Scientific Regiment of SSAU

Budnik Stepan Safronovich - after being transferred to the reserve, from 1955 to 1986 worked in Stavropol Agricultural Institute.

Budnik Stepan Safronovych, participant of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. He met the war as part of a tank reconnaissance battalion, which was in summer camps in Lithuania near Kaunas. An anti-aircraft battery was located next to this military unit. On June 22, some officers were going to visit their families for a day off in Kaunas. In the morning the weather was not just good, but magnificent. Birds, greeting the dawn, sang in different voices. The forest stood calm, in lush green decoration. The long grass was wet with dew, which heralded a clear sunny day. The sun had not yet risen, but the sky was already bright. The soldiers and officers were sleeping, not assuming that these were the last minutes of their peaceful sleep. There was a roar of aircraft. Then they appeared in the sky and began to turn around away from the tank corps and go in for bombing. They bombed anti-aircraft gunners. The camp attendants gave the command: “Rise! Anxiety!". Many officers jumped out of the tents earlier, hearing the rumble of aircraft, explosions. The battalion quickly formed up, on command, went to the positions indicated by the commander. Thus the war began.

The first battle with the hated enemy near Kaunas began ... The crew of the tank under the command of political instructor Budnik S.S. fought to the last shell, was hit, caught fire. Stepan Safronovich pulled his wounded comrades out of the burning tank and, under constant enemy fire, was able to evacuate the tankers to the forest, and then dragged both of them to the nearest trench occupied by our cover detachment. Die yourself, but save a comrade! That was the motto of the Russian soldiers. German troops crowded and surrounded the tank battalion, the retreat began. And then there was a way out of the encirclement, during which the heroic resistance continued. On a country road in the forest, the remnants of the battalion ended up on the banks of a small river in the Pskov region. The bridge over the river was made of wooden logs. And at that moment, intelligence reported that a German convoy of trucks was approaching.

Politruk Budnik ordered to throw several logs from the bridge and take up defense. The detachment was located on opposite sides of the road. An automobile column approached the bridge, which included forty-two trucks and one motorcycle. An unexpected blow to the first and last vehicles threw the bewildered enemy into chaos. The fight was short. As it turned out, the trophy captured by our unit was communications vehicles. As a result of the battle, 42 Nazis were taken prisoner, of which - 3 officers, 40 German combat vehicles and the most expensive trophy - a topographic map of the enemy.

Continuing to move on German vehicles, and reaching the front line, Stepan Budnik got up in a sidecar, raised the Red Banner over his head, led the battalion, captured trophies and prisoners to the regular units of the Red Army. For the heroic cover of the withdrawal of the battalion during the battle near Kaunas and the excellently conducted military operation from the German communications convoy Budnik S.S. received the next title and the first award - the Order of the Red Banner. And then the routine of the war began ... A severe shell shock and resurrection from the dead thanks to the action of the battalion orderly, who pulled the unconscious Stepan Safronovich from the battlefield.

After the restoration, the senior political instructor Budnik acted as part of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps of the legendary General Dovator, carried out raids on light tanks behind enemy lines near Moscow in the winter of 1941. Being behind enemy lines with a group of scouts, he captured a German officer and put him in a tank, successfully completed the operation and delivered the “tongue” to the command headquarters. In one of the heavy battles, having lost a tank, jumping out of a combat vehicle, he took a comfortable position with a machine gun in a trench, organized defenses and repelled an attack by German infantry, which came very close to our lines. The Motherland highly appreciated the military work in the defense of our capital city of Moscow, awarding the medal “For Military Merit” and “For the Defense of Moscow”.

Participated in the liberation of Romania. He liberated his native Belarus, where he comes from, and was awarded the Order of the Red Star for this. Participated in the liberation of the Baltic states and Kaunas, which left the enemy with pain in the bloody 41st, as well as East Prussia. During the assault on Königsberg, he showed courage and steadfastness during the offensive of the battalion, for which he was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree and the medal “For the Capture of Königsberg”. He finished the war with the rank of major as deputy commander of a tank battalion and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

From the words of veteran Budnik S.S.: “He fought through Polish soil, clearing the shores of the Baltic Sea from fascist evil spirits. I was fortunate enough to be one of the first in our unit to learn about the surrender of Nazi Germany and bring this good news to my native tank corps, which was marching on Berlin under its own power. And it was like this: we stopped to rest and suddenly heard indiscriminate shooting in the neighboring part. The corps commander ordered me to go there and find out what was the matter. There I was informed that the communications battalion had heard the surrender message. In connection with the joyful event, fireworks were arranged. I visited Berlin, but already as a sightseer, where we were brought on May 21.

For outstanding services to the fatherland, Budnik Stepan Safronovich, was subsequently awarded more awards: the medal “For the Victory over Germany”, the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Star, the Order of the Patriotic War of the 2nd degree and for special merits and length of service was presented for awarding the Order of Lenin.

Glory to the Heroes who fought for their Motherland!