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🏅 On February 14, 1943, the Red Army liberated the city of Rostov-on-Don from the Nazi invaders.
#RostovOnDon was occupied twice during the Great Patriotic War. The Nazis took the city in November 1941, and later it was under the enemy occupation again from July 22, 1942 to February 14, 1943. The Germans were determined to hold the city at any costs as it was an important transport hub in the region and a huge administrative centre opening the way for the Nazis to the Caucasus.
🌟 In February 1943, the Red Army carried out the Rostov offensive operation to liberate the city, defeat the enemy’s army group on the Don River and thus block the Wehrmacht units’ redeployment to #Donbass.
The Soviet 28th Army under the command of Lieutenant General Vasily Gerasimenko reached the outskirts of Rostov-on-Don following a 600-kilometre march across snow-covered southern steppes.
Four Nazi divisions were concentrated in Rostov-on-Don. The enemy had built there strong defence lines with robust fortifications and numerous machine-gun and artillery firing points.
The Red Army offensive was also complicated by the terrain: the right bank of the Don River, where the city is located, was much higher than the left bank, from which the Soviet forces were launching their attack. The penetration of the enemy defences in the city seemed impossible.
⚔️ In the early hours of February 8, 1943, the Southern Front forces led by Colonel-General Rodion Malinovsky launched the operation to liberate Rostov-on-Don. The Nazi-occupied city saw brutal, fierce fighting that lasted for six days. On February 14, 1943, the Red Army broke through the enemy’s defences and entered the city from Bataysk. The German garrison was encircled and forced to surrender.
Rostov-on-Don’s pre-war population of more than 1.5 million people was effectively decimated by #WWII and the German occupation, dwindling to 150'000. The Nazis also destroyed there the local industries, looted and captured its cultural heritage.
Thanks to the heroism and unrivalled morale of the Red Army soldiers, Rostov-on-Don was finally liberated after 205 days of occupation. During the Rostov offensive, the Soviet forces not only liberated the Rostov Region, but also took a bridgehead near the Mius River to use it in a further offensive in the direction of Donbass.
#OurVictory #WeRemember
#RostovOnDon was occupied twice during the Great Patriotic War. The Nazis took the city in November 1941, and later it was under the enemy occupation again from July 22, 1942 to February 14, 1943. The Germans were determined to hold the city at any costs as it was an important transport hub in the region and a huge administrative centre opening the way for the Nazis to the Caucasus.
The Soviet 28th Army under the command of Lieutenant General Vasily Gerasimenko reached the outskirts of Rostov-on-Don following a 600-kilometre march across snow-covered southern steppes.
Four Nazi divisions were concentrated in Rostov-on-Don. The enemy had built there strong defence lines with robust fortifications and numerous machine-gun and artillery firing points.
The Red Army offensive was also complicated by the terrain: the right bank of the Don River, where the city is located, was much higher than the left bank, from which the Soviet forces were launching their attack. The penetration of the enemy defences in the city seemed impossible.
⚔️ In the early hours of February 8, 1943, the Southern Front forces led by Colonel-General Rodion Malinovsky launched the operation to liberate Rostov-on-Don. The Nazi-occupied city saw brutal, fierce fighting that lasted for six days. On February 14, 1943, the Red Army broke through the enemy’s defences and entered the city from Bataysk. The German garrison was encircled and forced to surrender.
Rostov-on-Don’s pre-war population of more than 1.5 million people was effectively decimated by #WWII and the German occupation, dwindling to 150'000. The Nazis also destroyed there the local industries, looted and captured its cultural heritage.
Thanks to the heroism and unrivalled morale of the Red Army soldiers, Rostov-on-Don was finally liberated after 205 days of occupation. During the Rostov offensive, the Soviet forces not only liberated the Rostov Region, but also took a bridgehead near the Mius River to use it in a further offensive in the direction of Donbass.
#OurVictory #WeRemember
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🏅 On July 11, 1941, the heroic defence of Kiev during #WWII commenced.
During the Battle of Kiev, the defenders of the Soviet Motherland engaged in an unequal battle against the Nazi invaders, having eliminated over 100'000 German troops and tied down 17 German divisions on the WWII Eastern Front.
Fighting the Nazis side-by-side, the Red Army soldiers and local residents of Kiev turned the city into a fortress, with its narrow streets, bridges and rivers hindering the enemy offensive. The Kiev defenders fought to the last, demonstrating unparalleled resolve and courage.
A key episode in the battle of Kiev on July 11, 1941, was the defense of the Brest Bridge — a strategically important site that connected the right and left banks of the Dnieper river. Soviet soldiers fought with extraordinary courage, causing the enemy to waver and retreat.
During the battle, its defenders showed mass heroism and incredible self-sacrifice — a factor that the plans of the German invaders did not take into consideration.
Excerpt from a report dated August 13, 1941, about the heroism of Corporal Georgy Nikitin:
More than 200'000 residents of Kiev voluntarily enlisted in the Red Army, and over 160'000 others worked daily on the construction of defensive lines. There is abundant evidence of their heroism and self-sacrifice.
The successful repulse of the Nazi offensive on Kiev was the result of capable maneuvers and extreme exertion of forces.
However, during that most difficult initial period of the war, the forces were unequal, and on the night of September 19, units of the 37th Army units withdrew to the eastern bank of the Dnieper River, demolishing the bridges behind them.
Kiev was under Nazi occupation for 778 days. The city was liberated from the enemy on November 6, 1943, as a result of the Kiev Offensive.
🎖 For demonstrating high morale and dedication to the Motherland the Motherland, Kiev was awarded the title of #HeroCity.
#OurVictory
During the Battle of Kiev, the defenders of the Soviet Motherland engaged in an unequal battle against the Nazi invaders, having eliminated over 100'000 German troops and tied down 17 German divisions on the WWII Eastern Front.
Fighting the Nazis side-by-side, the Red Army soldiers and local residents of Kiev turned the city into a fortress, with its narrow streets, bridges and rivers hindering the enemy offensive. The Kiev defenders fought to the last, demonstrating unparalleled resolve and courage.
A key episode in the battle of Kiev on July 11, 1941, was the defense of the Brest Bridge — a strategically important site that connected the right and left banks of the Dnieper river. Soviet soldiers fought with extraordinary courage, causing the enemy to waver and retreat.
During the battle, its defenders showed mass heroism and incredible self-sacrifice — a factor that the plans of the German invaders did not take into consideration.
Excerpt from a report dated August 13, 1941, about the heroism of Corporal Georgy Nikitin:
💬 «He hit four tanks with the first fires from his gun. When his gun was damaged, he ran to another gun to help its crew maintain fire. That gun was damaged too.
Nikitin then ran to the gun of the first platoon and used it to destroy five more tanks. Nine enemy tanks, scarred and burning, stood motionless in the battlefield when an enemy shell cut short Nikitin’s heroic life».
More than 200'000 residents of Kiev voluntarily enlisted in the Red Army, and over 160'000 others worked daily on the construction of defensive lines. There is abundant evidence of their heroism and self-sacrifice.
<...> 16-year-old Leonora Skvorchinskaya, the daughter of a blacksmith at the 'Arsenal' factory, carried wounded soldiers to shelters during enemy air raids. When she was unable to do it herself, she urged the fighters to climb out of their foxholes and assist her. The fearless patriot of the Motherland, Skvorchinskaya, saved the lives of dozens of soldiers and commanders.
The successful repulse of the Nazi offensive on Kiev was the result of capable maneuvers and extreme exertion of forces.
However, during that most difficult initial period of the war, the forces were unequal, and on the night of September 19, units of the 37th Army units withdrew to the eastern bank of the Dnieper River, demolishing the bridges behind them.
Kiev was under Nazi occupation for 778 days. The city was liberated from the enemy on November 6, 1943, as a result of the Kiev Offensive.
🎖 For demonstrating high morale and dedication to the Motherland the Motherland, Kiev was awarded the title of #HeroCity.
#OurVictory
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🌟 On August 3, 1943, Operation Rail War commenced in the occupied western regions of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Belarus and Ukraine during #WWII.
The operation’s objective was to disrupt the Nazis' supply deliveries and reinforcements to the eastern front. This effort was designed to help the Red Army’s offensive in the Battle of Kursk.
The Soviet command assigned this task to 167 partisan brigades and detached regiments, manned by about 100,000 fighters. Legendary Soviet special operations operative Ilya Starinov headed the operation, which was prepared under complete secrecy.
#RailWar Operation commenced simultaneously with the counteroffensive on the Voronezh and Steppe fronts. A total of 42,000 railway tracks were destroyed and dozens of enemy trains were derailed during the very first night.
⚔️ Over the entire operation, Soviet partisans destroyed some 215,000 railway rails or over 1,500 kilometres of enemy railway lines. Communications between the Nazi army groups 'South' and 'Centre' was disrupted, and by autumn, the fascists' railway shipments decreased by 40 percent. To a large degree, it was the well-coordinated actions by the Soviet partisans that enabled the Red Army to win the Battle of Kursk.
Supplies from the German home front to Wehrmacht army groups 'Centre' and 'South' during the decisive summer battles on the eastern front — the battles for the Caucasus and the Battle of Kursk — were paralysed. Wehrmacht units failed to receive critical reinforcements. The enemy diverted substantial forces to counter partisan operations — forces that could otherwise have been deployed at the front.
