Lyudmila Belova was born on July 12, 1916, Bila Tserkva, in the Russian Empire (now in Ukraine). She moved to Kiev with her family, when she was 14, where she joined a sharpshooting club. In 1932, at the age of 16, Lyudmila married Alexei Pavlichenko & gave birth to a son, Rotislav. However, the couple divorced soon after. In 1937, she began studying history at Kiev University, focusing on the life of Bohdan Khmelnytsky.
In June 1941, Lyudmila who was 24 at the time & in her fourth year at the university, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Lyudmila joined the Russian army soon after, seeking to defend her country. Though met by skepticism at first, once her skills with a bolt-action rifle were revealed, Lyudmila was promptly placed in the Red Army's 25th Infantry Division.
In early August 1941, Lyudmila began her sharp-shooting career: scouting in the wilderness around Odessa, shooting as many German soldiers as she could. In the first several months of the war, Lyudmila is reported to have 187 confirmed kills, which earned her a formidable reputation, amongst enemies & allies alike. Lyudmila was later transferred & fought in the Svastapol Campaign on the Crimean Peninsula, where she is recorded as having another 122 confirmed kills; giving her a total of 309 kills.
Later on in her military service she was nearly hit by a mortar shell & survived. However, she was badly injured enough, she had to be removed from active service. Lyudmila spent the rest of the war as an instructor at a Russian sniper school.
She is remembered as being the most deadly female sniper in modern military history. After the war Lyudmila completed her history degree at Kiev University & got a job as a military historian, working for the Soviet Defense Ministry. For her service to her country & bravery in battle, Lyudmila was promoted to the rank of major & awarded the Gold Star medal, the highest honor in the USSR & the title of "the Hero of the USSR".
Lyudmila Pavlichenko died on October 10, 1974, aged 58 & is buried in the Novodevichye Cemetery, in Moscow.
Side notes:
Bohdan Khmelnytsky- he lead a rebellion against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 17th century, which lead to the creation of a state lead by the Cossacks of Ukraine.
http://www.badassoftheweek.com/pavlichenko.html
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Female Warriors
No FicciónFrom Naotara li and Mulan to Eleanor of Aquitaine and Boudicca. Strong women throughout history who fought for the countries, families and beliefs; that made a stand against those who threatened to destroy them. They took charge when no else would.
