Portrait of Soviet Guards machine gunner Zinaida Kozlova, whose courage in battle earned her the Order of the Red Star during World War II.
The photograph shows Guards Private Zinaida Akimovna Kozlova, a machine gunner of the 1st Guards Cavalry Regiment, 1st Guards Cavalry Division, 1st Guards Cavalry Corps of the Western Front. Taken in the summer of 1942, the image captures a young Soviet soldier whose combat record would earn her the respect of her comrades and the Order of the Red Star.
Unlike many wartime portraits that reveal little beyond a face and a uniform, this photograph is connected to a remarkably detailed combat history. Kozlova was not simply a symbol of Soviet women at war — she was an experienced fighter who participated directly in some of the fiercest battles of 1942.
Source of information about the photograph: pamyat-naroda.ru
From Partisan Fighter to Frontline Soldier:
Zinaida Kozlova was born in 1923. When German forces occupied large areas of western Soviet territory during Operation Barbarossa, she joined the partisan detachment "Dedushka" in the Smolensk region.
From October 1941 until April 1942, she fought behind enemy lines as a partisan. Such service was exceptionally dangerous. Soviet partisans conducted reconnaissance, sabotaged communications, attacked supply columns, and gathered intelligence while facing constant German anti-partisan operations.
In April 1942, Kozlova voluntarily enlisted in the Red Army and was assigned to a Guards cavalry formation. Although cavalry divisions are often imagined as relics of an earlier age, Soviet Guards cavalry units remained highly effective mobile forces that frequently fought dismounted as infantry while operating in difficult terrain.
Mastering the Maxim Machine Gun:
After joining the regiment, Kozlova quickly learned to operate the famous Maxim machine gun.
The water-cooled Maxim was one of the heaviest machine guns still in widespread service during World War II. A complete combat setup, including the wheeled mount, weighed far more than modern machine guns and required a crew to operate effectively.
According to her award citation:
"Comrade Kozlova quickly mastered the Maxim machine gun. In battle she displayed courage, bravery and fearlessness in the struggle against German fascism."
Her commanders emphasized not only her technical skill but also her personal example under fire. In an army still overwhelmingly male, a young woman operating one of the most demanding infantry weapons naturally attracted attention. Yet her reputation was built not on symbolism but on battlefield performance.
The Battles of June 1942:
The award recommendation for the Order of the Red Star describes several actions in June 1942.
During fighting near Aleksin on 6 June 1942, Kozlova reportedly used her Maxim machine gun with great effect, inflicting heavy losses on German troops.
A few days later, on 12 June, during combat near the village of Buda Staraya, her sustained machine-gun fire suppressed enemy positions and helped clear the way for advancing Soviet cavalry squadrons. The citation also credits her with destroying an enemy firing position.
Perhaps the most revealing episode occurred on 18 June 1942 during an operation against German defensive lines. When her platoon commander was wounded, Kozlova refused to abandon him. Despite the dangers of the battlefield, she helped ensure that the officer was successfully evacuated along with the unit.
Such actions illustrate why courage in wartime is often measured not only by attacking the enemy but also by protecting fellow soldiers under fire.
Women in the Red Army:
The Soviet Union employed women in military roles on a scale unmatched by most other major combatants of World War II.
Women served as snipers, machine gunners, tank crew members, anti-aircraft personnel, medics, radio operators, pilots, and partisans. Thousands received decorations for bravery, and many paid for their service with their lives.
Photographs like this one remind us that Soviet women were not confined to support duties. Many fought directly on the front lines and shared the same dangers as the men beside them.
A Portrait of Determination:
What makes this image particularly compelling is the contrast between Kozlova's youth and the harsh reality behind her service record.
By the time this photograph was taken in June 1942, she had already fought as a partisan, volunteered for the Red Army, mastered a heavy machine gun, participated in multiple battles, and demonstrated the kind of courage that earned official recognition from her commanders.
For modern viewers, the portrait stands as a reminder that the Eastern Front was fought not only by famous generals and tank aces but also by ordinary young people whose determination helped shape the outcome of the war.
Photo Details:
📍 Location: Kirilovskoye village, Tula Region (now Kaluga Region), USSR
📅 Date: 30 June 1942
📷 Photographer: Mikhail Savin
Recommended Reading:
- Reina Pennington — Wings, Women and War: Soviet Airwomen in World War II Combat
- Roger D. Markwick & Euridice Charon Cardona — Soviet Women on the Frontline in the Second World War
- Anna Krylova — Soviet Women in Combat
- Lyuba Vinogradova — Defending the Motherland: The Soviet Women Who Fought Hitler's Aces
- Svetlana Alexievich — The Unwomanly Face of War
- Catherine Merridale — Ivan's War: Life and Death in the Red Army 1939–1945