Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
🌟 On July 13, 1944, Vilnius was liberated from Nazi invaders by the Red Army.
The capital of the Lithuanian SSR was a major railway hub, which the Nazis used for military operations in the Soviet Baltic region. In the summer of 1944, as Red Army forces rapidly advanced towards the USSR’s state border destroying Nazi units in Belarus, Vilnius became, for the Germans, effectively the last major defensive line on the approaches to East Prussia.
The core of the enemy garrison defending Vilnius consisted of the remnants of Wehrmacht units that had survived the battles outside Minsk and Vitebsk. The garrison also included a group of local collaborationists who had sworn allegiance to Hitler aka Lithuanian volunteer nationalist detachment. The entire Nazi group in the Vilnius area consisted of 15'000 Wehrmacht soldiers and officers.
The Vilnius Offensive Operation was entrusted to Army General Ivan Chernyakhovsky, a talented military commander.
The Nazi leadership ordered that Vilnius be held at any cost to the last German. This did not help. On July 7, armor units of the 3rd Byelorussian Front broke through the enemy defences and began encircling Vilnius from the south and west.
💬 From the memoirs of Marshal Alexander Vasilevsky:
Fierce street fighting broke out in the city. On July 8, the main forces of the 3rd Byelorussian Front reached Vilnius, advancing from the north and northeast as well as from the south. The occupants put up fierce resistance, and the Red Army soldiers had to fight for every house and literally for every floor.
Lithuanian partisans provided significant assistance to the Soviet forces, taking an active part in the liberation of Vilnius.
On July 13, Vilnius was completely liberated. During the operation, formations of the 3rd Byelorussian Front advanced 210 kilometres liberating the capital of the Lithuanian SSR and securing bridgeheads on the left bank of the Niemen River.
Thus, favourable conditions were created for reaching the borders of East Prussia — the stronghold of Nazi militarism and the last defensive line of the Reich on the Soviet-German front.
The Red Army clobbered the enemy during the summer-autumn offensive of 1944 in Byelorussia and the Baltic region. 👉 The Nazi North Army Group was effectively destroyed.
The remnants of the group were trapped in the Courland Pocket and eliminated there in the spring of 1945.
The capital of the Lithuanian SSR was a major railway hub, which the Nazis used for military operations in the Soviet Baltic region. In the summer of 1944, as Red Army forces rapidly advanced towards the USSR’s state border destroying Nazi units in Belarus, Vilnius became, for the Germans, effectively the last major defensive line on the approaches to East Prussia.
The core of the enemy garrison defending Vilnius consisted of the remnants of Wehrmacht units that had survived the battles outside Minsk and Vitebsk. The garrison also included a group of local collaborationists who had sworn allegiance to Hitler aka Lithuanian volunteer nationalist detachment. The entire Nazi group in the Vilnius area consisted of 15'000 Wehrmacht soldiers and officers.
The Vilnius Offensive Operation was entrusted to Army General Ivan Chernyakhovsky, a talented military commander.
The Nazi leadership ordered that Vilnius be held at any cost to the last German. This did not help. On July 7, armor units of the 3rd Byelorussian Front broke through the enemy defences and began encircling Vilnius from the south and west.
💬 From the memoirs of Marshal Alexander Vasilevsky:
The capital of Soviet Lithuania, Vilnius, was a major fortified German stronghold on approaches to East Prussia.
On July 7, the 5th Army of the 3rd Byelorussian Front bypassed Vilnius from the north, advanced through Sesuoliai to the Viliya River, cut the railway line to Kaunas near Evye (Vievis), and, having repelled the enemy’s tank counterattacks <...> the enemy force of 15,000 men found itself encircled.
All attempts by the Nazis to relieve the encircled troops failed.
Fierce street fighting broke out in the city. On July 8, the main forces of the 3rd Byelorussian Front reached Vilnius, advancing from the north and northeast as well as from the south. The occupants put up fierce resistance, and the Red Army soldiers had to fight for every house and literally for every floor.
Lithuanian partisans provided significant assistance to the Soviet forces, taking an active part in the liberation of Vilnius.
On July 13, Vilnius was completely liberated. During the operation, formations of the 3rd Byelorussian Front advanced 210 kilometres liberating the capital of the Lithuanian SSR and securing bridgeheads on the left bank of the Niemen River.
Thus, favourable conditions were created for reaching the borders of East Prussia — the stronghold of Nazi militarism and the last defensive line of the Reich on the Soviet-German front.
The Red Army clobbered the enemy during the summer-autumn offensive of 1944 in Byelorussia and the Baltic region. 👉 The Nazi North Army Group was effectively destroyed.
The remnants of the group were trapped in the Courland Pocket and eliminated there in the spring of 1945.
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
❤15🫡7👎1
Forwarded from Beorn and The Shieldmaiden
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
«Parade of the Vanquished»
The 10-minute-long 1944 documentary went under the title «The convoy of the German POWS through Moscow» and shows both the preparatory part and the actual passage of the «Parade of the Vanquished», which took place on July 17, 1944.
One can read a detailed account of the event in an article "Parade of the Vanquished" at TopWar.
👉 Video source on YouTube
👉 At 6:41 one can see the entrance to the exhibition "Trophies of the Great Battles" at Gorky Park, a documentary about which we translated earlier.
👉 The video is also available at our Odysee and Rumble channels.
#Victory81
@BeornAndTheShieldmaiden
🚀 Boost🚀
The 10-minute-long 1944 documentary went under the title «The convoy of the German POWS through Moscow» and shows both the preparatory part and the actual passage of the «Parade of the Vanquished», which took place on July 17, 1944.
One can read a detailed account of the event in an article "Parade of the Vanquished" at TopWar.
👉 Video source on YouTube
👉 At 6:41 one can see the entrance to the exhibition "Trophies of the Great Battles" at Gorky Park, a documentary about which we translated earlier.
👉 The video is also available at our Odysee and Rumble channels.
#Victory81
@BeornAndTheShieldmaiden
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
❤6👍5
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
🌟 On July 30, 1942, the Rzhev–Sychyovka offensive operation (during the Battle of Rzhev) was launched by the Red Army to crush the 'Rzhev-Vyazma' salient and neutralise the main troops of the Nazi army group 'Centre' — Reich’s most formidable military force — and make it impossible for Wehrmacht to send part of those troops to Stalingrad and to the Caucasus.
Nazis made the Rzhev bridgehead a heavy fortified defence line to contain our forces and launch further counter-offensive on Moscow.
❗️ The enemy troops stood barely 150 kilometres from our capital, posing a threat that needed to be eliminated by any costs.
It was decided by the Soviet command to use the forces of the Kalinin and Western fronts manned by experienced units that had already fought the fascists during the winter battles for #Rzhev. After 20 days of brutal combat, the Red Army liberated the village of Polunino, approached the north-eastern suburbs of Rzhev, and captured an area on the Volga River between Rzhev and Zubtsov. They forced the enemy out of vital strategic points on the 'Rzhev salient' — Zubtsov, Karmanovo and Pogoreloye Gorodishche, and destroyed most combat-capable units of the Nazi army group 'Centre', which the enemy had deployed to the Rzhev area.
