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| Mikhail Ilyich Surkov | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Bol'shay Salyr' 1921 |
| Died | 1953 (age 31-32) |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union |
| Service | Infantry |
| Years of service | 1941–1946 |
| Rank | Starshina |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Order of Lenin Order of the Red Star Medal "For Courage" |
Mikhail Ilyich Surkov (Russian: Михаил Ильич Сурков; 1921 – 1953) was a Soviet sniper in the 4th Rifle Division of the Red Army during World War II. He was born in a Siberian town of Bol'shay Salyr' next to Krasnoyarsk and hailed from a family of hunters and fur-trappers.
According to some Soviet newspapers, Surkov had 702 confirmed kills during World War II, a total which would make him the most effective sniper of the European conflict. The top Soviet sniper is officially Ivan Sidorenko, who is credited with 500 confirmed kills, as postwar findings have shown that Surkov's figure very likely only served as propaganda.
References
- ^ Алексей Илларионович Луковец (1975). Знамена Победы. Pravda.
During the war, "Frontovaya Illustratsiya" wrote: "Sniper Sergeant Mikhail Surkov shoots at the enemy confidently and accurately. - He does not wound - he hits the spot. After killing over 700 Fascists, he went on to the next hunt "
- Mark Spicer and Pat Farey, Sniping: An Illustrated History. Grand Rapids, MI: Zenith, 2009; pg. 129.
- Sarvaš, Andrej (1 February 2013). "Vedie štatistiku smrti. Fínsky ostreľovač prezývaný Biela smrť". SME (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2014.
Niektoré zdroje priznávajú Surkovovi viac než 700 zabitých. Povojnové zistenia však ukázali, že tieto údaje s veľkou pravdepodobnosťou slúžili len propagande. Najlepším sovietskym ostreľovačom je preto oficiálne Ivan Sidorenko s 500 potvrdenými „zásahmi".