PANZER KILLER - Vasiliy Krysov, a Soviet tank soldier in the Great Patriotic War

Published in Russia in 2008, Krysov's memoirs offer an exceptional immersion into the most intense, violent, and dramatic tank battles on the Eastern Front during the Second World War.

Sometimes compared to the famous Panzer ace Otto Carius, Vasiliy Krysov fought without interruption from 1942 to 1945. Wounded three times and surviving the destruction of four of his vehicles, he traversed the entire Eastern Front, from the gates of Stalingrad to the fortress of Königsberg. In doing so, he clashed with the most powerful and experienced German mechanised units, including the "Leibstandarte" and the "Totenkopf" and "Wiking" divisions.

Krysov describes with meticulous detail his engagements against these tough, determined, and well-equipped adversaries, recounting in detail his duels with the most dangerous Panzers, including the formidable Tiger and Panther. Indeed, the Russian makes no attempt to conceal the heavy toll paid by Red Army tank crews.

Far from being a propagandist pamphlet glorifying the Soviet Union, the text also addresses the difficult fate of women in the Red Army, as well as the favouritism shown towards Communist Party members in official reports and the awarding of decorations and promotions.

Krysov's memoirs represent an essential contribution to the growing body of Red Army veterans' accounts that have emerged in recent years, after decades of official censorship. 

An essential read for military history enthusiasts and Eastern Front specialists!