A Ukrainian, Kondrat Semyonovich Melnik was born on 25 March 1900 in the town of Ivankov, Ivankovsky volost, Radomysl Uyezd, Kiev Governorate.

From June 1930 he studied at the Frunze Military Academy, and on graduation in May 1933 was appointed chief of staff of the 4th Separate Cavalry Brigade.

In July 1938 he was appointed deputy chief of staff of the Far Eastern Front, in this position he took part in the Battle of Lake Khasan.

In September the division, operating as part of the cavalry group of Lev Dovator, conducted a two-week raid into the German rear, then fought in intense defensive battles near Moscow.

[1] In October 1942 then-Major General Melnik was appointed commander of the 44th Army of the Northern Group of Forces of the Transcaucasus Front.

During December he led the army in defensive battles on the line of Mozdok and Verkhny Kurp, simultaneously defending the Makhachkala area with one rifle division.

In January 1943 the army took part in the Northern Group of Forces’ drive on Stavropol and liberated Mozdok and Malgobek.

Continuing the offensive in the general direction of Prokhladny and Mineralnye Vody, the army reached the Sea of Azov coast in early February, where it went on the defensive.

In February and March Melnik led the army in the Krasnodar offensive, conducting the main attack of the front from the north.