Roza Georgiyevna Shanina was born on April 3, 1924, in a small village in the Arkhangelsk region of the Soviet Union. She grew up in a poor but hardworking family and was known as a strong student. Before the war, she trained to become a kindergarten teacher.
In June 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. Later that year, in December 1941, Roza’s brother was killed during a bombing raid. His death deeply affected her and strengthened her determination to fight.
Although women were not always encouraged to serve on the front lines, Roza volunteered for the Red Army when she was just 17 years old. She was sent to a women’s sniper school, where she showed exceptional shooting skill, discipline, and calm under pressure. After completing her training, she was assigned to the 184th Rifle Division.
Roza served on the Eastern Front, one of the most brutal theaters of World War II. As a sniper, her job was to eliminate enemy soldiers from long distances, often while remaining hidden for hours or days. She quickly gained a reputation for accuracy and bravery. In official Soviet records, she was credited with 59 confirmed enemy kills in about 10 months of combat. Fellow soldiers respected her determination and fearlessness.
Roza also wrote in her diary, where she reflected on the emotional cost of war. She did not describe killing as something she enjoyed; instead, she often expressed sadness, exhaustion, and a sense of duty. Her writings show that she understood the seriousness and tragedy of taking human lives, even in wartime.
In January 1945, during fighting in East Prussia, Roza was seriously wounded while trying to protect a fellow soldier during combat. She died from her injuries on January 28, 1945, at just 20 years old.
Roza Shanina was posthumously honored for her service and bravery. Today, she is remembered as one of the most famous female snipers of World War II—not because of violence alone, but because her life shows the courage, sacrifice, and human cost of war.
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