Photo of Hero of the Soviet Union A.A. Zabaluev among the officers of the Red Army

The original photo is in excellent condition. The size is 170*113 mm. Guarantee of authenticity.

Alexander Alekseevich Zabaluev (August 19, 1906, Kashira, Tula province — January 15, 1949, Moscow) was a Soviet military commander, Major General (July 15, 1941).

At the beginning of the war, on July 5, 1941, Colonel Zabaluev assumed command of the 252nd Infantry Division, formed from NKVD cadres and personnel in the city of Serpukhov. On July 15, he was awarded the military rank of Major General. With the adoption of the division, it was relocated to the Ostashkov station in the Kalinin region, upon arrival it became part of the 29th Reserve Army of the Supreme Command. On July 20, the division, along with the army, was incorporated into the Western Front. Its units crossed the Western Dvina River and on July 28, near the village of Ilyino in the Smolensk region, they marched into battle. During the night, they repulsed several counterattacks by the approaching enemy reserves, but were forced to withdraw northward under pressure from superior forces. Then the division re-crossed the Western Dvina River and took up defense on its northern bank near the mouth of the Toropa River. She stayed here until the end of August, then in early September she waged offensive battles, fulfilling the task of pushing the enemy back to the western bank of the river. During them, the 456th SS Grenadier Regiment (Battle of Smolensk) was surrounded and defeated. In early October, the division, along with the army, was forced to withdraw to the Rzhev direction. By October 12, it had concentrated in the Chertolino area and was on the defensive, covering the crossing of units of the 29th Army across the Volga River and further withdrawal to Rzhev. By October 15, its units had concentrated northeast of Staritsa. Continuing their retreat, by October 19 they had concentrated in the Novinka area, where they engaged in battle from the march and drove the enemy back to the city of Kalinin. On October 21, the division, as part of the 31st Army of the Kalinin Front, took up defense at the railway bridge over the Volga River in the Kalinin area (Vyazma and Kalinin defensive operations). On December 1, she rejoined the 29th Army of the same front and participated in the storming and liberation of the city of Kalinin on December 5. As a result of the fighting, he was liberated by December 16, and the division reached the Kalinin station area (southwestern part of the city). Pursuing the enemy, its units captured Danilovskaya with a battle, crossed the Volga River again, liberated the village of Stanishino and by December 29 reached Kholokhovna (Kalinin offensive operation). Major General Zabaluev was awarded the Order of the Red Banner by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated May 5, 1942, for his courage and heroism in these battles and his skilful command of the division.

On January 5, 1942, he was transferred to the post of deputy commander of the 30th Army of the Kalinin Front, with which he participated in the Rzhev-Vyazma offensive operation. In May of the same year, he was sent to study at the Voroshilov Higher Military Academy in Ufa, and after completing the accelerated course in November, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Northern Group of Forces of the Transcaucasian Front (9th, 37th, 44th, and 58th Armies). He took part in the Battle for the Caucasus, in the Mozdok-Malgobek and Nalchik-Ordzhonikidze defensive operations and the offensive in the Nalchik-Stavropol direction. On January 24, 1943, the North Caucasus Front was established on its base, and Major General Zabaluev was appointed Chief of Staff. In this position, he participated in the development and conduct of the North Caucasus and Krasnodar offensive operations. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated February 22, 1943, Zabaluev was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, first class.

By order of the Supreme Command Headquarters on March 16, 1943 and by order of the front troops on March 19, he was relieved of his post ("as having failed") He was left at the disposal of the commander of the front forces, and then sent to a hospital for treatment. On April 7, 1943, he was placed at the disposal of the GUK NPO, during the same period he was acting commissioner of the Supreme Command Headquarters for the North-Western Front. On July 15, 1943, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Arkhangelsk Military District, and on July 27, 1944, he was transferred to the post of Chief of Staff of the Siberian Military District. After the war, from July 9, 1945, he was Acting Chief of Staff of the West Siberian Military District. In May 1946, he was transferred to the position of senior lecturer of tactics at the Higher Military Academy named after K. E. Voroshilov. On June 7, 1947, by order of the Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR, he was discharged into the reserve. He died in 1949. He was buried at the Vvedenskoye cemetery (2nd academic year).