Thanks to the heroism and unparalleled courage of our soldiers, the Red Army advanced 40–45 kilometres westward, liberating previously-occupied large areas on the 'Rzhev salient' and eliminating major enemy troops which the German command planned to use in other vital sectors of the frontline.
The remaining units of the German army group near Rzhev were completely destroyed during operation 'Mars' (the second Rzhev-Sychyovka offensive held in the autumn and winter of 1942) and during the operation in March of 1943. Losing the battles near Stalingrad and in the Caucasus, the German armies had to leave the Rzhev salient. The Red Army seized the strategic initiative in the central section of the Soviet-German front, moving the frontline another 150 kilometres away from Moscow and liberating Rzhev and adjacent territories from the Nazi invaders.
The Nazi threat to Moscow was finally removed.
The title of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion was awarded to 43 Red Army servicemen for the fortitude and courage in the Battle of Rzhev.
📖 Excerpt from the memoirs 'People, Years, Life' by Soviet writer and military correspondent Ilya Ehrenburg:
***
The heroism of Soviet soldiers who fell in the battle of Rzhev has been immortalised in the Rzhev memorial — a 25-metre statue of a warrior supported by a flock of cranes as a symbol of the souls of fallen soldiers ... who perished but were not forgotten.
💬 Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
(From the briefing of the Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on July 27, 2026)
Nazis made the Rzhev bridgehead a heavy fortified defence line to contain our forces and launch further counter-offensive on Moscow.
❗️ The enemy troops stood barely 150 kilometres from our capital, posing a threat that needed to be eliminated by any costs.
It was decided by the Soviet command to use the forces of the Kalinin and Western fronts manned by experienced units that had already fought the fascists during the winter battles for #Rzhev. After 20 days of brutal combat, the Red Army liberated the village of Polunino, approached the north-eastern suburbs of Rzhev, and captured an area on the Volga River between Rzhev and Zubtsov. They forced the enemy out of vital strategic points on the 'Rzhev salient' — Zubtsov, Karmanovo and Pogoreloye Gorodishche, and destroyed most combat-capable units of the Nazi army group 'Centre', which the enemy had deployed to the Rzhev area.
Thanks to the heroism and unparalleled courage of our soldiers, the Red Army advanced 40–45 kilometres westward, liberating previously-occupied large areas on the 'Rzhev salient' and eliminating major enemy troops which the German command planned to use in other vital sectors of the frontline.
The remaining units of the German army group near Rzhev were completely destroyed during operation 'Mars' (the second Rzhev-Sychyovka offensive held in the autumn and winter of 1942) and during the operation in March of 1943. Losing the battles near Stalingrad and in the Caucasus, the German armies had to leave the Rzhev salient. The Red Army seized the strategic initiative in the central section of the Soviet-German front, moving the frontline another 150 kilometres away from Moscow and liberating Rzhev and adjacent territories from the Nazi invaders.
The Nazi threat to Moscow was finally removed.
The title of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion was awarded to 43 Red Army servicemen for the fortitude and courage in the Battle of Rzhev.
📖 Excerpt from the memoirs 'People, Years, Life' by Soviet writer and military correspondent Ilya Ehrenburg:
I will never forget Rzhev.
There may be other battles that claimed more lives, but it seemed there was never anything quite so sad, with weeks of fighting for five or six broken trees, the wall of a destroyed building, and a little mound.
***
The heroism of Soviet soldiers who fell in the battle of Rzhev has been immortalised in the Rzhev memorial — a 25-metre statue of a warrior supported by a flock of cranes as a symbol of the souls of fallen soldiers ... who perished but were not forgotten.
💬 Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:
For 438 days, a fierce battle raged near this ancient Russian city. Over this period, the Red Army carried out four strategic offensive operations against Germany’s Army Group Centre. <...>
The German command referred to Rzhev as the “cornerstone of the Eastern front.” It deployed one of its biggest army groups with over 1.5 million fighters. <...>
The offensive operations in the Rzhev theatre played an important role in achieving a tipping point in Red Army’s favour along the entire Soviet-German front.
(From the briefing of the Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on July 27, 2026)
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
❤21👍2
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
🌟 On August 3, 1943, Operation #RailWar commenced in the occupied western regions of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Soviet Belarus and Ukraine during #WW2.
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.
⚔️ 'Rail War' 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%. 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.
🎖 Throughout the operation, Soviet partisans displayed courage on a mass scale as they carried out daunting combat missions behind enemy lines. For acts of heroism during the Great Patriotic War, around 300 partisans and members of the underground resistance were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
***
In the autumn of 1943, 'Concert' Operation followed in the wake of the Rail War in the Nazi-occupied territories of the USSR. Its objective was the complete destruction of railway infrastructure and rolling stock in the rear areas of the Nazi troops.
#WeRemember
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.
⚔️ 'Rail War' 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%. 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.
🎖 Throughout the operation, Soviet partisans displayed courage on a mass scale as they carried out daunting combat missions behind enemy lines. For acts of heroism during the Great Patriotic War, around 300 partisans and members of the underground resistance were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
***
In the autumn of 1943, 'Concert' Operation followed in the wake of the Rail War in the Nazi-occupied territories of the USSR. Its objective was the complete destruction of railway infrastructure and rolling stock in the rear areas of the Nazi troops.
#WeRemember
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
👍11
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
8️⃣5️⃣ years ago, on August 5, 1941, the heroic defence of Odessa commenced — a joint operation by the Red Army and the Soviet Black Sea Fleet to defend the city against the Nazi invaders.
Odessa found itself on the front line almost immediately after Nazi Germany’s treacherous attack on the Soviet Union. By early August, the city was already encircled by the enemy troops.
The Nazis aimed to break through the Soviet defences on the Dniester, cross the Dniester Estuary, and capture Odessa. The first assault, launched by Romanian and German troops (17 divisions and seven brigades), came on August 20, 1941, but the enemy offensive was halted just 10-14 kilometres from the city.
❗️ Around 100'000 people took part in defending Odessa from Nazis.
Every day, civilian workers, including women and teenagers, were involved in defence preparations — digging trenches, laying barbed wire, and installing barricades. Nearly 38'000 residents of Odessa withdrew into the city’s catacombs and organised underground resistance behind enemy lines. The partisans killed 5'000 enemy soldiers and officers, derailed 27 military supply trains, and destroyed 248 vehicles.
Despite being outnumbered by almost ten to one, Odessa’s defenders heroically held back the Nazi offensive for two months.
By the end of September, the Soviet command was able to redeploy armies to defend #Crimea and #Sevastopol — the main base of the Black Sea Fleet.
During the #BattleOfOdessa, enemy losses amounted to around 160'000 soldiers and officers, about 200 aircraft and 100 tanks, significantly slowing the advance of the Nazi army group 'South' towards the east.
***
Odessa was fully liberated on April 10, 1944, during the Odessa offensive operation, carried out by the Red Army’s 3rd Ukrainian Front.
🎙 The report by Sovinformburo on the expulsion of the Nazi troops from Odessa read, in part:
🎖 On May 1, 1945, Odessa became one of the first Soviet cities awarded the title of Hero City — alongside Leningrad, Stalingrad and Sevastopol.
