IS-3 Tank in Cornești

A tank was installed on May 9, 1985, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. It honors the soldiers of the 6th Guards Tank Army under the command of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel General A.G. Kravchenko, who, in March 1944, in fierce battles with the Nazi invaders, liberated the Ungheni district and were the first to reach the state border of the USSR.

The IS-3 (Object 703) is a Soviet heavy tank developed during the Great Patriotic War, put into serial production in its final days, and did not participate in combat. Therefore, this combat vehicle is often considered one of the first post-war Soviet tanks.

The abbreviation IS stands for “Iosif Stalin”—the official name of the series of Soviet heavy tanks produced from 1943 to 1953. The index 3 corresponds to the third series model of this tank family. Due to the distinctive shape of its upper frontal part, it was nicknamed “Pike.”