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{{Infobox military person|name = Selim Aitkulov|native_name = Сәлім Нығметұлы Айтқұлов|birth_date = 10 January 1913|death_date = 24 April 1975|birth_place = Muhorsky village, [[Ural Oblast]], [[Russian Empire]]|death_place = [[Uralsk]], [[Kazakh SSR]]|allegiance = {{flag|Soviet Union}}|branch = [[Red Army]]|serviceyears = 1941-1945|unit = [[75th Guards Rifle Division]]|battles = [[World War II]]
*[[Battle of the Dnieper]]|rank = [[Junior lieutenant]]|awards = {{Hero of the Soviet Union}}{{Order of Lenin}}
[[Medal "For Courage" (Russia)|Medal "For Courage"]]|image = Selim Aitkulov.jpg}}'''Selim Aitkulov''' ([[Kazakh language|Kazakh]]: Сәлім Нығметұлы Айтқұлов; 10 January 1913 – 24 April 1975) was a [[Tatars|Tatar]] soldier of the [[Red Army]] and [[Hero of the Soviet Union]]. Aitkulov was awarded the title [[Hero of the Soviet Union]] and the [[Order of Lenin]] for actions during the [[Battle of the Dnieper]], in which he took command of his platoon after his platoon commander was wounded. After the war, Aitkulov was the head of the [[Uralsk Regional Consumer Union]]'s Organization Department.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = Айткулов Салим Нигматович|url = http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=8404|website = www.warheroes.ru|accessdate = 2015-11-15|language = Russian|trans-title = Selim Nigmatovich Aitkulov}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Selim Aitkulov was born on 10 January 1913 in Muhorsky village in the [[Ural Oblast (Russian Empire)|Ural Oblast]] to a [[Tatars|Tatar]] peasant family. He graduated from ninth grade in 1930 and worked at a factory in [[Uralsk, Kazakhstan|Uralsk]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title = Библиотека - Люди и книги|url = http://www.az-libr.ru/index.shtml?Persons&09K/25ff68f0/index|website = www.az-libr.ru|accessdate = 2015-11-15|trans-title = Selim Nigmatovich Aitkulov|language = Russian}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title = Герой татарского народа|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=w-4iAQAAIAAJ&q=%25D0%25A1%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BB%25D0%25B8%25D0%25BC+%25D0%259D%25D0%25B8%25D0%25B3%25D0%25BC%25D0%25B0%25D1%2582%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B2%25D0%25B8%25D1%2587+%25D0%2590%25D0%25B9%25D1%2582%25D0%25BA%25D1%2583%25D0%25BB%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B2&dq=%25D0%25A1%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BB%25D0%25B8%25D0%25BC+%25D0%259D%25D0%25B8%25D0%25B3%25D0%25BC%25D0%25B0%25D1%2582%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B2%25D0%25B8%25D1%2587+%25D0%2590%25D0%25B9%25D1%2582%25D0%25BA%25D1%2583%25D0%25BB%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B2&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CBwQ6AEwAGoVChMI9Z3G-OWUyQIVSttjCh3JwQRl|publisher = Tatar Book Publishing House|date = 2006|language = ru|first = Ibrahim Fatykhovich|last = Ismagilov|trans-title = Hero of the Tatar People}}</ref>

== World War II ==
In July 1941, Aitkulov was drafted into the [[Red Army]] and fought in combat from September.<ref name=":2" /> He fought in the [[Second Battle of Kharkov|Battle of Kharkov]] in May 1942. In 1943, he joined the [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]]. In July, Aitkulov fought in the [[Battle of Kursk]].<ref name=":3" /> On 31 August  Aitkulov received the [[Medal "For Courage" (Russia)|Medal "For Courage"]] for his actions.<ref>Order No. 27 231st Guards Rifle Regiment 75th Guards Rifle Division, available online at [https://pamyat-naroda.ru/heroes/podvig-chelovek_nagrazhdenie17895862/ pamyat-naroda.ru]</ref>

At the end of September, Aitkulov was an [[Efreitor]] in the 231st Guards Rifle Regiment of the [[75th Guards Rifle Division]]. During the [[Battle of the Dnieper]], he reportedly crossed the [[Dnieper]] multiple times on reconnaissance patrols, reportedly discovering intelligence. On 29 September, during fighting in Yasnogorodka village in [[Vyshhorod Raion]], he reportedly took command after his platoon commander was wounded. Allegedly, the platoon repulsed nine German counterattacks. Aitkulov reportedly continued to lead the platoon and repulsed three counterattacks on 5 October. Allegedly, he was severely wounded but stayed in combat and killed four German soldiers with two grenades.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Подвиг народа|url = http://www.podvignaroda.mil.ru/?#id=150000001&tab=navDetailDocument|website = www.podvignaroda.mil.ru|accessdate = 2015-11-15|trans-title = Premium list entry Selim Aitkulov}}</ref> On 17 October, Aitkulov was awarded the title [[Hero of the Soviet Union]] and the [[Order of Lenin]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> After recovering from his wounds, Aitkulov was sent to the Odessa Infantry School and was promoted to junior lieutenant upon graduation.<ref>{{Cite web|title = 28 декабря. КАЛЕНДАРЬ КАЗИНФОРМА "ДАТЫ. СОБЫТИЯ. ИМЕНА"|url = http://www.inform.kz/eng/article/2731847|website = www.inform.kz|accessdate = 2015-11-16|date = 28 December 2014|language = Russian|trans-title = 28 December. Calendar Kazinform "Dates. Developments. Names."}}</ref> He went back to combat and fought in battles in [[Poland]] and [[Czechoslovakia]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title = Институт Татарской Энциклопедии|url = http://www.ite.antat.ru/articles/gss/gss_014.shtml|website = www.ite.antat.ru|accessdate = 2015-11-16|trans-title = Institute of the Academy of Science of the Tatar Encyclopaedia|language = Russian}}</ref> 

== Postwar ==
Aitkulov was discharged with the rank of Junior lieutenant. After the end of World War II, Aitkulov returned to Uralsk and worked as the head of the organization department of the regional consumers' union.<ref>{{Cite web|title = АЙТКУЛОВ Салим Нигматович|url = http://tatfrontu.ru/content/aytkulov-salim-nigmatovich|website = Virtual Museum of the Great Patriotic War of the Republic of Tatarstan|accessdate = 2015-11-15|language = Russian|trans-title = Selim Aitkulov}}</ref> He died on 24 April 1975 and is buried in Uralsk.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aitkulov, Selim}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:Tatar people]]
[[Category:Kazakhstani people]]
[[Category:Soviet military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Heroes of the Soviet Union]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Lenin]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal "For Courage" (Russia)]]
[[Category:People from West Kazakhstan Region]]