☝️ This partisan warfare operation was unprecedented in terms of its scale and the high level of preparation and coordination. It was the first time the partisans worked so closely with the Red Army command to ensure that combat action was accompanied by acts of sabotage behind the lines. The coordinated actions between partisan units and regular forces played a decisive role in supporting the Red Army’s successful campaign during the Battle of Kursk, significantly hindering enemy forces’ regrouping during their westward retreat and ultimately blocking their final defeat.
🎖 The heroism and unparalleled courage demonstrated by Soviet partisans while carrying out extremely challenging missions behind the enemy lines deserve special attention. About 300 partisans and underground resistance fighters were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for their feats during the Great Patriotic War.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
The operation’s objective was to disrupt the Nazis' supply deliveries and reinforcements to the eastern front. This effort was designed to help the Red Army’s offensive in the Battle of Kursk.
The Soviet command assigned this task to 167 partisan brigades and detached regiments, manned by about 100,000 fighters. Legendary Soviet special operations operative Ilya Starinov headed the operation, which was prepared under complete secrecy.
#RailWar Operation commenced simultaneously with the counteroffensive on the Voronezh and Steppe fronts. A total of 42,000 railway tracks were destroyed and dozens of enemy trains were derailed during the very first night.
⚔️ Over the entire operation, Soviet partisans destroyed some 215,000 railway rails or over 1,500 kilometres of enemy railway lines. Communications between the Nazi army groups 'South' and 'Centre' was disrupted, and by autumn, the fascists' railway shipments decreased by 40 percent. To a large degree, it was the well-coordinated actions by the Soviet partisans that enabled the Red Army to win the Battle of Kursk.
Supplies from the German home front to Wehrmacht army groups 'Centre' and 'South' during the decisive summer battles on the eastern front — the battles for the Caucasus and the Battle of Kursk — were paralysed. Wehrmacht units failed to receive critical reinforcements. The enemy diverted substantial forces to counter partisan operations — forces that could otherwise have been deployed at the front.
☝️ This partisan warfare operation was unprecedented in terms of its scale and the high level of preparation and coordination. It was the first time the partisans worked so closely with the Red Army command to ensure that combat action was accompanied by acts of sabotage behind the lines. The coordinated actions between partisan units and regular forces played a decisive role in supporting the Red Army’s successful campaign during the Battle of Kursk, significantly hindering enemy forces’ regrouping during their westward retreat and ultimately blocking their final defeat.
🎖 The heroism and unparalleled courage demonstrated by Soviet partisans while carrying out extremely challenging missions behind the enemy lines deserve special attention. About 300 partisans and underground resistance fighters were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for their feats during the Great Patriotic War.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
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🌟 80 years ago, on August 9, 1945, the Soviet Union, in accordance with its commitments to the Allies, entered the war against militarist Japan.
The Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation of the Soviet forces in the Far East commenced. Its goal was to defeat the enemy’s Kwantung Army and to drive the Japanese occupants from northeastern China and Korea.
***
After the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and its satellites, Japan remained the only 'Axis' power still at war with the Allies. It possessed significant military capabilities to wage war, including offensive operations.
In the summer of 1945, the Japanese kept near the Soviet borders an almost one million-strong Kwantung Army, ready to treacherously invade our country at any moment.
Moreover, militarist Japan still occupied huge territories — the Korean Peninsula, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaya, and a portion of China, as well as Burma, and the Philippine Islands.
Thus, Japan posed a threat not only to our country’s security, but also to the emerging post-war world order, which was taking shape after the defeat of Nazi Germany and was based on the decisions and agreements of the leaders of the victorious Allied powers.
For example, Japan rejected the demand made by China, the United States, and UK on July 26, 1945 (paragraph 13 of the Potsdam Declaration) for the unconditional surrender of its armed forces. After that, the Allied powers officially appealed to the Soviet government to repel Japanese aggression.
***
In early August 1945, the Supreme High Command of the Soviet Union approved a plan for military operations against Japan. The planning of the operation was entrusted to the specially created Main Command of the Far Eastern Forces led by Marshal of the Soviet Union Alexander Vasilevsky.
On August 9, the Red Army launched an offensive in Manchuria. The Soviet units, supported by aviation and the navy, advanced rapidly. Strikes were delivered on targets on land, at sea, and in the air. Combat operations unfolded along the front line that was over 5'000 kilometres wide.
Within a month, the Soviet forces liberated Harbin, some territories of Northeastern China and Northern Korea, and took South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. The breakthrough of the Red Army deep into Manchuria deprived the Japanese command of the opportunity to use bacteriological weapons against our country — Tokyo had been nurturing that plan during #WWII (👉 learn more)
By August 20, Japan’s ability to offer resistance to the Red Army was shattered. Almost everywhere, enemy soldiers were surrendering. The million-strong Kwantung Army was defeated.
By September 1, 1945, the Soviet army had completed the assigned objectives. In just 23 days of combat, they crushed the Japanese militarist machine, thus making a decisive contribution to ending WWII in the Far East.
☝️ Our country regained South Sakhalin, which had been seized by Japan from the Russian Empire in 1905, took the Kuril Islands, and restored lease rights to the Kwantung Peninsula with Port Arthur and Dalian.
On September 2, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Japan was signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. From the Soviet Union, the Act was signed by General Kuzma Derevyanko. This signing marked the end of WWII.
📖 Read more about the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation and the heroism of the Soviet soldiers in liberating northeastern China and Korea in our in-depth historical feature.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
The Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation of the Soviet forces in the Far East commenced. Its goal was to defeat the enemy’s Kwantung Army and to drive the Japanese occupants from northeastern China and Korea.
***
After the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and its satellites, Japan remained the only 'Axis' power still at war with the Allies. It possessed significant military capabilities to wage war, including offensive operations.
In the summer of 1945, the Japanese kept near the Soviet borders an almost one million-strong Kwantung Army, ready to treacherously invade our country at any moment.
Moreover, militarist Japan still occupied huge territories — the Korean Peninsula, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaya, and a portion of China, as well as Burma, and the Philippine Islands.
Thus, Japan posed a threat not only to our country’s security, but also to the emerging post-war world order, which was taking shape after the defeat of Nazi Germany and was based on the decisions and agreements of the leaders of the victorious Allied powers.
For example, Japan rejected the demand made by China, the United States, and UK on July 26, 1945 (paragraph 13 of the Potsdam Declaration) for the unconditional surrender of its armed forces. After that, the Allied powers officially appealed to the Soviet government to repel Japanese aggression.
***
In early August 1945, the Supreme High Command of the Soviet Union approved a plan for military operations against Japan. The planning of the operation was entrusted to the specially created Main Command of the Far Eastern Forces led by Marshal of the Soviet Union Alexander Vasilevsky.
On August 9, the Red Army launched an offensive in Manchuria. The Soviet units, supported by aviation and the navy, advanced rapidly. Strikes were delivered on targets on land, at sea, and in the air. Combat operations unfolded along the front line that was over 5'000 kilometres wide.
Within a month, the Soviet forces liberated Harbin, some territories of Northeastern China and Northern Korea, and took South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. The breakthrough of the Red Army deep into Manchuria deprived the Japanese command of the opportunity to use bacteriological weapons against our country — Tokyo had been nurturing that plan during #WWII (👉 learn more)
By August 20, Japan’s ability to offer resistance to the Red Army was shattered. Almost everywhere, enemy soldiers were surrendering. The million-strong Kwantung Army was defeated.
By September 1, 1945, the Soviet army had completed the assigned objectives. In just 23 days of combat, they crushed the Japanese militarist machine, thus making a decisive contribution to ending WWII in the Far East.
☝️ Our country regained South Sakhalin, which had been seized by Japan from the Russian Empire in 1905, took the Kuril Islands, and restored lease rights to the Kwantung Peninsula with Port Arthur and Dalian.
On September 2, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Japan was signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. From the Soviet Union, the Act was signed by General Kuzma Derevyanko. This signing marked the end of WWII.
📖 Read more about the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation and the heroism of the Soviet soldiers in liberating northeastern China and Korea in our in-depth historical feature.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
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🌟 80 years ago, on August 15, 1945, the Soviet forces liberated Korea from Japanese colonial rule as part of the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation. The Red Army fought side by side with the Korean patriots against the Japanese militarist regime, defeated the Kwantung Army and liberated the people of Korea, bringing #WWII in the Far East to an end.
***
The Korean Peninsula was under Japanese occupation for 35 years. In fact, Tokyo established its protectorate over the Peninsula back in 1905 and fully annexed it five years later. The Japanese regime, established in Korea in 1910, was excessively brutal, with the colonial administration intent on seizing all the natural resources they could procure in this region. The Japanese criminals employed harsh repressive measures against the local population. There was an intentional effort to eradicate the Korean language and national culture.
During WWII, the Allied powers devoted considerable attention to liberating Korea in their discussions. In December 1943, China, the United States and the UK adopted the Cairo Declaration (the USSR joined it too). According to the document, the Parties agreed that “Japan will <…> be expelled from all other territories which she has taken by violence and greed….” At the Yalta Conference, the Soviet Union took the commitment to enter the war against Japan after defeating Nazi Germany in Europe.
⚔️ On August 9, 1945, the Red Army launched Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation. The Soviet forces succeeded in rapidly advancing to northeast China. With the support of partisans of the Korean national liberation movement, the Soviet soldiers liberators were pushing south and sought to break through Japan’s defence lines along the frontline stretching for as much as 5'000 kilometres.
