Soldiers of the Soviet Army. Fighting in the area of Lake Zhalanashkol, 1969. I don't know if this incident is known abroad, so I'll tell you about it.
On August 13, 1969, Chinese soldiers violated the state border of the USSR in the area of Lake Zhalanashkol. In the morning, Chinese servicemen in two groups of 9 and 6 people violated the Soviet border near the Zhalanashkol outpost. Having penetrated 400 and 100 meters into Soviet territory, the Chinese began to dig in demonstratively by 7 o'clock in the morning. At this point, about a hundred Chinese soldiers managed to concentrate beyond the border line. The Soviet border guards did not want to bring the conflict to bloodshed, but the Chinese did not react to the warnings.
On the left flank, from the Terekty border post, a group of 12 Chinese soldiers also violated the border. The soldiers were moving along the control-track strip to the Kamennaya hill. By order of Lieutenant Colonel Nikitenko, junior lieutenant Puchkov, together with border guards in 2 armored personnel carriers, cut the path of the Chinese soldiers. Puchkov demanded that the Chinese return to their territory. At 7.40, the armored personnel carriers, under the cover of border guards, moved towards the heights. Chinese soldiers responded by firing machine guns. The Soviet border guards were forced to answer.
Soon, several dozen more Chinese troops crossed the border, armed with small arms and anti-tank weapons. The Chinese occupied one of the hills. Border guards on 3 armored personnel carriers entered into battle with them. Under the command of Senior Lieutenant Olszewski, a group of 8 fighters, supported by 2 armored personnel carriers, went into the rear of the Chinese soldiers, who had to take up a perimeter defense.
Govor's group attacked Right Height. During the attack, she came under fire from the Chinese, Dulepov was killed, and 8 more border guards were wounded. However, despite the losses, the altitude was taken. Groups of Olshevsky and Terebenkov threw grenades at Chinese trenches. At the same time, the border guards suffered losses, so Private Ryazanov was mortally wounded. By 9 o'clock the height was repulsed, the Soviet soldiers fortified on the border. The Chinese were no longer planning attacks. On the battlefield, 4 TT pistols, 9 SKS carbines, an RPD machine gun, 4 anti-tank grenades and 27 hand grenades, 6 cumulative shells, a radio station, 2 movie cameras, 1 camera and other things were found. The losses of the Soviet side amounted to 12 people, of which 10 were wounded and 2 were killed. Among the Chinese, 19 people were killed, 3 were taken prisoner, two of them, when delivered to the city of Ucharal, died from their wounds.
