pass. Materials about him are also exhibited in the Grodno State Historical and Archaeological Museum.

A street in Moscow is named after Antonov. Also, by the decision of the executive committee of the Grodno City Council of Workers’ Deputies No. 958 of 17 October 1962, at the request of the Grodno State Historical and Archaeological Museum, Tankistov Street in Grodno was renamed Antonov Street.