On the first day of the operation, Kyonghung, a Korean county, as well as Unggi, Najin, Chongjin, Wonsan and other cities were liberated. By advancing in coordination with the Korean patriots, the Red Army succeeded in expelling the Japanese from the Peninsula’s northern part by mid-August, having defeated the Kwantung Army.
On August 14, Emperor Hirohito accepted Japan’s unconditional capitulation and announced it to the nation. The next day, that message reached Korea. Today, both Pyongyang and Seoul mark August 15 as the National Liberation Day of Korea.
The battle in the name of liberty and independence for the Korean nation claimed the lives of 12’000 Soviet soldiers and officers. In August 1946, Pyongyang honoured their memory by erecting a monument as a gesture of gratitude to the Soviet soldiers liberators.
🇷🇺🇰🇵 #RussiaDPRK
The traditions of military brotherhood laid down in the era of our joint efforts to defeat the Japanese militarism have become a reliable foundation for developing friendly and neighbourly relations between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The allied nature of bilateral relations cemented by bonds of military brotherhood found full reflection in the DPRK’s firm support for the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.
🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
(from the President’s statement on April 28, 2025)
📖 Read more about the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation and the heroism of the Soviet soldiers in liberating northeastern China and Korea in our in-depth historical feature.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
***
The Korean Peninsula was under Japanese occupation for 35 years. In fact, Tokyo established its protectorate over the Peninsula back in 1905 and fully annexed it five years later. The Japanese regime, established in Korea in 1910, was excessively brutal, with the colonial administration intent on seizing all the natural resources they could procure in this region. The Japanese criminals employed harsh repressive measures against the local population. There was an intentional effort to eradicate the Korean language and national culture.
During WWII, the Allied powers devoted considerable attention to liberating Korea in their discussions. In December 1943, China, the United States and the UK adopted the Cairo Declaration (the USSR joined it too). According to the document, the Parties agreed that “Japan will <…> be expelled from all other territories which she has taken by violence and greed….” At the Yalta Conference, the Soviet Union took the commitment to enter the war against Japan after defeating Nazi Germany in Europe.
⚔️ On August 9, 1945, the Red Army launched Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation. The Soviet forces succeeded in rapidly advancing to northeast China. With the support of partisans of the Korean national liberation movement, the Soviet soldiers liberators were pushing south and sought to break through Japan’s defence lines along the frontline stretching for as much as 5'000 kilometres.
On the first day of the operation, Kyonghung, a Korean county, as well as Unggi, Najin, Chongjin, Wonsan and other cities were liberated. By advancing in coordination with the Korean patriots, the Red Army succeeded in expelling the Japanese from the Peninsula’s northern part by mid-August, having defeated the Kwantung Army.
On August 14, Emperor Hirohito accepted Japan’s unconditional capitulation and announced it to the nation. The next day, that message reached Korea. Today, both Pyongyang and Seoul mark August 15 as the National Liberation Day of Korea.
The battle in the name of liberty and independence for the Korean nation claimed the lives of 12’000 Soviet soldiers and officers. In August 1946, Pyongyang honoured their memory by erecting a monument as a gesture of gratitude to the Soviet soldiers liberators.
🇷🇺🇰🇵 #RussiaDPRK
The traditions of military brotherhood laid down in the era of our joint efforts to defeat the Japanese militarism have become a reliable foundation for developing friendly and neighbourly relations between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
The allied nature of bilateral relations cemented by bonds of military brotherhood found full reflection in the DPRK’s firm support for the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.
🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
“Units of the Korean People’s Army played an active role in the defeat of the neo-Nazi formations of the Kiev regime that invaded our territory. <…>
Our Korean friends' decision was guided by a sense of solidarity, justice and genuine comradery. We highly appreciate this and are sincerely grateful, personally to Chairman of State Affairs, Comrade Kim Jong-un, as well as the entire leadership and the people of the DPRK.
We commend the DPRK soldiers’ heroism, their excellent training and dedication displayed while fighting, shoulder to shoulder with Russian soldiers, defending our Motherland as their own.”
(from the President’s statement on April 28, 2025)
📖 Read more about the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation and the heroism of the Soviet soldiers in liberating northeastern China and Korea in our in-depth historical feature.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
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🌟 On August 23, 1943, the Battle of Kursk — one of the largest battles in human history — ended with a decisive victory of the Soviet forces, marking a turning point not only in the Great Patriotic War but in the entire #WWII.
As a result of the battle, the strategic initiative was seized by the Red Army that managed to launch the offensive operations to expel the Nazi invaders from our Motherland.
***
The Battle of Kursk, lasting approximately 50 days, encompassed a defensive phase (July 5–23) and a series of offensive operations (July 12–August 23) by the Soviet forces in the Kursk Bulge. It appeared in the spring of 1943 at the centre of the Soviet-German front, reaching Nazi defensive lines south of Soviet city of Oryol and north of Belgorod to a depth exceeding 150 kilometres.
Following the Wehrmacht’s devastating defeat at Stalingrad, the enemy sought revenge at any cost — to deliver a crushing blow on the Red Army positions along the Kursk Bulge, seize the strategic initiative, and launch a counteroffensive deep into the Soviet territory. Had they succeeded, the Nazi aggressor could reopen the path to Moscow. The operational plan was codenamed 'Citadel'.
After the intelligence was secured from abroad, the Red Army General Staff and the Supreme High Command knew beforehand of the enemy’s plans. Our military leadership decided first to destroy Hitler’s armor and aircraft, and to exhaust Nazi manpower in defensive combat before launching a full-scale offensive.
⚔️ The Battle of Kursk commenced on July 5 with a counter-artillery barrage — at dawn, thousands of Soviet guns unleashed a devastating firestorm on Wehrmacht positions, delaying their advance for several hours. The enemy committed its tank armada to battle: 16 divisions comprising 2'500 tanks — 70% of all German armor formations deployed on the Eastern Front.
The Red Army soldiers fought relentlessly, repelling enemy assaults and decimating their infantry. After a week of fierce resistance, the Red Army halted the German advance. Within days, Nazi forces suffered 50'000 casualties. The enemy offensive failed.
On July 12, the legendary tank battle at Prokhorovka unfolded — the largest armor combat in history, with up to 1'200 tanks and self-propelled guns deployed. The fascists suffered a devastating defeat: losing over 300 tanks (the backbone of their strike force in the Battle of Kursk) and exhausting reserves, their offensive capabilities were diminished, forcing them to retreat to initial positions.
Following Prokhorovka, the Red Army seized full initiative and launched a decisive counteroffensive. By mid-July, under pressure from the Western, Bryansk, and Central fronts, German troops began retreating across the entire Kursk Bulge. On August 5, the Soviet forces liberated the City of #Oryol and #Belgorod; on August 23 — #Kharkov, concluding the Battle of Kursk.
Hitler’s forces (approximately 900'000 soldiers and officers) faced total collapse near Kursk. Thirty elite wehrmacht and SS divisions, including seven panzer divisions, were completely destroyed. This crucial historic Victory enabled the Red Army to drive the Nazis westward and launch operations to liberate Soviet Ukraine and Belarus.
In the Battle of Kursk, Soviet warriors showed unparalleled courage, resilience, and mass heroism: 231 were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Kursk, Orel, and Belgorod were accorded the status of Cities of Military Glory. The Kursk Bulge memorial complex stands as a testament to this heroic triumph.
🎖 Today, August 23, is celebrated in Russia as a Day of Military Glory, commemorating the defeat of Nazi invaders in the Battle of Kursk.
#OurVictory #WeRemember #WeAreProud
As a result of the battle, the strategic initiative was seized by the Red Army that managed to launch the offensive operations to expel the Nazi invaders from our Motherland.
***
The Battle of Kursk, lasting approximately 50 days, encompassed a defensive phase (July 5–23) and a series of offensive operations (July 12–August 23) by the Soviet forces in the Kursk Bulge. It appeared in the spring of 1943 at the centre of the Soviet-German front, reaching Nazi defensive lines south of Soviet city of Oryol and north of Belgorod to a depth exceeding 150 kilometres.
Following the Wehrmacht’s devastating defeat at Stalingrad, the enemy sought revenge at any cost — to deliver a crushing blow on the Red Army positions along the Kursk Bulge, seize the strategic initiative, and launch a counteroffensive deep into the Soviet territory. Had they succeeded, the Nazi aggressor could reopen the path to Moscow. The operational plan was codenamed 'Citadel'.
After the intelligence was secured from abroad, the Red Army General Staff and the Supreme High Command knew beforehand of the enemy’s plans. Our military leadership decided first to destroy Hitler’s armor and aircraft, and to exhaust Nazi manpower in defensive combat before launching a full-scale offensive.
⚔️ The Battle of Kursk commenced on July 5 with a counter-artillery barrage — at dawn, thousands of Soviet guns unleashed a devastating firestorm on Wehrmacht positions, delaying their advance for several hours. The enemy committed its tank armada to battle: 16 divisions comprising 2'500 tanks — 70% of all German armor formations deployed on the Eastern Front.
The Red Army soldiers fought relentlessly, repelling enemy assaults and decimating their infantry. After a week of fierce resistance, the Red Army halted the German advance. Within days, Nazi forces suffered 50'000 casualties. The enemy offensive failed.