#WeRemember
8️⃣5️⃣ years ago, on August 5, 1941, the heroic defence of Odessa commenced — a joint operation by the Red Army and the Soviet Black Sea Fleet to defend the city against the Nazi invaders.
Odessa found itself on the front line almost immediately after Nazi Germany’s treacherous attack on the Soviet Union. By early August, the city was already encircled by the enemy troops.
The Nazis aimed to break through the Soviet defences on the Dniester, cross the Dniester Estuary, and capture Odessa. The first assault, launched by Romanian and German troops (17 divisions and seven brigades), came on August 20, 1941, but the enemy offensive was halted just 10-14 kilometres from the city.
❗️ Around 100'000 people took part in defending Odessa from Nazis.
Every day, civilian workers, including women and teenagers, were involved in defence preparations — digging trenches, laying barbed wire, and installing barricades. Nearly 38'000 residents of Odessa withdrew into the city’s catacombs and organised underground resistance behind enemy lines. The partisans killed 5'000 enemy soldiers and officers, derailed 27 military supply trains, and destroyed 248 vehicles.
Despite being outnumbered by almost ten to one, Odessa’s defenders heroically held back the Nazi offensive for two months.
By the end of September, the Soviet command was able to redeploy armies to defend #Crimea and #Sevastopol — the main base of the Black Sea Fleet.
During the #BattleOfOdessa, enemy losses amounted to around 160'000 soldiers and officers, about 200 aircraft and 100 tanks, significantly slowing the advance of the Nazi army group 'South' towards the east.
***
Odessa was fully liberated on April 10, 1944, during the Odessa offensive operation, carried out by the Red Army’s 3rd Ukrainian Front.
🎙 The report by Sovinformburo on the expulsion of the Nazi troops from Odessa read, in part:
Today, April 10, the forces of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, following a skilfully executed flanking manoeuvre by cavalry and mechanised units, combined with a frontal assault, captured Odessa — an important economic and political centre of the country, a regional capital in Ukraine, and a major Black Sea port.
Odessa had been a powerful stronghold, occupied by Nazis, covering the approaches to the central regions of Romania…
🎖 On May 1, 1945, Odessa became one of the first Soviet cities awarded the title of Hero City — alongside Leningrad, Stalingrad and Sevastopol.
#WeRemember
❤25👍7🫡3
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
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
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
❤18👍2
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
On August 9, 1944, the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Strategic Offensive Operation of the Red Army concluded.
The Finnish troops on the Karelian Isthmus were completely crushed. The territory of the Karelo-Finnish SSR, including the cities of Vyborg and Petrozavodsk, as well as the areas of the Northern Ladoga region, was liberated from Finnish occupation.
The threat to Leningrad was neutralized.
***
In the first half of 1944, despite the defeat of German-Finnish troops near Leningrad and their loss of the initiative on the northwestern sector of the Soviet-German front, the Finnish leadership was determined at all costs to retain the occupied territories of our country in Southern Karelia and to blockade the Gulf of Finland, which posed a direct military threat to Leningrad and our northwestern borders.
The Soviet government's proposal in the winter and spring of 1944 to begin negotiations was rejected by Finland. The country's pro-fascist government, which was in power at the time, chose to maintain its alliance with the Nazis rather than conclude an armistice with Moscow. On June 26, 1944, Finland and Germany signed the so-called Ryti–Ribbentrop Pact — an agreement on military and political cooperation under which Helsinki expected to receive additional military assistance from the Nazis in order to continue hostilities against the USSR.
By the beginning of the summer of 1944, the Finns had deployed an operational group of 100'000 troops on the Karelian Isthmus. The main forces of the Finnish Army were also stationed in the area — approximately 280'000 soldiers and officers.
Having assessed the operational situation, the Soviet Command decided to launch two simultaneous, rapid strikes against Finnish positions on the Karelian Isthmus, advancing toward Vyborg and Petrozavodsk.
⚔️ The operation commenced on June 10, 1944. In less than two weeks, the Red Army breached the system of Finnish defensive fortifications considered virtually impregnable — the so-called Karelian Wall and the Vyborg fortified area.
The enemy suffered irreparable losses in manpower and equipment. On June 20, Finnish occupants were driven out of Vyborg. On June 28, Soviet forces liberated Petrozavodsk — the capital of the Karelo-Finnish SSR — as well as other settlements.
As a result of the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Operation, the Finnish military suffered a crushing defeat in Southern Karelia and could no longer pose a threat to Leningrad. One of the most important outcomes of the operation was Finland — Hitler's principal ally in northern Europe — withdrawing from #WW2. Furthermore, under the terms of the armistice concluded in September 1944, the Finnish Army began the internment and expulsion of fascist troops from the northern regions of the country — Lapland.
Thus, favorable conditions were created for the launch of the Soviet offensive in the Arctic with the aim of liberating the Arctic territories from the Nazis.
#NoStatuteOfLimitations
▪️ Destroyed cities, burned buildings, deaths of our citizens in concentration camps, and tens of thousands of Soviet civilians killed — these were the marks left by the Finnish fascists on our soil.
Our Motherland and our people have never ever forgotten this.
During the occupation of the Karelo-Finnish SSR by Mannerheim's troops, a “scorched earth” policy was employed. Approximately 90 towns and villages were completely destroyed, while 409 others suffered extensive damage.
From the autumn of 1941 to 1944, the Finns established more than 14 concentration camps in Soviet Karelia. Some 50'000 of our citizens passed through them, including the elderly, women, and children. Approximately one-third of the prisoners were killed or died from hunger, cold, and unbearable living conditions.
👉 Learn more about the war crimes by the Finnish occupants in Karelia in the report 'On Historical and International Legal Accountability of Finland for the Occupation of Karelia During Great Patriotic War (WWII) (1941–1944)' published by the Representative Office of the Russian MFA in Petrozavodsk.
On August 9, 1944, the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Strategic Offensive Operation of the Red Army concluded.
The Finnish troops on the Karelian Isthmus were completely crushed. The territory of the Karelo-Finnish SSR, including the cities of Vyborg and Petrozavodsk, as well as the areas of the Northern Ladoga region, was liberated from Finnish occupation.
The threat to Leningrad was neutralized.
***
In the first half of 1944, despite the defeat of German-Finnish troops near Leningrad and their loss of the initiative on the northwestern sector of the Soviet-German front, the Finnish leadership was determined at all costs to retain the occupied territories of our country in Southern Karelia and to blockade the Gulf of Finland, which posed a direct military threat to Leningrad and our northwestern borders.
The Soviet government's proposal in the winter and spring of 1944 to begin negotiations was rejected by Finland. The country's pro-fascist government, which was in power at the time, chose to maintain its alliance with the Nazis rather than conclude an armistice with Moscow. On June 26, 1944, Finland and Germany signed the so-called Ryti–Ribbentrop Pact — an agreement on military and political cooperation under which Helsinki expected to receive additional military assistance from the Nazis in order to continue hostilities against the USSR.
By the beginning of the summer of 1944, the Finns had deployed an operational group of 100'000 troops on the Karelian Isthmus. The main forces of the Finnish Army were also stationed in the area — approximately 280'000 soldiers and officers.
