Ivan Ustinovich Kharchenko (Ukrainian: Іван Устинович Харченко; Russian: Ива́н Усти́нович Ха́рченко; 23 September 1918 – 1 July 1989) was a Soviet Army military engineering colonel and Hero of the Soviet Union. During World War II, he was a platoon commander. Kharchenko was promoted to the rank of junior lieutenant in 1939, lieutenant in 1943 and senior lieutenant in 1944. He reportedly personally defused more than 50,000 explosives, including bombs, mines, and shells. For his actions in defusing explosives, Kharchenko was named a Hero of the Soviet Union and awarded the Gold Star and Order of
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