On July 12, the legendary tank battle at Prokhorovka unfolded — the largest armor combat in history, with up to 1'200 tanks and self-propelled guns deployed. The fascists suffered a devastating defeat: losing over 300 tanks (the backbone of their strike force in the Battle of Kursk) and exhausting reserves, their offensive capabilities were diminished, forcing them to retreat to initial positions.
Following Prokhorovka, the Red Army seized full initiative and launched a decisive counteroffensive. By mid-July, under pressure from the Western, Bryansk, and Central fronts, German troops began retreating across the entire Kursk Bulge. On August 5, the Soviet forces liberated the City of #Oryol and #Belgorod; on August 23 — #Kharkov, concluding the Battle of Kursk.
Hitler’s forces (approximately 900'000 soldiers and officers) faced total collapse near Kursk. Thirty elite wehrmacht and SS divisions, including seven panzer divisions, were completely destroyed. This crucial historic Victory enabled the Red Army to drive the Nazis westward and launch operations to liberate Soviet Ukraine and Belarus.
In the Battle of Kursk, Soviet warriors showed unparalleled courage, resilience, and mass heroism: 231 were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Kursk, Orel, and Belgorod were accorded the status of Cities of Military Glory. The Kursk Bulge memorial complex stands as a testament to this heroic triumph.
🎖 Today, August 23, is celebrated in Russia as a Day of Military Glory, commemorating the defeat of Nazi invaders in the Battle of Kursk.
#OurVictory #WeRemember #WeAreProud
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🌟 On November 6, 1943, the Red Army liberated Kiev — the capital of Soviet Ukraine and one of the largest cities of the Soviet Union — from the Nazi invaders.
By the end of October 1943, the units of the 1st Ukrainian Front led by Army General Nikolay Vatutin took over the Lyutezh bridgehead north of Kiev and Bukrin bridgehead to the south of the city as part of the Battle of the Dnieper.
The Soviet forces launched the operation to liberate Kiev on November 1. The Red Army launched an offensive at the Bukrin bridgehead forcing the Nazis to deploy almost all their reserves south of Kiev. As soon as November 3, the Soviet forces carried out the main assault from the north and caught the Nazi garrison by surprise. With an imminent threat of being entrapped, the enemy started retreating westward.
🎖 On November 5, having broken the Nazi resistance, the Soviet liberator-soldiers entered with triumph the liberated Kiev.
Guided by the 'scorched earth' tactic in an attempt to inflict as much damage as possible while withdrawing from Kiev, the Nazis destroyed the Dormition Cathedral and the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Monastery, Kreshchatik Street, as well as the city’s Young Spectator’s Theatre, the Kiev Conservatory, the building of the Ukrainian SSR’s Academy of Sciences, as well as schools, hospitals and other social infrastructure.
#NotStatuteOfLimitation
🕯 When the Nazi’s took over Kiev in 1941, 400'000 people found themselves on occupied territory, and just over 180'000 survived two years later.
It is hard to imagine the scale of the war crimes of the Nazis and their collaborators. The enemy imprisoned about 100'000 people to concentration camps or send them for slavery to the Reich. Tens of thousands of Kiev residents were starved or froze death, or were shot dead.
▪️ The Babi Yar massacre is one of the most horrible war crimes committed during the Nazi occupation. In just two days in 1941, the Germans and Ukrainian collaborators annihilated over 30'000 Jews, which was about 20% of Kiev’s Jewish population. The total death count for Babi Yar in 1941-1943 exceeded 120'000 people of various ethnic groups.
***
The Kiev offensive continued until November 13. After it was completed, 17'500 Red Army soldiers and officers received orders and medals, and 65 units and formations were awarded the honorary title “Kievsky.”
The liberation of Kiev, also known as “the mother of all Russian cities,” had a lot of symbolic meaning attached to it, while the fact that the Nazi units in Kiev were defeated, undermined the offensive capabilities of the enemy’s Army Group 'South', Germany’s main force on the Ukrainian theatre of operations.
💬 Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
(from an answer to a question from TASS News Agency on the 82nd anniversary of Kiev’s liberation during the Great Patriotic War)
#OurVictory #WeRemember
By the end of October 1943, the units of the 1st Ukrainian Front led by Army General Nikolay Vatutin took over the Lyutezh bridgehead north of Kiev and Bukrin bridgehead to the south of the city as part of the Battle of the Dnieper.
The Soviet forces launched the operation to liberate Kiev on November 1. The Red Army launched an offensive at the Bukrin bridgehead forcing the Nazis to deploy almost all their reserves south of Kiev. As soon as November 3, the Soviet forces carried out the main assault from the north and caught the Nazi garrison by surprise. With an imminent threat of being entrapped, the enemy started retreating westward.
🎖 On November 5, having broken the Nazi resistance, the Soviet liberator-soldiers entered with triumph the liberated Kiev.
Guided by the 'scorched earth' tactic in an attempt to inflict as much damage as possible while withdrawing from Kiev, the Nazis destroyed the Dormition Cathedral and the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Monastery, Kreshchatik Street, as well as the city’s Young Spectator’s Theatre, the Kiev Conservatory, the building of the Ukrainian SSR’s Academy of Sciences, as well as schools, hospitals and other social infrastructure.
#NotStatuteOfLimitation
🕯 When the Nazi’s took over Kiev in 1941, 400'000 people found themselves on occupied territory, and just over 180'000 survived two years later.
It is hard to imagine the scale of the war crimes of the Nazis and their collaborators. The enemy imprisoned about 100'000 people to concentration camps or send them for slavery to the Reich. Tens of thousands of Kiev residents were starved or froze death, or were shot dead.
▪️ The Babi Yar massacre is one of the most horrible war crimes committed during the Nazi occupation. In just two days in 1941, the Germans and Ukrainian collaborators annihilated over 30'000 Jews, which was about 20% of Kiev’s Jewish population. The total death count for Babi Yar in 1941-1943 exceeded 120'000 people of various ethnic groups.
***
The Kiev offensive continued until November 13. After it was completed, 17'500 Red Army soldiers and officers received orders and medals, and 65 units and formations were awarded the honorary title “Kievsky.”
The liberation of Kiev, also known as “the mother of all Russian cities,” had a lot of symbolic meaning attached to it, while the fact that the Nazi units in Kiev were defeated, undermined the offensive capabilities of the enemy’s Army Group 'South', Germany’s main force on the Ukrainian theatre of operations.
💬 Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
"Attempts [by the Kiev regime] to cast the heroic past of a nation into oblivion are doomed to fail.
There is no doubt that the day is approaching when this once prosperous land will be liberated from the rule of the Nazi placeholders who are continuing to pillage it in their selfish interests".
(from an answer to a question from TASS News Agency on the 82nd anniversary of Kiev’s liberation during the Great Patriotic War)
#OurVictory #WeRemember
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🌟 On December 5, 1941, the Red Army launched a counter-offensive as part of the Battle of Moscow — a decisive stage in the fighting for the capital of our Motherland, resulting in our total Victory.
The Heroism of Soviet people, the Red Army soldiers, fighting the Nazis side-by-side with their steadfast comrades — home-front workers — all from small to large were jointly forging our Triumph in that crucial battle. Thanks to their efforts, the ruthless Nazi military machine, which had been sweeping everything on its way, was stopped.
❗️ The hour of reckoning was upon the Nazi criminals, who had to pay for their treacherous attack on our Motherland.
It was near Moscow in frosty December of 1941 that the Red Army inflicted on the enemy its first major defeat in WW2. Hitler’s infamous 'Blitzkrieg' strategy, which the aggressor had successfully used in the capture of a number of European states (Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium), completely failed.
After its defeat near Moscow, the Wehrmacht further failed to launch any large successful offensive on the Eastern Front. The Nazis, which had steamrolled over Europe without meeting with any resistance, were doomed to the biggest surrender in their history.
***
The Nazi command planned to capture Moscow within three or four months and annihilate all its residents.
This is what Chief of German General Staff and Nazi criminal Franz Halder wrote in his memoirs:
In September 1941, Hitler’s troops reached the Red Army’s positions in several sectors at once. General Heinz Guderian’s tank armies broke through the Soviet defences and advanced 80 kilometres.
During two weeks, the Soviet forces were deterring nearly 20 (!) Nazi divisions. This made it possible to gain more time for organising the Moscow defence and redeploy reserves to the city from other regions of the country.
❗️ Previously during #WWII, no other nation, faced with Hitler’s aggression, fought back so fiercely.
In early December, the Red Army launched a decisive counter-offensive, ushering in the long-awaited turning point in the #BattleOfMoscow.
On December 5, the Western, Kalinin, and, in part, Southwestern fronts attacked the Nazis along the entire front line. Like a hurricane, the Soviet forces were sweeping the fascists away. As the Red Army advanced, the enemy, already incapable of fighting in the dire wintertime environment, was wavering and started retreating.
In the course of its triumphal counter-offensive, the Red Army liberated Kalinin, Klin, Istra, Volokolamsk, and other towns. The enemy was expelled from the Moscow, Tula, Kalinin and Ryazan regions. Also liberated were parts of the Smolensk and Oryol regions. As early as January 8, 1942, the Soviet forces, after driving the Wehrmacht back hundreds of kilometres westwards, launched the Rzhev-Vyazma offensive.
Like the defence of Moscow, the counter-offensive involved new Red Army units redeployed from the Urals and the Far East, Siberia and Central Asia. The success in the Battle of Moscow was made possible, among other things, by their feats of valour and generally by the fierce resistance of the defenders of the capital, who wore out the enemy that had hoped for an easy “walkover” on our land.