Having assessed the operational situation, the Soviet Command decided to launch two simultaneous, rapid strikes against Finnish positions on the Karelian Isthmus, advancing toward Vyborg and Petrozavodsk.
⚔️ The operation commenced on June 10, 1944. In less than two weeks, the Red Army breached the system of Finnish defensive fortifications considered virtually impregnable — the so-called Karelian Wall and the Vyborg fortified area.
The enemy suffered irreparable losses in manpower and equipment. On June 20, Finnish occupants were driven out of Vyborg. On June 28, Soviet forces liberated Petrozavodsk — the capital of the Karelo-Finnish SSR — as well as other settlements.
As a result of the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Operation, the Finnish military suffered a crushing defeat in Southern Karelia and could no longer pose a threat to Leningrad. One of the most important outcomes of the operation was Finland — Hitler's principal ally in northern Europe — withdrawing from #WW2. Furthermore, under the terms of the armistice concluded in September 1944, the Finnish Army began the internment and expulsion of fascist troops from the northern regions of the country — Lapland.
Thus, favorable conditions were created for the launch of the Soviet offensive in the Arctic with the aim of liberating the Arctic territories from the Nazis.
#NoStatuteOfLimitations
▪️ Destroyed cities, burned buildings, deaths of our citizens in concentration camps, and tens of thousands of Soviet civilians killed — these were the marks left by the Finnish fascists on our soil.
Our Motherland and our people have never ever forgotten this.
During the occupation of the Karelo-Finnish SSR by Mannerheim's troops, a “scorched earth” policy was employed. Approximately 90 towns and villages were completely destroyed, while 409 others suffered extensive damage.
From the autumn of 1941 to 1944, the Finns established more than 14 concentration camps in Soviet Karelia. Some 50'000 of our citizens passed through them, including the elderly, women, and children. Approximately one-third of the prisoners were killed or died from hunger, cold, and unbearable living conditions.
👉 Learn more about the war crimes by the Finnish occupants in Karelia in the report 'On Historical and International Legal Accountability of Finland for the Occupation of Karelia During Great Patriotic War (WWII) (1941–1944)' published by the Representative Office of the Russian MFA in Petrozavodsk.
✍8😢6❤3👍2
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
🌟 On August 15, 1945, the Soviet forces liberated Korea from Japanese colonial rule as part of the Manchurian strategic offensive. 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 #WW2 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. 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 surrender and announced it to the nation.
Today, both Pyongyang and Seoul mark August 15 as the National Liberation Day of Korea.
#SovietSoldierSavedTheWorld: The battle for liberty and independence of 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 (👉 Learn more about the Manchurian strategic offensive and the heroism of the Soviet soldiers in liberating northeastern China and Korea in our in-depth historical feature).
💬 Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department Alexey Fadeev:
(From the briefing by Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department Alexey Fadeev on August 6, 2026)
***
🇷🇺🇰🇵 #RussiaDPRK
The traditions of comradeship in arms established in 1945 have provided a solid foundation for promoting friendly and neighbourly relations between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the new era. The allied nature of bilateral relations forged through the bonds of comradeship in arms has been fully reflected in the DPRK’s firm support for Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
Eternal memory to the DPRK servicemen who fell in the battles to liberate the Kursk Region from Ukrainian neo-Nazis and foreign mercenaries.
***
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. 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 surrender and announced it to the nation.
Today, both Pyongyang and Seoul mark August 15 as the National Liberation Day of Korea.
#SovietSoldierSavedTheWorld: The battle for liberty and independence of 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 (👉 Learn more about the Manchurian strategic offensive and the heroism of the Soviet soldiers in liberating northeastern China and Korea in our in-depth historical feature).
💬 Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department Alexey Fadeev:
We are deeply grateful to our Korean friends for the exemplary care they have taken of the Soviet soldiers’ graves and for their respect of our shared history.
The civilised and responsible approach demonstrated by the DPRK in preserving military memorials stands in stark contrast to the situation in a number of Eastern European countries, where monuments to the Soviet liberator soldiers are being barbarically destroyed while Hitler’s henchmen and convicted war criminals are being honoured <...>
(From the briefing by Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Information and Press Department Alexey Fadeev on August 6, 2026)
***
🇷🇺🇰🇵 #RussiaDPRK
The traditions of comradeship in arms established in 1945 have provided a solid foundation for promoting friendly and neighbourly relations between the Russian Federation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the new era. The allied nature of bilateral relations forged through the bonds of comradeship in arms has been fully reflected in the DPRK’s firm support for Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
Eternal memory to the DPRK servicemen who fell in the battles to liberate the Kursk Region from Ukrainian neo-Nazis and foreign mercenaries.
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
🙏19❤13🫡8🤔1
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
🌟 On August 18, 1945, during the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation, Soviet forces launched the Kuril Islands Landing Operation, an amphibious assault aimed at liberating the archipelago from Japanese militarists.
Preparations for the operation were carried out within an extremely tight timeframe. Major General Alexey Gnechko, Commander of the Kamchatka Defence Area, received the order to launch the offensive on August 15, 1945 – just two days before the operation began.
The plan called for a surprise amphibious landing on the northwestern coast of Shumshu Island, accompanied by a main strike against the Kataoka naval base. After securing the island, Soviet forces were to use it as a bridgehead to liberate Paramushir, Onekotan and the other islands.
Hitler's allies were determined to hold the archipelago at any cost and had turned the Kuril Islands into a powerful fortified stronghold. 👉 The main defensive line across the Kuril chain consisted of a well-developed network of strongpoints, numerous pillboxes and reinforced-concrete shelters for troops. The defences were particularly formidable on Shumshu and Paramushir.
***
⚔️ The operation to drive the militarists from the Kuril Islands began on the night of August 18. Soviet troops had to disembark from ships in water up to two metres deep and make their way ashore under enemy artillery fire. The main landing force came under heavy flanking fire from Japanese batteries.
By the evening of August 18, thanks to the decisive and coordinated actions of the main force and advance units, Soviet troops had taken control of Heights 165 and 171.
On the morning of August 19, negotiations began on the surrender of the Japanese forces. By August 23, Japanese troops began surrendering en masse. Thanks to the decisive actions of the Pacific Fleet sailors, the entire Kuril Island chain was secured between August 24 and September 1.
💬 Excerpt from Joseph Stalin's address to the people on September 2, 1945:
❗️ The Kuril Islands Landing Operation fundamentally changed the strategic situation in the Far East and predetermined the defeat of Japanese militarism, thereby accelerating the end of World War II.
The liberation of the Kuril Islands not only strengthened the country’s defensive positions but also provided the Soviet Union with a strategically important foothold in the Pacific.
Preparations for the operation were carried out within an extremely tight timeframe. Major General Alexey Gnechko, Commander of the Kamchatka Defence Area, received the order to launch the offensive on August 15, 1945 – just two days before the operation began.
The plan called for a surprise amphibious landing on the northwestern coast of Shumshu Island, accompanied by a main strike against the Kataoka naval base. After securing the island, Soviet forces were to use it as a bridgehead to liberate Paramushir, Onekotan and the other islands.
