The Forgotten Standard-Bearer: Soviet reconnaissance soldier Grigory Bulatov and his comrades after the storming of the Reichstag, Berlin, May 1945. Long overshadowed by official history, Bulatov remains one of the principal claimants to raising one of the first Soviet flags over the Reichstag.
One of the Men Who Reached the Reichstag First
This remarkable photograph shows Grigory Bulatov, a private in the reconnaissance platoon of the 674th Rifle Regiment, 150th Idritsa Rifle Division, shortly after the capture of Berlin in May 1945. Although his name is little known outside specialist historical circles, Bulatov occupies an important place in one of the most enduring debates of the Second World War: who first raised a Soviet flag over the Reichstag?
For decades, the official Soviet narrative focused on Mikhail Yegorov and Meliton Kantaria, whose Victory Banner became the universally recognized symbol of Nazi Germany's defeat. However, wartime documents, award citations, and eyewitness accounts indicate that several assault groups reached the Reichstag at different times, raising numerous flags during the fierce fighting. Grigory Bulatov is widely regarded by many historians as one of the earliest soldiers to accomplish this feat. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
The Men Who Went First
The soldiers in this photograph were not ordinary infantrymen but members of a Red Army reconnaissance platoon. Soviet combat scouts routinely operated ahead of the main assault forces, locating enemy strongpoints, capturing prisoners for intelligence, and forcing their way into heavily defended buildings. During the Battle of Berlin, these missions became exceptionally dangerous, as reconnaissance groups were often the first Soviet soldiers to enter key objectives under intense fire.
According to Bulatov's award citation, on April 30, 1945, his group fought its way into the Reichstag, seized one of the basement exits, trapped hundreds of German defenders inside, and continued advancing through the building. The citation states that at approximately 2:25 p.m., Bulatov and his comrades raised a Red Banner on the upper part of the Reichstag, an act for which he was recommended for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The recommendation was ultimately downgraded, and he received the Order of the Red Banner instead. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Faces Behind the Famous Photograph
The image also preserves the faces of the reconnaissance platoon that fought alongside Bulatov. Visible are Lieutenant Semyon Sorokin, the platoon commander wearing a leather jacket; Sergeant Viktor Provotorov; Senior Sergeant Ivan Lysenko; and Stepan Oreshko. Like thousands of other Soviet assault troops, these young men carried out some of the most hazardous missions during the final days of the war, yet few of their names became widely remembered.
History, Memory, and Recognition
The story of Grigory Bulatov illustrates how history often remembers symbols more readily than the people who created them. Whether or not he was the very first man to place a Soviet flag on the Reichstag remains a subject of historical discussion, but his documented participation in the assault is beyond dispute. Today, Bulatov is increasingly recognized as one of the forgotten participants in one of the most iconic moments of the European war's final chapter. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Technical photo data:
📝 Source of information: Award citation, archival records, historical research
📍 Location: Berlin, Germany
📅 Date of photo: May 1945
📷 Photographer: Alexander Kapustyansky
Recommended literature:
- Antony Beevor — Berlin: The Downfall 1945
- Cornelius Ryan — The Last Battle
- Vasily Shatilov — Banner over the Reichstag
- Tony Le Tissier — The Battle of Berlin 1945
- Grigory Bulatov
- Soviet reconnaissance troops
- Reichstag assault 1945
- 150th Rifle Division
- Battle of Berlin
- Red Banner Reichstag
- Mikhail Yegorov Meliton Kantaria
- Forgotten Soviet heroes
- Red Army scouts WWII
- Berlin May 1945