The victory near Moscow gave a powerful impetus to the partisan underground movement in the Nazi-occupied areas, with thousands of fighters joining the Red Army in the struggle against the invaders and making an invaluable contribution to our Great Victory.
🎖 Nearly a million defenders of Moscow were awarded the Medal “For the Defence of Moscow” and 110 soldiers and officers were made Heroes of the Soviet Union.
#OurVictory #WeRemember
The Heroism of Soviet people, the Red Army soldiers, fighting the Nazis side-by-side with their steadfast comrades — home-front workers — all from small to large were jointly forging our Triumph in that crucial battle. Thanks to their efforts, the ruthless Nazi military machine, which had been sweeping everything on its way, was stopped.
❗️ The hour of reckoning was upon the Nazi criminals, who had to pay for their treacherous attack on our Motherland.
It was near Moscow in frosty December of 1941 that the Red Army inflicted on the enemy its first major defeat in WW2. Hitler’s infamous 'Blitzkrieg' strategy, which the aggressor had successfully used in the capture of a number of European states (Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium), completely failed.
After its defeat near Moscow, the Wehrmacht further failed to launch any large successful offensive on the Eastern Front. The Nazis, which had steamrolled over Europe without meeting with any resistance, were doomed to the biggest surrender in their history.
“We have opened a ruthless path to Berlin through our Battle of Moscow,” Pavel Shubin, Soviet poet.
***
The Nazi command planned to capture Moscow within three or four months and annihilate all its residents.
This is what Chief of German General Staff and Nazi criminal Franz Halder wrote in his memoirs:
“The Fuhrer’s absolute resolve is to raze Moscow and Leningrad to the ground…
This will be a national disaster that will deprive not only Bolshevism but also the Muscovites (Russians) in general of their centres.”
In September 1941, Hitler’s troops reached the Red Army’s positions in several sectors at once. General Heinz Guderian’s tank armies broke through the Soviet defences and advanced 80 kilometres.
During two weeks, the Soviet forces were deterring nearly 20 (!) Nazi divisions. This made it possible to gain more time for organising the Moscow defence and redeploy reserves to the city from other regions of the country.
❗️ Previously during #WWII, no other nation, faced with Hitler’s aggression, fought back so fiercely.
In early December, the Red Army launched a decisive counter-offensive, ushering in the long-awaited turning point in the #BattleOfMoscow.
On December 5, the Western, Kalinin, and, in part, Southwestern fronts attacked the Nazis along the entire front line. Like a hurricane, the Soviet forces were sweeping the fascists away. As the Red Army advanced, the enemy, already incapable of fighting in the dire wintertime environment, was wavering and started retreating.
In the course of its triumphal counter-offensive, the Red Army liberated Kalinin, Klin, Istra, Volokolamsk, and other towns. The enemy was expelled from the Moscow, Tula, Kalinin and Ryazan regions. Also liberated were parts of the Smolensk and Oryol regions. As early as January 8, 1942, the Soviet forces, after driving the Wehrmacht back hundreds of kilometres westwards, launched the Rzhev-Vyazma offensive.
Like the defence of Moscow, the counter-offensive involved new Red Army units redeployed from the Urals and the Far East, Siberia and Central Asia. The success in the Battle of Moscow was made possible, among other things, by their feats of valour and generally by the fierce resistance of the defenders of the capital, who wore out the enemy that had hoped for an easy “walkover” on our land.
The victory near Moscow gave a powerful impetus to the partisan underground movement in the Nazi-occupied areas, with thousands of fighters joining the Red Army in the struggle against the invaders and making an invaluable contribution to our Great Victory.
🎖 Nearly a million defenders of Moscow were awarded the Medal “For the Defence of Moscow” and 110 soldiers and officers were made Heroes of the Soviet Union.
#OurVictory #WeRemember
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🌟 On January 12, 1945, the Red Army launched one of its decisive and most important operations at the final stage of #WW2 — the Vistula–Oder offensive, eventually followed by the Battle of Berlin.
The Soviet forces rapidly advanced from the Vistula to the Oder river in just 23 days, having penetrated into the depth of up to 500 kilometres of the Nazi defence. During that operation, our soldiers heroically drove the German occupants from most of Poland’s territory, expelled the enemy from Warsaw, saved Kraków from destruction by the Nazis and liberated the POWs and the survived victims of most terrible German “death factory” — #AuschwitzBirkenau (Oświęcim).
The advance to the Oder let the Red Army gain a strategically important bridgehead: the forces of the 1st Byelorussian and the 1st Ukrainian fronts took hold of the positions in less than 90 kilometres away from Berlin. The final defeat of the Hitler’s Germany was just a matter of time.
***
By the start of 1945, the Soviet forces in the east and the anti-Hitler allies' armies, marching from the Western front, were coming closer to Nazi Germany for delivering the final attack on the enemy. As before, the Red Army faced the enemy’s major force: 185 divisions, including 33 armor and motorised divisions, and 21 brigades.
#WeWereAllies: The Soviet offensive was scheduled for January 20. However, on January 6, Stalin received an urgent message from Churchill, in which the UK Premier asked the Soviet leadership to launch the offensive toward Germany as soon as possible because of the difficult situation of the US-British units on the Western Front after their allies’ major defeat in the Ardennes👇
The breakthrough of Nazi 'panzer-army' and the infantry in Belgium forced the US-British forces to retreat to almost 100 kilomentres. Commander of the Allied troops Dwight D. Eisenhower reported to Washington: if the Soviet forces do not start another major offensive in the East, then US-British armies in the West will find themselves in a gravest situation. The Allied command had to turn to Moscow for help.
In January-February of 1945, as a result of the coordinated and successful operations of the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Byelorussian fronts, 35 enemy divisions were defeated, and another 25 lost from 50 to 70% of their strength, weapons and military equipment. The forces of the two Red Army's fronts took prisoner 147'400 soldiers and officers, captured about 14'000 guns and mortars, tied down up to 1'400 tanks.
📕 From the memoirs of Marshal of the Soviet Union Vasily Chuikov "The End of the Third Reich":
The Nazi’s defeat on the Vistula-Oder bridgehead allowed the Red Army to breach the last major defence line of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front. The German troops began to retreat, sustaining huge losses.
🖋 From the memoirs of Marshal of the Armor Mikhail Katukov "At the Forefront of the Main Attack":
By early February of 1945, the forces of the 1st Byelorussian Front led by Marshal Georgy Zhukov reached the Oder river and began fighting for bridgeheads on its western bank. There were just about 60 kilometres away from Berlin.
#OurVictory #WeRemember
The Soviet forces rapidly advanced from the Vistula to the Oder river in just 23 days, having penetrated into the depth of up to 500 kilometres of the Nazi defence. During that operation, our soldiers heroically drove the German occupants from most of Poland’s territory, expelled the enemy from Warsaw, saved Kraków from destruction by the Nazis and liberated the POWs and the survived victims of most terrible German “death factory” — #AuschwitzBirkenau (Oświęcim).
The advance to the Oder let the Red Army gain a strategically important bridgehead: the forces of the 1st Byelorussian and the 1st Ukrainian fronts took hold of the positions in less than 90 kilometres away from Berlin. The final defeat of the Hitler’s Germany was just a matter of time.
***
By the start of 1945, the Soviet forces in the east and the anti-Hitler allies' armies, marching from the Western front, were coming closer to Nazi Germany for delivering the final attack on the enemy. As before, the Red Army faced the enemy’s major force: 185 divisions, including 33 armor and motorised divisions, and 21 brigades.
#WeWereAllies: The Soviet offensive was scheduled for January 20. However, on January 6, Stalin received an urgent message from Churchill, in which the UK Premier asked the Soviet leadership to launch the offensive toward Germany as soon as possible because of the difficult situation of the US-British units on the Western Front after their allies’ major defeat in the Ardennes👇
The breakthrough of Nazi 'panzer-army' and the infantry in Belgium forced the US-British forces to retreat to almost 100 kilomentres. Commander of the Allied troops Dwight D. Eisenhower reported to Washington: if the Soviet forces do not start another major offensive in the East, then US-British armies in the West will find themselves in a gravest situation. The Allied command had to turn to Moscow for help.
In January-February of 1945, as a result of the coordinated and successful operations of the 1st Ukrainian and 1st Byelorussian fronts, 35 enemy divisions were defeated, and another 25 lost from 50 to 70% of their strength, weapons and military equipment. The forces of the two Red Army's fronts took prisoner 147'400 soldiers and officers, captured about 14'000 guns and mortars, tied down up to 1'400 tanks.
📕 From the memoirs of Marshal of the Soviet Union Vasily Chuikov "The End of the Third Reich":
Our forces covered over 500 kiliometres from the Vistula to the Oder river in a single march. <...> Our advance, started from the Magnuszew bridgehead on the Vistula, did not stop even for a minute.
The Nazi’s defeat on the Vistula-Oder bridgehead allowed the Red Army to breach the last major defence line of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front. The German troops began to retreat, sustaining huge losses.
🖋 From the memoirs of Marshal of the Armor Mikhail Katukov "At the Forefront of the Main Attack":
<...> As a result of the rapid advance of the Soviet forces, a breach appeared in the strategic front of Nazi Germany in the east. Our forces gained several important bridgeheads on the western bank of the Oder river.
