How a Yakut reindeer breeder became a sniper and for which he received the nickname "Siberian midnight": Ivan Kulbertinov

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Military snipers, by definition, can be called heroes - after all, they save several lives of soldiers from death with just one shot. One of these heroes is Ivan Kulbertinov: an unremarkable hunting hunter and reindeer breeder before the war, he destroyed almost 500 enemy soldiers and officers during the Great Patriotic War. Thanks to his accuracy, the native of Yakutia instilled fear in the Nazis, preventing them from targeting Soviet soldiers.

Talent from God, or how a Yakut hunter joined the ranks of snipers

Ivan Nikolaevich Kulbertinov was born on November 7, 1917 in a Yakut village called Tyanya. The father of the future sniper, Nikolai Romanovich, provided for his family by hunting and breeding deer. When the boy was 10 years old, his father died, leaving behind his sick wife Anna Vasilievna and two sons - the younger Ivan and the elder Nikolai.

To support the family, the brothers had to take on the responsibility of hunting for food, leading a nomadic lifestyle. For this reason, Ivan did not have the opportunity to attend school, but the first shooting skills appeared, which his brother Nikolai taught. Further, in a more adult age, followed by work on a collective farm, the army, returning to his native village and again working days, which were soon marked by receiving the title of Stakhanovite.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the elder brother Ivan was called to the front, and a little later a funeral came to the family, announcing the death of Nikolai Kulbertinov. Ivan, who voluntarily went to the recruiting station and declared there: "I am hitting the beast in the eye, I want to hit the fascists!" - ended up in the Red Army only in June 1942. After six months of military training in Chelyabinsk, a young Evenk was sent to the North-Western Front as a sniper. The former fisherman opened his combat account in February 1943, when, in a battle near Staraya Russa, he killed a spotter of a German battery with a sniper rifle, depriving it of the opportunity to conduct aimed fire.

How the sniper Culbertinov used one round to fix the “northern lights” for the Germans

As Ivan Nikolayevich recalled, he had a chance not only to shoot a single enemy, but also to hit a whole group of enemies with one shot. So once, after lying in ambush for two days, Culbertinov finally waited for an enemy carts with a stock of ammunition. Allowing the Germans to unload the wagon, the sniper blew up the cargo with a single incendiary cartridge, turning it into a real "northern lights", which destroyed, in addition to shells, about ten Fritzes.

Perhaps after that incident, Ivan received from the Germans the nickname der sibirischen mitternacht ("Siberian midnight"), which was used in warnings posted in the Carpathian villages and parts of cities. This confirmed that the Germans knew and were afraid of a well-aimed sniper, who, according to their presentation, could single-handedly deal with an entire regiment. In the letters of the killed soldiers and officers, there were also complaints about "some Asian" who did not allow to leave the dugout, killing or wounding everyone who dared to do it with a shot.

What are the achievements of the arrow "Siberian midnight" during the Second World War?

For the entire war, which Ivan Nikolaevich ended in Czechoslovakia, Culbertinov officially destroyed 489 fascist soldiers and officers. But in addition to destroying enemies, the Yakut shooter was engaged in training his comrades in the sniper business. Among his students is Andrei Poberezhny, another well-known sniper in the war, on whose account there are almost 50 Nazis. It was with Coastal that Ivan Kulbertinov most often arranged a "hunt" for the Germans with the help of a "bait" - a helmet, which one lifted above the trench, and the other hit the enemy, who began to shoot at it.

During the time spent at the front, Ivan Nikolaevich trained 35 high-class sniper shooters. While instructing the fighters, he advised not to imitate, but to look for their own methods of struggle. Do not be afraid to go to the rear of the enemy, independently find new positions and methods of camouflage. And he also taught "not to chop with an ax where there is enough needles", hinting at the thoughtful jewelry of the sniper's action.

The military command appreciated the Yakut Guardsman: during the war and the subsequent period, Culbertinov was awarded a personalized optical rifle, two Orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree, the Orders of the Patriotic War of the 2nd degree, Glory of the 3rd degree, the Red Star, the Red Banner … And also medals "For Military Merit", "For Courage", "For Victory over Germany." The list lacked only the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, to which Ivan Nikolaevich had presented himself twice, but for some unknown reason, he was not awarded it.

How was the fate of Kulbertinov after the Second World War

After demobilization in 1946, the front-line soldier returned to the village of Tyanya and got a job as a professional hunter-procurement officer, periodically engaging in reindeer herding. In civilian life, the former sniper did not stand out for any special achievements, but in the field of fishing he was much superior to other hunters. So, in the winter season 1947-48. Ivan handed over to the state about 900 squirrel skins he had obtained. During the entire period of his work, he shot almost 10 bears, more than 70 elk, almost 90 sable skins and about 2,500 squirrels.

Remained in history and the case when in 1979, 62-year-old Ivan Nikolaevich helped the state farm "Tokkinsky" to get rid of the wolves pestering him. With the help of a personalized carbine and special traps, the hunter, who had retired by that time, destroyed 11 hardened animals during the season, eliminating the threat of an attack on the state farm deer.

After the war, Culbertinov married and had two children - a son Ivan and a daughter Iya. Despite the fact that later he parted with his wife and married a second time, the son always remembered his father with warmth and gratitude, who passed on to him the taiga and hunting experience.

The grave of the famous sniper, who died on February 13, 1993, is located in the village of Tianya. His name is immortalized in the name of the Tian eight-year school and one of the streets of the Yakut city of Olekminsk.

But in the war the soldiers very helpful four-legged friends performing real feats.