Pyotr Berestov

Pyotr Filippovich Berestov was a Red Army major general during the Second World War. Drafted into the Imperial Russian Army in 1917, Berestov participated in the Russian Revolution. He was drafted into the Red Army, fighting in the Russian Civil War and the Polish-Soviet War. He became a Red Army officer and served in several positions during the interwar period. Berestov was arrested and released during the Great Purge. He fought in the Winter War as a regimental commander. In the early days after the German invasion of the Soviet Union, he was given command of a People's Militia regiment, which was converted into a regular regiment. Berestov led the regiment in the early period of the Battle of Moscow and transferred to lead a regiment of the 82nd Motor Rifle Division. Berestov became the division's commander and in the spring of 1942 briefly led the 50th Rifle Division. In April, he took command of the 331st Rifle Division, which he led during the rest of the war. For his leadership, Berestov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union in late June 1945. Postwar he commanded the 72nd Guards Rifle Division, which was downsized into a brigade, and the 43rd Guards Rifle Brigade, which became the 113th Guards Rifle Division. Berestov retired in 1955 and lived in Zaporizhia until his death in 1961.