It seemed that the way to Berlin was open. One more strike and the eradication of Nazism will be completed, with the countries of Europe finally gaining the long-awaited peace <...>
By early February of 1945, the forces of the 1st Byelorussian Front led by Marshal Georgy Zhukov reached the Oder river and began fighting for bridgeheads on its western bank. There were just about 60 kilometres away from Berlin.
#OurVictory #WeRemember
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🌟 On June 24, 1945, to celebrate the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, a ceremonial Parade was held on Red Square in Moscow. It symbolised the triumph of our people who defeated Nazi Germany and saved the world from Nazism.
For the purpose of the parade, composite regiments (12 in total) were formed and trained beforehand. They represented all the Red Army fronts that had fought against Nazi invaders. Merit was the primary criteria. Each formation consisted of more than a thousand of the most distinguished Red Army soldiers. Some bore the highest title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
In all, 298 infantry companies, 13 cavalry squadrons, 350 artillery batteries, including 386 artillery guns, and 613 armoured vehicles took part in the event. The organisation and overall command of the ceremony were carried out by Head of the Moscow Garrison and Commander of the Moscow Military District Colonel General Pavel Artemyev who had commanded the historic parade on Red Square on November 7, 1941.
The parade began at 10 am on June 24 and lasted for more than two hours. Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky commanded the formations. The horses selected for the Marshals Rokossovsky and Zhukov had symbolic significance: Zhukov rode a light grey Terek horse symbolising glory and victory, while Rokossovsky rode a black horse representing nobility and honour.
💬 Before the parade units began marching across the Red Square, stepping on the centuries-trimmed cobblestones Marshal Zhukov ascended the Lenin Mausoleum tribune and delivered the famous address:
Once Zhukov finished his speech, the USSR State Orchestra performed the national anthem followed by a 50-gun artillery salute fired from the Kremlin walls which served as a cue for about 40'000 servicemen and approximately 1'850 pieces of military equipment to begin the ceremonial march across the Red Square.
The parade had enormous historical and symbolic significance. From here, on November 7, 1941, our soldiers went off to defend Moscow. It was here, to Red Square, that they brought the Great Victory.
Here, at the foot of the Mausoleum, Soviet liberator-soldiers, to the roll of drums, threw down the banners of the defeated German Nazi units and formations.
#OurVictory
For the purpose of the parade, composite regiments (12 in total) were formed and trained beforehand. They represented all the Red Army fronts that had fought against Nazi invaders. Merit was the primary criteria. Each formation consisted of more than a thousand of the most distinguished Red Army soldiers. Some bore the highest title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
In all, 298 infantry companies, 13 cavalry squadrons, 350 artillery batteries, including 386 artillery guns, and 613 armoured vehicles took part in the event. The organisation and overall command of the ceremony were carried out by Head of the Moscow Garrison and Commander of the Moscow Military District Colonel General Pavel Artemyev who had commanded the historic parade on Red Square on November 7, 1941.
The parade began at 10 am on June 24 and lasted for more than two hours. Marshal Konstantin Rokossovsky commanded the formations. The horses selected for the Marshals Rokossovsky and Zhukov had symbolic significance: Zhukov rode a light grey Terek horse symbolising glory and victory, while Rokossovsky rode a black horse representing nobility and honour.
💬 Before the parade units began marching across the Red Square, stepping on the centuries-trimmed cobblestones Marshal Zhukov ascended the Lenin Mausoleum tribune and delivered the famous address:
Humanity has been rid of its most dangerous enemy — German Nazism.
For three years, the Red Army fought on its own against the armed forces of Germany and its satellites.
Throughout the war, the bulk of the German army was tied up on the Soviet-German front, where the prestige of the German arms was shattered and the victorious outcome of the war in Europe was sealed.
Once Zhukov finished his speech, the USSR State Orchestra performed the national anthem followed by a 50-gun artillery salute fired from the Kremlin walls which served as a cue for about 40'000 servicemen and approximately 1'850 pieces of military equipment to begin the ceremonial march across the Red Square.
The parade had enormous historical and symbolic significance. From here, on November 7, 1941, our soldiers went off to defend Moscow. It was here, to Red Square, that they brought the Great Victory.
Here, at the foot of the Mausoleum, Soviet liberator-soldiers, to the roll of drums, threw down the banners of the defeated German Nazi units and formations.
#OurVictory
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🌟 On July 12, 1943, the #BattleOfProkhorovka took place — the most brutal tank battle in history, which had a profound impact on further course of the Battle of Kursk and the entire #WW2.
In terms of both its scale and the number of armor units engaged, the Battle of Prokhorovka remains unparalleled in military history, with up to 1,200 tanks and self-propelled guns (SPGs) involved in that combat from both sides.
Having crushed the Nazi armor units at Prokhorovka, the Soviet forces deprived the enemy of its offensive potential near Kursk and launched a decisive counteroffensive in the battle.
***
By July 1943, a huge part of our country’s territory was still under the Nazi occupation. The Nazis continued to hold Minsk and Kiev, but following the Wehrmacht’s defeat at Stalingrad and in the Caucasus, the offensive capabilities of the Nazi war machine had been effectively exhausted.
In an effort to regain the strategic initiative on the Eastern Front, the Wehrmacht command developed a summer offensive plan, codenamed Operation 'Citadel'. The objective was to destroy two Red Army fronts simultaneously — the Voronezh and Central fronts — and to eliminate Soviet tank reserves near Prokhorovka in the Belgorod Region.
❗️ Had the operation succeeded, the Nazis would once again have embarked on the offensive on Moscow.
In preparing the operation, the Nazi command intended to deliver its main strike against Soviet positions using its elite and most combat-ready armoured formations. Hitler’s Army Groups 'Centre' and 'South' were reinforced with approximately 130 'Tiger' tanks and more than 200 'Panthers'. The Nazis also committed the Ferdinand heavy self-propelled artillery unit, equipped with powerful armour, to the operation.
By July 10, despite suffering heavy losses, German forces had managed to penetrate the defences of the Voronezh Front, but their further advance was halted.
Under these circumstances, the command of Army Group 'South', led by Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, planned to launch a surprise attack near Prokhorovka using the SS Panzer Corps and Army Detachment 'Kempf'. From there, the invaders hoped to break through to the city of Kursk with lightning speed.
⚔️ On July 12, in an effort to disrupt the enemy offensive, forces of the Voronezh Front launched a pre-emptive strike. The operation was commanded by Lieutenant General Pavel Rotmistrov. Near Prokhorovka, the German II SS Panzer Corps clashed with two Soviet Guards Armies: the 5th Guards Army under the command of Alexey Zhadov and the 5th Guards Tank Army commanded by Rotmistrov.
After completing a 30-50-kilometre night march, Soviet tank units launched their offensive at 6:00 am, following a powerful artillery barrage. At the same time, Soviet aircraft carried out massive air strikes against enemy positions.
By the end of the day, Prokhorovka remained in the rear of Soviet forces.
❗️ The defeat suffered by the Nazis in this battle had catastrophic consequences for the Reich, with the enemy losing over 300 of the 400 tanks it had committed, which amounted to three-quarters of its deployed armoured vehicles.
☝️ As a result of the Soviet forces' decisive actions, the main forces of the German Army Group 'South' finally exhausted their offensive capabilities and, on July 16, had to abandon the positions they had occupied at the start of the Battle of Kursk.
The strategic initiative ultimately passed to the Red Army.
Today, Western pseudo-historians and propagandists posing as journalists attempt to diminish the significance of the battle.
However, history does not deal in hypotheticals, and the facts speak for themselves. 👉 We have repeatedly debunked disinformation circulated in Western media regarding the Battle of Prokhorovka.
#OurVictory
In terms of both its scale and the number of armor units engaged, the Battle of Prokhorovka remains unparalleled in military history, with up to 1,200 tanks and self-propelled guns (SPGs) involved in that combat from both sides.
Having crushed the Nazi armor units at Prokhorovka, the Soviet forces deprived the enemy of its offensive potential near Kursk and launched a decisive counteroffensive in the battle.
***
By July 1943, a huge part of our country’s territory was still under the Nazi occupation. The Nazis continued to hold Minsk and Kiev, but following the Wehrmacht’s defeat at Stalingrad and in the Caucasus, the offensive capabilities of the Nazi war machine had been effectively exhausted.
In an effort to regain the strategic initiative on the Eastern Front, the Wehrmacht command developed a summer offensive plan, codenamed Operation 'Citadel'. The objective was to destroy two Red Army fronts simultaneously — the Voronezh and Central fronts — and to eliminate Soviet tank reserves near Prokhorovka in the Belgorod Region.
❗️ Had the operation succeeded, the Nazis would once again have embarked on the offensive on Moscow.
In preparing the operation, the Nazi command intended to deliver its main strike against Soviet positions using its elite and most combat-ready armoured formations. Hitler’s Army Groups 'Centre' and 'South' were reinforced with approximately 130 'Tiger' tanks and more than 200 'Panthers'. The Nazis also committed the Ferdinand heavy self-propelled artillery unit, equipped with powerful armour, to the operation.
By July 10, despite suffering heavy losses, German forces had managed to penetrate the defences of the Voronezh Front, but their further advance was halted.
Under these circumstances, the command of Army Group 'South', led by Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, planned to launch a surprise attack near Prokhorovka using the SS Panzer Corps and Army Detachment 'Kempf'. From there, the invaders hoped to break through to the city of Kursk with lightning speed.