Hitler's allies were determined to hold the archipelago at any cost and had turned the Kuril Islands into a powerful fortified stronghold. 👉 The main defensive line across the Kuril chain consisted of a well-developed network of strongpoints, numerous pillboxes and reinforced-concrete shelters for troops. The defences were particularly formidable on Shumshu and Paramushir.
***
⚔️ The operation to drive the militarists from the Kuril Islands began on the night of August 18. Soviet troops had to disembark from ships in water up to two metres deep and make their way ashore under enemy artillery fire. The main landing force came under heavy flanking fire from Japanese batteries.
By the evening of August 18, thanks to the decisive and coordinated actions of the main force and advance units, Soviet troops had taken control of Heights 165 and 171.
On the morning of August 19, negotiations began on the surrender of the Japanese forces. By August 23, Japanese troops began surrendering en masse. Thanks to the decisive actions of the Pacific Fleet sailors, the entire Kuril Island chain was secured between August 24 and September 1.
💬 Excerpt from Joseph Stalin's address to the people on September 2, 1945:
Today, September 2, political and military representatives of Japan signed an act of unconditional surrender.
Utterly defeated on sea and land, and completely surrounded by the armed forces of the United Nations, Japan has admitted defeat and has laid down her arms. [...]
This means that the southern part of Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands revert to the Soviet Union and henceforth will serve not as a barrier between the Soviet Union and the ocean and as a base for Japanese attack upon our Far East but as a direct means of communication between the Soviet Union and the ocean and a base for the defence of our country against Japanese aggression.
❗️ The Kuril Islands Landing Operation fundamentally changed the strategic situation in the Far East and predetermined the defeat of Japanese militarism, thereby accelerating the end of World War II.
The liberation of the Kuril Islands not only strengthened the country’s defensive positions but also provided the Soviet Union with a strategically important foothold in the Pacific.
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
👍19🫡11❤6
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#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
🫡19👍9❤6🙏4
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
8️⃣5️⃣ years ago, on August 28, the Tallinn Breakout of the Soviet Baltic Fleet towards Kronstadt — one of the largest and most difficult naval operations by the Soviet Union during #WW2 — commenced.
***
In the summer of 1941, the Nazis, having treacherously invaded our Motherland, advanced rapidly into the Baltic region. By August, the enemy had launched an offensive against the capital of Soviet Estonia — Tallinn. Thus, the city’s heroic defence commenced. Wehrmacht army group 'North' received a direct order from Hitler: under no circumstances were the Soviet Baltic Fleet or Red Army units to be allowed to withdraw to Kronstadt to take part in the defence of Leningrad.
By the end of August, the Soviet forces, including the Tallinn garrison, started regrouping under the heavy fire of Nazis and found themselves encircled on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland.
The land route to Leningrad had been severed by the enemy.
Faced with these dire circumstances, the Supreme High Command of the USSR took a vital decision: to evacuate the Baltic Fleet, the Red Army units, which were defending Tallinn, as well as civilians to Kronstadt.
In the early hours of August 28, the breakout began. A convoy of 225 warships and auxiliary vessels left Tallinn, carrying over 40'000 people on board. German Nazis and their Finnish accomplices were trying to thwart the evacuation by any means. Enemy coastal artillery opened heavy and relentless fire on Soviet vessels, while Finnish aircraft were mercilessly shooting at the Soviet people in the water.
The Gulf of Finland was sown with over 1'700 mines laid by the Nazis. Survivors later recounted:
By August 30, the Baltic Fleet finally fought its way to Kronstadt. Only 163 vessels reached the destination safely. More than 15'000 people, among them over 4'500 civilians, lost their lives during the breakout — an unprecedented number of casualties in the history of naval warfare.
Under such circumstances, the number of casualties could have been far higher, yet thanks to the unparalleled courage and heroism of Red Fleet sailors and Red Army soldiers, the main forces of the fleet were preserved and later engaged in the defence of Leningrad, shielding the city from from attacks via the Gulf of Finland.
🎖 The Tallinn Breakout stands as one of the most heroic and tragic episodes of #WWII. To this day, the depths of the Gulf of Finland remain strewn with the wreckage of vessels lost to Nazi mines — they serve as silent memorials to those three harrowing days in August 1941.
***
🕯 On August 28, 1978, a memorial was erected at Cape Juminda (the Gulf’s southern coast) to honour those who perished during the breakout — a granite boulder and plaque with naval mines around. Annually, commemorative ceremonies are held there with participation of the Russian Embassy in Estonia (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), Russia's compatriots’ organisations, veterans and their families, as well as Estonians who share our common historical memory.
💬 Russia's Ambassador to Estonia Alexander Petrov (2015−2021):
📖 For more details, read our in-depth historical feature on the Tallinn Breakout.
#WeRemember #Victory81
***
In the summer of 1941, the Nazis, having treacherously invaded our Motherland, advanced rapidly into the Baltic region. By August, the enemy had launched an offensive against the capital of Soviet Estonia — Tallinn. Thus, the city’s heroic defence commenced. Wehrmacht army group 'North' received a direct order from Hitler: under no circumstances were the Soviet Baltic Fleet or Red Army units to be allowed to withdraw to Kronstadt to take part in the defence of Leningrad.
By the end of August, the Soviet forces, including the Tallinn garrison, started regrouping under the heavy fire of Nazis and found themselves encircled on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland.
The land route to Leningrad had been severed by the enemy.
Faced with these dire circumstances, the Supreme High Command of the USSR took a vital decision: to evacuate the Baltic Fleet, the Red Army units, which were defending Tallinn, as well as civilians to Kronstadt.
In the early hours of August 28, the breakout began. A convoy of 225 warships and auxiliary vessels left Tallinn, carrying over 40'000 people on board. German Nazis and their Finnish accomplices were trying to thwart the evacuation by any means. Enemy coastal artillery opened heavy and relentless fire on Soviet vessels, while Finnish aircraft were mercilessly shooting at the Soviet people in the water.
The Gulf of Finland was sown with over 1'700 mines laid by the Nazis. Survivors later recounted:
The Gulf, choked with enemy mines, resembled a dumpling soup
By August 30, the Baltic Fleet finally fought its way to Kronstadt. Only 163 vessels reached the destination safely. More than 15'000 people, among them over 4'500 civilians, lost their lives during the breakout — an unprecedented number of casualties in the history of naval warfare.
Under such circumstances, the number of casualties could have been far higher, yet thanks to the unparalleled courage and heroism of Red Fleet sailors and Red Army soldiers, the main forces of the fleet were preserved and later engaged in the defence of Leningrad, shielding the city from from attacks via the Gulf of Finland.
🎖 The Tallinn Breakout stands as one of the most heroic and tragic episodes of #WWII. To this day, the depths of the Gulf of Finland remain strewn with the wreckage of vessels lost to Nazi mines — they serve as silent memorials to those three harrowing days in August 1941.
***
🕯 On August 28, 1978, a memorial was erected at Cape Juminda (the Gulf’s southern coast) to honour those who perished during the breakout — a granite boulder and plaque with naval mines around. Annually, commemorative ceremonies are held there with participation of the Russian Embassy in Estonia (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), Russia's compatriots’ organisations, veterans and their families, as well as Estonians who share our common historical memory.
