“If we catch you, we’ll tear you into 309 pieces!” German forces blared over loudspeakers at Lyudmila Pavlichenko during World War II.
She reportedly grinned, as they’d just confirmed her kill count.\n\nPavlichenko was a Soviet sniper, born in Ukraine, who joined the Red Army after Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.\n\nShe quickly demonstrated exceptional skill and courage on the Eastern Front.
Her reputation grew, and she became known by the nickname “Lady Death” among her comrades.\n\nBy the summer of 1942, Lyudmila Pavlichenko was credited with 309 confirmed kills.
This tally included 36 enemy snipers, with most of her engagements occurring during the intense Siege of Sevastopol.\n\nHer effectiveness made her a specific target for German forces, who not only threatened her over loudspeakers but also reportedly tried to entice her to defect.\n\nIn June 1942, Pavlichenko’s combat career was cut short when she was wounded by shrapnel.
She was evacuated from Sevastopol by submarine.\n\nThough her fighting days were over, a new role awaited her. Later that year, she was sent on a propaganda tour to the United States, Canada, and Great Britain to advocate for a second front in Europe.\n\nDuring this tour, she met and formed a friendship with U.S. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
Pavlichenko was the first Soviet citizen to be received by a U.S. President at the White House.\n\nShe often faced questions from the American press that focused more on her appearance and attire than her military accomplishments.
She was known for her straightforward responses.\n\nTo one group of reporters, she famously stated, “I am 25 years old and I have killed 309 fascist invaders by now.
Don’t you think, gentlemen, that you have been hiding behind my back for too long?”\n\nAfter World War II, Pavlichenko completed her education at Kyiv University and worked as a historian and researcher for the Soviet Navy.\n\nLyudmila Pavlichenko is still widely regarded as the most successful female sniper in recorded history.