⚔️ On July 12, in an effort to disrupt the enemy offensive, forces of the Voronezh Front launched a pre-emptive strike. The operation was commanded by Lieutenant General Pavel Rotmistrov. Near Prokhorovka, the German II SS Panzer Corps clashed with two Soviet Guards Armies: the 5th Guards Army under the command of Alexey Zhadov and the 5th Guards Tank Army commanded by Rotmistrov.
After completing a 30-50-kilometre night march, Soviet tank units launched their offensive at 6:00 am, following a powerful artillery barrage. At the same time, Soviet aircraft carried out massive air strikes against enemy positions.
By the end of the day, Prokhorovka remained in the rear of Soviet forces.
❗️ The defeat suffered by the Nazis in this battle had catastrophic consequences for the Reich, with the enemy losing over 300 of the 400 tanks it had committed, which amounted to three-quarters of its deployed armoured vehicles.
☝️ As a result of the Soviet forces' decisive actions, the main forces of the German Army Group 'South' finally exhausted their offensive capabilities and, on July 16, had to abandon the positions they had occupied at the start of the Battle of Kursk.
The strategic initiative ultimately passed to the Red Army.
Today, Western pseudo-historians and propagandists posing as journalists attempt to diminish the significance of the battle.
However, history does not deal in hypotheticals, and the facts speak for themselves. 👉 We have repeatedly debunked disinformation circulated in Western media regarding the Battle of Prokhorovka.
#OurVictory
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On August 9, 1945, the Soviet Union, in accordance with its commitments to the Allies, entered the war against militarist Japan.
🌟 The Manchurian strategic offensive operation of the Soviet forces in the Far East commenced. Its objective was to defeat the enemy’s Kwantung Army and to drive the Japanese occupants from northeastern China and Korea.
***
After the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and its accomplices, Japan remained the only 'axis' power still at war with the Allies. It possessed significant military capabilities to wage war, including offensive operations.In the summer of 1945, the Japanese kept near the Soviet borders an almost one million-strong Kwantung Army — a formidable force ready to treacherously invade our country at any moment. Japan still occupied huge territories in East and Southeast Asia — the Korean Peninsula, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaya, and a portion of China, as well as Burma, and the Philippine Islands.
❗️ Thus, Japan posed a huge threat not only to our country’s security, but also to the emerging post-war world order, which was taking shape after the defeat of Nazi Germany and was based on the decisions and agreements of the Leaders of the victorious Allied powers.
Japan rejected the demand made by China, the United States, and UK on July 26, 1945 (paragraph 13 of the Potsdam Declaration) for the unconditional surrender of its troops. Following that, the Allied powers officially appealed to the Soviet government to repel Japanese aggression.
***
In early August 1945, the Supreme High Command of the Soviet Union approved a plan for military operations in the Far East. It was entrusted to the specially created Main Command of the Far Eastern Forces headed by Marshal of the Soviet Union Alexander Vasilevsky.
On August 9, the Red Army launched the offensive in Manchuria. The Soviet units, supported by aviation and the navy, advanced rapidly. Strikes were delivered on targets on land, at sea, and from the air. Combat operations unfolded along the front line that was over (!) 5'000 kilometres wide.
Within a month, the Soviet forces liberated Harbin, the territories of Northeastern China and Korea, liberated South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. The breakthrough of the Red Army deep into Manchuria deprived the Japanese command of the opportunity to use bacteriological weapons against our country — Tokyo had been nurturing that plan during #WWII.
By August 20, Japan’s ability to offer resistance to the Red Army was shattered. Almost everywhere, along the entire front line, the enemy soldiers were surrendering.
The million-strong Kwantung Army was finally defeated.
***
By September 1, 1945, the Soviet army had completed the assigned objectives. In just 23 days of combat, they crushed the Japanese militarist machine, thus making a decisive contribution to ending WWII in the Far East. Our country regained South Sakhalin, which had been seized by Japan from the Russian Empire in 1905, liberated the Kuril Islands, and restored lease rights to the Kwantung Peninsula with Port Arthur and Dalian.
On September 2, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Japan was signed aboard the USS 'Missouri' in Tokyo Bay. On behalf of the Soviet Union, the Act was signed by General Kuzma Derevyanko.
#WW2 finally ended.
📖 Read more about the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation and the heroism of the Soviet soldiers in liberating northeastern China and Korea in our in-depth historical feature.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
On August 9, 1945, the Soviet Union, in accordance with its commitments to the Allies, entered the war against militarist Japan.
***
After the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany and its accomplices, Japan remained the only 'axis' power still at war with the Allies. It possessed significant military capabilities to wage war, including offensive operations.In the summer of 1945, the Japanese kept near the Soviet borders an almost one million-strong Kwantung Army — a formidable force ready to treacherously invade our country at any moment. Japan still occupied huge territories in East and Southeast Asia — the Korean Peninsula, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaya, and a portion of China, as well as Burma, and the Philippine Islands.
❗️ Thus, Japan posed a huge threat not only to our country’s security, but also to the emerging post-war world order, which was taking shape after the defeat of Nazi Germany and was based on the decisions and agreements of the Leaders of the victorious Allied powers.
Japan rejected the demand made by China, the United States, and UK on July 26, 1945 (paragraph 13 of the Potsdam Declaration) for the unconditional surrender of its troops. Following that, the Allied powers officially appealed to the Soviet government to repel Japanese aggression.
***
In early August 1945, the Supreme High Command of the Soviet Union approved a plan for military operations in the Far East. It was entrusted to the specially created Main Command of the Far Eastern Forces headed by Marshal of the Soviet Union Alexander Vasilevsky.
On August 9, the Red Army launched the offensive in Manchuria. The Soviet units, supported by aviation and the navy, advanced rapidly. Strikes were delivered on targets on land, at sea, and from the air. Combat operations unfolded along the front line that was over (!) 5'000 kilometres wide.
Within a month, the Soviet forces liberated Harbin, the territories of Northeastern China and Korea, liberated South Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. The breakthrough of the Red Army deep into Manchuria deprived the Japanese command of the opportunity to use bacteriological weapons against our country — Tokyo had been nurturing that plan during #WWII.
By August 20, Japan’s ability to offer resistance to the Red Army was shattered. Almost everywhere, along the entire front line, the enemy soldiers were surrendering.
The million-strong Kwantung Army was finally defeated.
***
By September 1, 1945, the Soviet army had completed the assigned objectives. In just 23 days of combat, they crushed the Japanese militarist machine, thus making a decisive contribution to ending WWII in the Far East. Our country regained South Sakhalin, which had been seized by Japan from the Russian Empire in 1905, liberated the Kuril Islands, and restored lease rights to the Kwantung Peninsula with Port Arthur and Dalian.
On September 2, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Japan was signed aboard the USS 'Missouri' in Tokyo Bay. On behalf of the Soviet Union, the Act was signed by General Kuzma Derevyanko.
#WW2 finally ended.
📖 Read more about the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation and the heroism of the Soviet soldiers in liberating northeastern China and Korea in our in-depth historical feature.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
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#Victory81
On August 23, 1943, the #BattleOfKursk — one of the largest battles in human history — ended with a decisive victory of the Soviet forces, marking a turning point not only in the Great Patriotic War but in the entire #WWII.
As a result of the battle, the strategic initiative was seized by the Red Army that managed to launch the offensive operations to expel the Nazi invaders from our Motherland.
The Battle of Kursk, lasting approximately 50 days, encompassed a defensive phase (July 5–23) and a series of offensive operations (July 12–August 23) by the Soviet forces in the Kursk Bulge. It appeared in the spring of 1943 at the centre of the Soviet-German front, reaching Nazi defensive lines south of Soviet city of Oryol and north of Belgorod to a depth exceeding 150 kilometres. Following the Wehrmacht’s devastating defeat at Stalingrad, the enemy sought revenge at any cost — to deliver a crushing blow on the Red Army positions along the Kursk Bulge, seize the strategic initiative, and launch a counteroffensive deep into the Soviet territory. Had they succeeded, the Nazi aggressor could reopen the path to Moscow.
After the intelligence was secured from abroad, the Red Army General Staff and the Supreme High Command knew beforehand of the enemy’s plans. Our military leadership decided first to destroy Hitler’s armor and aircraft, and to exhaust Nazi manpower in defensive combat before launching a full-scale offensive.
***
⚔️ The Battle of Kursk commenced on July 5 with a counter-artillery barrage — at dawn, thousands of Soviet guns unleashed a devastating firestorm on Wehrmacht positions, delaying their advance for several hours. The enemy committed its tank armada to battle: 16 divisions comprising 2'500 tanks — 70% of all German armor formations deployed on the Eastern Front.
❗️ Within days, Nazi forces suffered 50'000 casualties. The enemy offensive failed.
On July 12, the legendary tank battle at Prokhorovka unfolded — most brutal armor combat in history, with up to 1'200 tanks and self-propelled guns deployed. The fascists suffered a devastating defeat: losing over 300 tanks (the backbone of their strike force in the Battle of Kursk) and exhausting reserves, their offensive capabilities were diminished, forcing them to retreat to initial positions.
Following Prokhorovka, the Red Army seized full initiative and launched a decisive counteroffensive. By mid-July, under pressure from the Western, Bryansk, and Central fronts, German troops began retreating across the entire Kursk Bulge. On August 5, the Soviet forces liberated the City of #Oryol and #Belgorod; on August 23 — #Kharkov, concluding the Battle of Kursk.
