Mikhail Ilyich Surkov (; 1921 – 1953) was a Soviet sniper in the 4th Rifle Division of the Red Army during World War II. He was born in a Siberian town of Bol'shay Salyr' next to Krasnoyarsk and hailed from a family of hunters and fur-trappers.
According to some Soviet newspapers, Surkov had 702 confirmed kills during World War II, a total which would make him the most effective sniper of the European conflict.Mark Spicer and Pat Farey, Sniping: An Illustrated History. Grand Rapids, MI: Zenith, 2009; pg. 129. The top Soviet sniper is officially Ivan Sidorenko, who is credited with 500 confirmed kills, as postwar findings have shown that Surkov's figure very likely only served as propaganda.
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