💬 Russia's Ambassador to Estonia Alexander Petrov (2015−2021):
To the north of Juminda now lies what is perhaps the largest maritime mass grave not only in the Baltic, but in the entire world.
It is the moral duty of the living to bow their heads before those who perished and honour the courage and fortitude of all who crushed the Nazi regime during WW2.
📖 For more details, read our in-depth historical feature on the Tallinn Breakout.
#WeRemember #Victory81
🫡19❤7
Forwarded from Beorn and The Shieldmaiden
On August 29, 1944, Operation Bagration was completed. In 68 days of Operation Bagration, the liberation of Belarus was completed, the state border of the USSR was restored along 400 km, and the liberation of Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland began.
On June 23, 1944, Soviet troops of the 1st Baltic, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st Belorussian Fronts, supported by partisans, launched a large-scale offensive in Belarus – Operation Bagration began, the fifth "Stalin strike."
During the offensive, which took place in difficult geographical conditions, by the end of June the Red Army encircled and defeated significant forces of the German Army Group Center near Minsk and on July 3 liberated the capital of Soviet Belarus.
In subsequent battles, Soviet troops inflicted a series of major defeats on the Nazi invaders and reached the state border of the USSR, advancing more than 600 kilometers.
On August 29, 1944, Operation Bagration was successfully completed. In 68 days of the operation, the liberation of Belarus was completed, the state border of the USSR was restored along 400 kilometers, and the liberation of Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland began.
As a result of the most powerful of the "Ten Stalin Strikes," the German Army Group Center was effectively destroyed. Enemy losses over two months on this front sector amounted to more than 500,000 people.
Operation Bagration became a triumph of Soviet military art and predetermined the collapse of Nazi Germany.
Source
#Victory81 #WeRemember #OperationBagration
@BeornAndTheShieldmaiden
🚀 Boost🚀
On June 23, 1944, Soviet troops of the 1st Baltic, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st Belorussian Fronts, supported by partisans, launched a large-scale offensive in Belarus – Operation Bagration began, the fifth "Stalin strike."
During the offensive, which took place in difficult geographical conditions, by the end of June the Red Army encircled and defeated significant forces of the German Army Group Center near Minsk and on July 3 liberated the capital of Soviet Belarus.
In subsequent battles, Soviet troops inflicted a series of major defeats on the Nazi invaders and reached the state border of the USSR, advancing more than 600 kilometers.
On August 29, 1944, Operation Bagration was successfully completed. In 68 days of the operation, the liberation of Belarus was completed, the state border of the USSR was restored along 400 kilometers, and the liberation of Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland began.
As a result of the most powerful of the "Ten Stalin Strikes," the German Army Group Center was effectively destroyed. Enemy losses over two months on this front sector amounted to more than 500,000 people.
Operation Bagration became a triumph of Soviet military art and predetermined the collapse of Nazi Germany.
Source
#Victory81 #WeRemember #OperationBagration
@BeornAndTheShieldmaiden
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
🔥15
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
💬 Vladimir Medinsky, Aide to the President of Russia and Chairman of the Russian Military Historical Society:
🌟 On September 4 in Khabarovsk, on the high bank of the Amur River, the Russian Military Historical Society and Khabarovsk Region Governor Dmitry Demeshin unveiled Russia’s largest memorial dedicated to the Victory over militarist Japan and the end of World War II.
A 15-meter high bronze Soviet soldier is the centrepiece of the composition. With the stock of his rifle, he smashes a border post bearing a chrysanthemum – not only the emblem of Japan’s Imperial House, but also a symbol of the militarism responsible for monstrous crimes.
In August-September 1945, Marshal Alexander Vassilevsky commanded Soviet forces from Khabarovsk. In just three weeks, they defeated Japan’s million-strong Kwantung Army and brought World War II to an end.
PS. In terms of the ratio between duration, losses and results, the operation to defeat the Japanese army in the Far East was the most effective military operation in history.
#Victory81
A 15-meter high bronze Soviet soldier is the centrepiece of the composition. With the stock of his rifle, he smashes a border post bearing a chrysanthemum – not only the emblem of Japan’s Imperial House, but also a symbol of the militarism responsible for monstrous crimes.
In August-September 1945, Marshal Alexander Vassilevsky commanded Soviet forces from Khabarovsk. In just three weeks, they defeated Japan’s million-strong Kwantung Army and brought World War II to an end.
PS. In terms of the ratio between duration, losses and results, the operation to defeat the Japanese army in the Far East was the most effective military operation in history.
#Victory81
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
👍17🫡16❤9🔥2🤔1🍾1
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
▪️ On September 8, 1941, the Siege of Leningrad began — one of the most horrific and tragic events not only of the Great Patriotic War but of the entire World War II.
The siege lasted for 872 days and claimed the lives of approximately 1 million residents of the city, including more than 600'000 people who died from starvation.
Alongside German troops, military units from European countries conquered by Hitler participated in the Siege of Leningrad — the 'Norway', 'the Netherlands' and 'Flanders' legions, as well as the Spanish infantry division. From the Narva direction, Baltic units — Latvian and Estonian battalions — were kept in reserve by the Nazis. From the north, the Finnish army besieged Leningrad and also shelled the city with its artillery.
The Nazis and their accomplices planned to wipe Leningrad off the face of the Earth and subject its population to complete annihilation, including by creating conditions for mass starvation, destroying food supplies, and cutting off supply routes.
***
In early September 1941, during the Leningrad Defensive Operation of the Red Army, the city was cut off by the Nazis from all land routes. On September 8, Hitler's troops captured Shlisselburg, completing the encirclement. The city was bombarded daily with artillery.
The Nazi command's orders were absolutely clear: maintain the siege, strictly enforce the blockade, shoot anyone crossing the front line, and bring about the total destruction of the city's population.
❗️But Leningrad endured and never stopped fighting.
Under unbearable conditions, the city's industrial enterprises continued to operate. During the blockade, workers produced or repaired about 2'000 tanks, 1'500 aircraft, 850 warships and vessels of various classes, as well as 225'000 submachine guns, 12'000 mortars, and 7.5 million shells and mines.
The most famous memorial to the victims of the blockade is the Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery in Saint Petersburg — the largest mass military grave of World War II. Over 420'000 Leningrad residents and 70'000 defenders of the city are buried there.
#Victory81
🌟 The blockade was finally lifted on January 27, 1944, during the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive.
***
In 2022, at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia, the Saint Petersburg City Court officially recognised the actions of the German occupying forces — along with their collaborators, including armed units formed in Belgium, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, and Finland, as well as individual volunteers from Austria, Latvia, Poland, France, and Czechoslovakia — as a war crime, a crime against humanity, and an act of genocide against national and ethnic groups representing the population of the Soviet Union.
The siege lasted for 872 days and claimed the lives of approximately 1 million residents of the city, including more than 600'000 people who died from starvation.