Hitler’s forces (approximately 900'000 soldiers and officers) faced total collapse near Kursk. Thirty elite wehrmacht and SS divisions, including seven panzer divisions, were completely destroyed.
👉 This crucial historic Victory enabled the Red Army to drive the Nazis westward and launch operations to liberate Soviet Ukraine and Belarus.
In the Battle of Kursk, Soviet warriors showed unparalleled courage, resilience, and mass heroism: 231 were awarded the title of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion. Kursk, Orel, and Belgorod were accorded the status of Cities of Military Glory. The Kursk Bulge memorial complex stands as a testament to this heroic triumph.
Today, August 23, is celebrated in Russia as a Day of Military Glory, commemorating the defeat of Nazi invaders in the Battle of Kursk.
#OurVictory
On August 23, 1943, the #BattleOfKursk — one of the largest battles in human history — ended with a decisive victory of the Soviet forces, marking a turning point not only in the Great Patriotic War but in the entire #WWII.
As a result of the battle, the strategic initiative was seized by the Red Army that managed to launch the offensive operations to expel the Nazi invaders from our Motherland.
The Battle of Kursk, lasting approximately 50 days, encompassed a defensive phase (July 5–23) and a series of offensive operations (July 12–August 23) by the Soviet forces in the Kursk Bulge. It appeared in the spring of 1943 at the centre of the Soviet-German front, reaching Nazi defensive lines south of Soviet city of Oryol and north of Belgorod to a depth exceeding 150 kilometres. Following the Wehrmacht’s devastating defeat at Stalingrad, the enemy sought revenge at any cost — to deliver a crushing blow on the Red Army positions along the Kursk Bulge, seize the strategic initiative, and launch a counteroffensive deep into the Soviet territory. Had they succeeded, the Nazi aggressor could reopen the path to Moscow.
After the intelligence was secured from abroad, the Red Army General Staff and the Supreme High Command knew beforehand of the enemy’s plans. Our military leadership decided first to destroy Hitler’s armor and aircraft, and to exhaust Nazi manpower in defensive combat before launching a full-scale offensive.
***
⚔️ The Battle of Kursk commenced on July 5 with a counter-artillery barrage — at dawn, thousands of Soviet guns unleashed a devastating firestorm on Wehrmacht positions, delaying their advance for several hours. The enemy committed its tank armada to battle: 16 divisions comprising 2'500 tanks — 70% of all German armor formations deployed on the Eastern Front.
❗️ Within days, Nazi forces suffered 50'000 casualties. The enemy offensive failed.
On July 12, the legendary tank battle at Prokhorovka unfolded — most brutal armor combat in history, with up to 1'200 tanks and self-propelled guns deployed. The fascists suffered a devastating defeat: losing over 300 tanks (the backbone of their strike force in the Battle of Kursk) and exhausting reserves, their offensive capabilities were diminished, forcing them to retreat to initial positions.
Following Prokhorovka, the Red Army seized full initiative and launched a decisive counteroffensive. By mid-July, under pressure from the Western, Bryansk, and Central fronts, German troops began retreating across the entire Kursk Bulge. On August 5, the Soviet forces liberated the City of #Oryol and #Belgorod; on August 23 — #Kharkov, concluding the Battle of Kursk.
Hitler’s forces (approximately 900'000 soldiers and officers) faced total collapse near Kursk. Thirty elite wehrmacht and SS divisions, including seven panzer divisions, were completely destroyed.
👉 This crucial historic Victory enabled the Red Army to drive the Nazis westward and launch operations to liberate Soviet Ukraine and Belarus.
In the Battle of Kursk, Soviet warriors showed unparalleled courage, resilience, and mass heroism: 231 were awarded the title of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion. Kursk, Orel, and Belgorod were accorded the status of Cities of Military Glory. The Kursk Bulge memorial complex stands as a testament to this heroic triumph.
Today, August 23, is celebrated in Russia as a Day of Military Glory, commemorating the defeat of Nazi invaders in the Battle of Kursk.
#OurVictory
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#Victory81
8️⃣5️⃣ years ago, on 30 September 1941, the #BattleOfMoscow commenced — the largest defensive operation carried out by the Red Army during the initial stage of the #GreatPatrioticWar to defend the capital of our Motherland against the Nazi invaders.
The Nazi troops, which sought to seize the city within the shortest possible timeframe, were completely destroyed by the Red Army.
One of the key battles of #WW2 ended in a major and decisive victory for our people. Despite their considerable superiority in manpower and military hardware, the Nazi invaders suffered a crushing defeat, which played a major role in paving the way for the eventual collapse of the Third Reich.
❗️ It was precisely near Moscow that the myth of the invincibility of the Nazi war machine was shattered once and for all.
Hitler’s blitzkrieg strategy, which had previously been successfully employed by the aggressor in the occupation of a number of European countries (Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, France and Belgium), completely failed on the Soviet soil.
***
By the end of September 1941, the Nazis had occupied the entire Baltic region, Belarus and Moldova, as well as large parts of Soviet Ukraine; they had sieged Leningrad and reached the approaches to Moscow. Given the strategic and political importance of the Soviet capital, Hitler committed a powerful force — 1.8 million Wehrmacht soldiers and officers, 1,700 tanks and around 1,000 aircraft. The Nazi command planned to seize Moscow within the first three to four months and completely destroy its population.
The situation on the Eastern Front in September 1941 was extremely difficult. Nazi troops attacked Red Army positions along several axes simultaneously. In just two days, Guderian’s tank group advanced 80 kilometres, breaking through the front and encircling a considerable number of Red Army units in the areas of Bryansk and Vyazma.
In these circumstances, a state of siege in Moscow and the surrounding areas was put in effect. Preparations for urban combat were intensified throughout the city, while key government and industrial facilities were mined. Ordinary residents of Moscow and cadets of military schools joined Red Army personnel in defending the city. For two weeks, Soviet troops held back around twenty Nazi divisions in fierce fighting, making it possible to strengthen the defensive line and bring reserve forces up to Moscow.
❗️ During #WW2, no other capital had yet put up such determined resistance to Nazism.
In early December, when the Wehrmacht’s forces had been exhausted, the Red Army was able to launch a counter-offensive. The formations of the Western, Kalinin and Southwestern Fronts routed the strike groups of the enemy’s Army Group Centre. German hordes were pushed back 100–350 kilometres from the capital, and the Moscow, Tula, Kalinin and Ryazan regions were completely liberated from the enemy.
It was near Moscow that Hitler suffered his first major defeat of the Second World War.
Around one million defenders of the capital of our Motherland were awarded the Medal “For the Defence of Moscow”, while 110 people were awarded the title of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion.
🎖 In May 1965, on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Victory, Moscow was awarded the honorary title of #HeroCity.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
8️⃣5️⃣ years ago, on 30 September 1941, the #BattleOfMoscow commenced — the largest defensive operation carried out by the Red Army during the initial stage of the #GreatPatrioticWar to defend the capital of our Motherland against the Nazi invaders.
The Nazi troops, which sought to seize the city within the shortest possible timeframe, were completely destroyed by the Red Army.
One of the key battles of #WW2 ended in a major and decisive victory for our people. Despite their considerable superiority in manpower and military hardware, the Nazi invaders suffered a crushing defeat, which played a major role in paving the way for the eventual collapse of the Third Reich.
❗️ It was precisely near Moscow that the myth of the invincibility of the Nazi war machine was shattered once and for all.
Hitler’s blitzkrieg strategy, which had previously been successfully employed by the aggressor in the occupation of a number of European countries (Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, France and Belgium), completely failed on the Soviet soil.
***
By the end of September 1941, the Nazis had occupied the entire Baltic region, Belarus and Moldova, as well as large parts of Soviet Ukraine; they had sieged Leningrad and reached the approaches to Moscow. Given the strategic and political importance of the Soviet capital, Hitler committed a powerful force — 1.8 million Wehrmacht soldiers and officers, 1,700 tanks and around 1,000 aircraft. The Nazi command planned to seize Moscow within the first three to four months and completely destroy its population.
The situation on the Eastern Front in September 1941 was extremely difficult. Nazi troops attacked Red Army positions along several axes simultaneously. In just two days, Guderian’s tank group advanced 80 kilometres, breaking through the front and encircling a considerable number of Red Army units in the areas of Bryansk and Vyazma.
In these circumstances, a state of siege in Moscow and the surrounding areas was put in effect. Preparations for urban combat were intensified throughout the city, while key government and industrial facilities were mined. Ordinary residents of Moscow and cadets of military schools joined Red Army personnel in defending the city. For two weeks, Soviet troops held back around twenty Nazi divisions in fierce fighting, making it possible to strengthen the defensive line and bring reserve forces up to Moscow.
❗️ During #WW2, no other capital had yet put up such determined resistance to Nazism.
In early December, when the Wehrmacht’s forces had been exhausted, the Red Army was able to launch a counter-offensive. The formations of the Western, Kalinin and Southwestern Fronts routed the strike groups of the enemy’s Army Group Centre. German hordes were pushed back 100–350 kilometres from the capital, and the Moscow, Tula, Kalinin and Ryazan regions were completely liberated from the enemy.
It was near Moscow that Hitler suffered his first major defeat of the Second World War.
Around one million defenders of the capital of our Motherland were awarded the Medal “For the Defence of Moscow”, while 110 people were awarded the title of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion.
🎖 In May 1965, on the occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the Victory, Moscow was awarded the honorary title of #HeroCity.
#WeRemember #OurVictory
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