Konstantin Simonov

Konstantin Simonov (28.11.1915 - 28.8.1979) was a Soviet writer and poet. During WWII, he served as a front corresspondent for the Soviet military newspaper Red Star. According to Vasily Chuikov's memoirs, Simonov was present in the headquarters of his 8th Guards Army when General Hans Krebs came to request a ceasefire. There were four other visitors by Chuikov at the time: composers Matvey Blanter and Tikhon Khrennikov, and two other correspondents: the military reporter Yevgeniy Dolmatovsky and the civilian journalist Vsevolod Vishnevsky. Simonov and Dolmatovsky were probably the only ones in uniform.

According to historian Cornelius Ryan, none of Chuikov's senior officers could be brought fast enough, and he therefore ordered the military correspondents to imposter as his staff. Since Simonov is known to have worn Land Forces' brown uniform during the war, He is most probably the guy on the left.