Alongside German troops, military units from European countries conquered by Hitler participated in the Siege of Leningrad — the 'Norway', 'the Netherlands' and 'Flanders' legions, as well as the Spanish infantry division. From the Narva direction, Baltic units — Latvian and Estonian battalions — were kept in reserve by the Nazis. From the north, the Finnish army besieged Leningrad and also shelled the city with its artillery.
The Nazis and their accomplices planned to wipe Leningrad off the face of the Earth and subject its population to complete annihilation, including by creating conditions for mass starvation, destroying food supplies, and cutting off supply routes.
***
In early September 1941, during the Leningrad Defensive Operation of the Red Army, the city was cut off by the Nazis from all land routes. On September 8, Hitler's troops captured Shlisselburg, completing the encirclement. The city was bombarded daily with artillery.
The Nazi command's orders were absolutely clear: maintain the siege, strictly enforce the blockade, shoot anyone crossing the front line, and bring about the total destruction of the city's population.
❗️But Leningrad endured and never stopped fighting.
Under unbearable conditions, the city's industrial enterprises continued to operate. During the blockade, workers produced or repaired about 2'000 tanks, 1'500 aircraft, 850 warships and vessels of various classes, as well as 225'000 submachine guns, 12'000 mortars, and 7.5 million shells and mines.
The most famous memorial to the victims of the blockade is the Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery in Saint Petersburg — the largest mass military grave of World War II. Over 420'000 Leningrad residents and 70'000 defenders of the city are buried there.
#Victory81
***
In 2022, at the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia, the Saint Petersburg City Court officially recognised the actions of the German occupying forces — along with their collaborators, including armed units formed in Belgium, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, and Finland, as well as individual volunteers from Austria, Latvia, Poland, France, and Czechoslovakia — as a war crime, a crime against humanity, and an act of genocide against national and ethnic groups representing the population of the Soviet Union.
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
❤🔥17🫡5
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
🌟 On September 19, 1943, one of the largest #WW2-era Soviet partisan operations — codenamed 'Concert' — was launched on the Nazi occupied territories of the Soviet Union during the #GreatPatrioticWar.
#Concert directly followed 👉 the full-scale operation 'Rail War', also carried out by Soviet partisan units.
Learn more about 'Rail War' — the key operation of the Soviet resistance movement against the Nazi invaders, carried out on the Nazi-occupied territories of the western regions of the RSFSR, the Byelorussian and Ukrainian SSRs — in our detailed feature.
***
Operation 'Concert' was prepared as part of the summer-autumn campaign of 1943, amid the Red Army's autumn offensive in the Smolensk and Gomel regions, aimed at reaching the Dnieper and Desna Rivers.
The operation involved 193 partisan formations from Soviet Byelorussia, the Baltic republics, #Karelia, #Crimea, as well as the #Leningrad, Kalinin, Smolensk and Orel regions. The total strength of the units involved exceeded 120'000 personnel.
'Rail War' and 'Concert' ops were unprecedented in terms of the scale and level of organization. For the first time, combat and sabotage activities behind enemy lines were conducted in close coordination between underground resistance groups and the command of regular Red Army formations.
☝️ It was precisely the coordinated actions of partisans and regular forces that contributed to the #GreatVictory in the Battle of Kursk, while also hampering the regrouping of enemy forces during their retreat westward and accelerating their defeat.
Over the course of a month and a half, Soviet partisans destroyed approximately 150'000 rails, demolished 100 railway bridges, and destroyed nearly 1'500 Nazi troop trains. As a result, the capacity of railway lines used by the Nazis on the temporarily occupied territories of the Soviet Union was reduced by almost 50%.
According to historians' estimates and military experts, the effectiveness of the partisan operations 'Rail War' and 'Concert' was more than 11 times greater than the combined effectiveness of all Nazi barbaric Luftwaffe raids on our Motherland during the same period, when Nazi aircraft dropped more than 10'000 bombs on Soviet railways.
❗️Thus, operation 'Concert' dealt a final blow to the morale of the Nazis, which had already suffered enormous losses in the battles they had lost at Stalingrad, on the Kursk salient and in the Caucasus.
During the operation, Soviet partisans demonstrated mass heroism in extremely brutal combat in the Nazi rear.
🎖 For their unprecedented exploits during the #GreatPatrioticWar, around 300 partisans and members of the underground resistance were awarded the title of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion.
#WeRemember
#Concert directly followed 👉 the full-scale operation 'Rail War', also carried out by Soviet partisan units.
Learn more about 'Rail War' — the key operation of the Soviet resistance movement against the Nazi invaders, carried out on the Nazi-occupied territories of the western regions of the RSFSR, the Byelorussian and Ukrainian SSRs — in our detailed feature.
***
Operation 'Concert' was prepared as part of the summer-autumn campaign of 1943, amid the Red Army's autumn offensive in the Smolensk and Gomel regions, aimed at reaching the Dnieper and Desna Rivers.
The operation involved 193 partisan formations from Soviet Byelorussia, the Baltic republics, #Karelia, #Crimea, as well as the #Leningrad, Kalinin, Smolensk and Orel regions. The total strength of the units involved exceeded 120'000 personnel.
'Rail War' and 'Concert' ops were unprecedented in terms of the scale and level of organization. For the first time, combat and sabotage activities behind enemy lines were conducted in close coordination between underground resistance groups and the command of regular Red Army formations.
☝️ It was precisely the coordinated actions of partisans and regular forces that contributed to the #GreatVictory in the Battle of Kursk, while also hampering the regrouping of enemy forces during their retreat westward and accelerating their defeat.
Over the course of a month and a half, Soviet partisans destroyed approximately 150'000 rails, demolished 100 railway bridges, and destroyed nearly 1'500 Nazi troop trains. As a result, the capacity of railway lines used by the Nazis on the temporarily occupied territories of the Soviet Union was reduced by almost 50%.
According to historians' estimates and military experts, the effectiveness of the partisan operations 'Rail War' and 'Concert' was more than 11 times greater than the combined effectiveness of all Nazi barbaric Luftwaffe raids on our Motherland during the same period, when Nazi aircraft dropped more than 10'000 bombs on Soviet railways.
❗️Thus, operation 'Concert' dealt a final blow to the morale of the Nazis, which had already suffered enormous losses in the battles they had lost at Stalingrad, on the Kursk salient and in the Caucasus.
During the operation, Soviet partisans demonstrated mass heroism in extremely brutal combat in the Nazi rear.
🎖 For their unprecedented exploits during the #GreatPatrioticWar, around 300 partisans and members of the underground resistance were awarded the title of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion.
#WeRemember
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
👏13
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#FacesOfVictory
📆 On September 27, 1942, during the #BattleOfStalingrad, the legendary defence of 'Pavlov’s House' commenced — the epic fierce fighting for a residential building near the right bank of the Volga River, which was heroically defended for almost two months by a group of Red Army soldiers led by Guards Sergeant Yakov Pavlov.
The battle for #PavlovHouse lasted 5️⃣8️⃣ days.
❗️ "Pavlov’s House" defenders set out a stronghold in an ordinary #Stalingrad residential building — turning the house into an impregnable fortress. The Red Army slodiers held back the enemy’s onslaught for very much longer than entire European nations resisted the Nazis in the early years of #WW2 — Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France — all were crushed by Hitler's war machine within a matter of (!) just weeks.
