THE LADY SNIPER WHO KILLED 309 SOLDIERS INCLUDING 36 SNIPERS

This is the story one of the finest snipers from world war era, this is the story of a female sniper who killed 309 soldiers including 36 enemy snipers.

Birth name - Lyudmila Mikhailovna Belova

Nickname - Lady Death

Born - 12 July 1916 at Bila Tserkva, Russian Empire (now in Ukraine)

Husband - Aleksey Pavlichenko 

Children - Rostislav Pavlichenko

Died - 10 October 1974 at an age of 58 in Moscow, Soviet Union

Years of service - 1941 to 1953

Battles/wars - World War II, Siege of Odessa, Siege of Sebastopol

Born in Bola Tserkva (now in ukraine), Pavlichenko with her family moved to Kiev in 1930 at an age of 14. Her mother was a teacher and her father was a factor worker at St. Petersburg. She herself was also working as a metal grinder in an arsenal factory and had joined Osoaviakhim, a paramilitary youth sports group where she learnt some weapon skills and other tactics.

Once a boy in her neighbourhood argued with her claiming that girls are inferior to boys and boasted of his shooting skills, she then decided to learn shooting and got enrolled at a sniper training school alongwith with her studies at Kiev University in 1937.

She was in Odessa in her fourth term at Kiev University when Germany began its invasions in Soviet Union. At the age of 24 she was among the first round of volunteers at military recruitment centre in Odessa, where she opted for infantry with intent to become a sniper, which wasn't that easy at that time. She was told to enlist as a nurse, but she denied at proved her shooting skills at a Red Army Unit in hills near Odessa. She was tasked to shoot down two Romanians with a Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle with a P.E. 4-power scope, after she knocked down both she got selected and was signed with the 25th Chapayev Rifle Division.

On the first day at battlefield she was unable to take any aim due to fear until a young Russian soldier next to her was shot dead, after that nothing could stop her. She alone killed 187 German Soldiers in her first 75 days at war around Odessa and Moldova in July and August 1941.

Between all this a unit German army was in her hometown Bila Tserkva With orders for killing every Jews. By August 19, only few survived including 90 children and women, who were also mercilessly executed three days later.

When the Germans crossed Odessa her unit was withdrawn back to Sevastopol on the crimean peninsula, where she fought for more than 8 months and had extremely dangerous assignments including countersniping duels, one such duel lasted for 3 days which needs highest willpower and endurance to maintain positions continuously for 15 to 20 hours, after winning this dual she earned the 36th sniper kill of her life.

At an age of 25, she got married to a sniper whose name was Alexei Kitsenko, who later died after being mortally wounded by a mortar shell. She herself was wounded four times, and was rescued from battlefield after she got wounds in her face. The Soviet High Command issued an order that a submarine will evacuate her from Sebastopol, her life was so valuable as she was the perfect example of Soviet Womenhood.

Once a radio message was issued by Germans in which they asked her to join them for which they offered her officer rank and plenty of chocolates. They later vowed to kill and tear down her into 309 pieces as they knew her kill score. Due to such a high kill rate, she was also known as "the lady death".

After her recovery she worked as instructor to train new snipers, she was also sent to the US to seek support for a second front in Europe, so the German forces could be divided and to make some ease for the Soviet troops. She was also the first Soviet citizen welcomed at the White House.

When asked what she felt while killing Germans, she replied if they remain alive they'll kill womens, children and families so its better to kill them before they kill others as "Dead Germans are harmless".

She also addressed a large crowd at the International Student Assembly in Washington, D.C., and said, "Gentlemen, I am just 25 and I have killed 309 fascist invaders till now. Don't you think, that you have been hiding behind my back for too long?" Her words got settled on the crowd and hence caused a surging roar of support. She was also honoured with a Colt semi-automatic pistol by the United States.

Promoted to the rank of Major she never returned to combat but served as an instructor until the end of the war. In 1943, she was awarded with the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, alongwith the Order of Lenin twice.

After the war she completed her education from Kiev University and started a career as a historian, she was also a research assistant at the chief headquarter of Soviet Navy. She was also member of Soviet committee for veterans.

She died from a stroke on 10 October 1974 at an age of 58 and was buried in Novodevichye Cemetery in Moscow. In 1976 postage stamps were issued featuring her portrait.

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