Roman Spiridonovich Mashkov (Russian: Рома́н Спиридо́нович Машко́в; September 24, 1922 – July 22, 1971) was the commander of a Soviet reconnaissance platoon during World War II.

[1] Mashkov was born on September 24, 1922, to a Russian peasant family in Bolshiye Goly, a village in the Kachugsky District of Irkutsk Oblast.

[3] He served as the commander of a reconnaissance platoon of the 5th Motor Rifle Brigade of the 5th Tank Corps of the 2nd Baltic Front and participated in the battle for Latvia.

[citation needed] Mashkov played an essential role in preparing an exit strategy for the battalion and breaking through the enemy defenses.

Demobilized, he returned home to a hero's welcome in August 1946 and addressed the Second Pyatiletka kolkhoz, telling them that he would "rest a little after the road" and "take up his native peasant business.".