💬 As Marshal Vasily Chuikov, a Hero of the Battle of Stalingrad, later recalled:
The stakes in the fighting for 'Pavlov’s House' were extremely high — the Red Army soldiers fought to the death for the entire Volga defensive bridgehead — preventing the enemy from crossing the river and establishing a foothold on its right bank. 👉 The capture of this key bridgehead would have enabled the Nazis to break through the defensive lines of our forces and cut off the Soviet Union’s vital wartime transport artery during the #GreatPatrioticWar.
The defence of 'Pavlov’s House' has gone down in world history as a symbol of the unrivaled courage, fearlessness and unbending will of the Soviet people — the Heroic generation of our Victorious Nation that defeated the Nazi Reich and defended the sovereignty and independence of our #Motherland.
***
In the autumn of 1942, amid fierce defensive battles for Stalingrad, a reconnaissance group led by Guards Sergeant Yakov Pavlov reached a four-storey residential building on Lenin Square in the city centre, near the right bank of the Volga, during the night of September 27.
The building seized by Pavlov’s men was, in fact, the forward defence point on the entire front. It was an ordinary residential building made of just brick and timber and was hardly suitable for establishing a stronghold capable of holding back the Nazi hordes.
The group of Sergeant Yakov Pavlov, which was being pushed back towards the river by the enemy, had to make a stand in that building, drawing Wehrmacht units advancing towards the Volga into the fighting and buying time to prepare the Red Army’s counteroffensive near Stalingrad.
Within just days, Pavlov’s men managed to equip the building for long-lasting defence. When the Germans launched their offensive, the 'Pavlov’s House' defenders — around just 30 (!) soldiers vs. hordes of well-equiped and armed Nazis — mounted a determined all-round defence, moving between the floors depending on the direction of the enemy attacks.
In response, the Germans unleashed the firepower of its artillery and tank armada on 'Pavlov’s House'. The enemy subjected the building to direct-fire bombardment from effectively all sides simultaneously.
It looked like Pavlov’s men were doomed.
🌟 Yet, despite the increasingly intense fire of the Nazi artillery, the defenders of the 'Pavlov's House took #NoStepBack!
They heroically held their positions for almost two months (!), steadfastly repelling endless enemy attacks and preventing the Germans from breaking through to the Volga.
#OurHeroes #LestWeForget
After the Great Patriotic War, 'Pavlov’s House' was rebuilt. Today, this memorial serves as a symbol of the heroism of the defenders of Stalingrad.
🎖 The Heroes of 'Pavlov’s House' were duly honoured by their Motherland.
Yakov Pavlov was awarded the Star of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion, while his other soldiers who fought for the legendary House received the Orders of the Red Star, the Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st and 2nd Class, as well as the Medal “For the Defence of Stalingrad”.
#Victory81
📆 On September 27, 1942, during the #BattleOfStalingrad, the legendary defence of 'Pavlov’s House' commenced — the epic fierce fighting for a residential building near the right bank of the Volga River, which was heroically defended for almost two months by a group of Red Army soldiers led by Guards Sergeant Yakov Pavlov.
The battle for #PavlovHouse lasted 5️⃣8️⃣ days.
❗️ "Pavlov’s House" defenders set out a stronghold in an ordinary #Stalingrad residential building — turning the house into an impregnable fortress. The Red Army slodiers held back the enemy’s onslaught for very much longer than entire European nations resisted the Nazis in the early years of #WW2 — Poland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France — all were crushed by Hitler's war machine within a matter of (!) just weeks.
💬 As Marshal Vasily Chuikov, a Hero of the Battle of Stalingrad, later recalled:
Yakov Pavlov’s men killed considerably more Nazi soldiers than the defenders of Paris during Hitler's invasion
The stakes in the fighting for 'Pavlov’s House' were extremely high — the Red Army soldiers fought to the death for the entire Volga defensive bridgehead — preventing the enemy from crossing the river and establishing a foothold on its right bank. 👉 The capture of this key bridgehead would have enabled the Nazis to break through the defensive lines of our forces and cut off the Soviet Union’s vital wartime transport artery during the #GreatPatrioticWar.
The defence of 'Pavlov’s House' has gone down in world history as a symbol of the unrivaled courage, fearlessness and unbending will of the Soviet people — the Heroic generation of our Victorious Nation that defeated the Nazi Reich and defended the sovereignty and independence of our #Motherland.
***
In the autumn of 1942, amid fierce defensive battles for Stalingrad, a reconnaissance group led by Guards Sergeant Yakov Pavlov reached a four-storey residential building on Lenin Square in the city centre, near the right bank of the Volga, during the night of September 27.
The building seized by Pavlov’s men was, in fact, the forward defence point on the entire front. It was an ordinary residential building made of just brick and timber and was hardly suitable for establishing a stronghold capable of holding back the Nazi hordes.
The group of Sergeant Yakov Pavlov, which was being pushed back towards the river by the enemy, had to make a stand in that building, drawing Wehrmacht units advancing towards the Volga into the fighting and buying time to prepare the Red Army’s counteroffensive near Stalingrad.
Within just days, Pavlov’s men managed to equip the building for long-lasting defence. When the Germans launched their offensive, the 'Pavlov’s House' defenders — around just 30 (!) soldiers vs. hordes of well-equiped and armed Nazis — mounted a determined all-round defence, moving between the floors depending on the direction of the enemy attacks.
In response, the Germans unleashed the firepower of its artillery and tank armada on 'Pavlov’s House'. The enemy subjected the building to direct-fire bombardment from effectively all sides simultaneously.
It looked like Pavlov’s men were doomed.
They heroically held their positions for almost two months (!), steadfastly repelling endless enemy attacks and preventing the Germans from breaking through to the Volga.
#OurHeroes #LestWeForget
After the Great Patriotic War, 'Pavlov’s House' was rebuilt. Today, this memorial serves as a symbol of the heroism of the defenders of Stalingrad.
🎖 The Heroes of 'Pavlov’s House' were duly honoured by their Motherland.
Yakov Pavlov was awarded the Star of #HeroOfTheSovietUnion, while his other soldiers who fought for the legendary House received the Orders of the Red Star, the Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st and 2nd Class, as well as the Medal “For the Defence of Stalingrad”.
#Victory81
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
👍18❤🔥7🫡4❤3
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#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
❤21👍11🙈1
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
🌟 On October 13, 1944, #Riga — the capital of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic — was liberated by from Nazi occupation.
Following a rapid advance towards the city and fierce combat on the outskirts of Riga, units of the Red Army’s 2nd and 3rd Baltic Fronts — commanded by Generals Andrey Yeremenko and Ivan Maslennikov, respectively, victoriously entered Riga.
🎖 A significant contribution to the defeat of the Nazi troops occupying Riga was made by Latvian national units within the Red Army — notably the soldiers of the 130th Latvian Rifle Corps. They fought bravely against the Nazi invaders, helped liberate our common Motherland and, through joint efforts, brought the Victory closer.
***
#NoStatuteOfLimitations
Riga remained under Nazi German occupation from July 1941. Over the three years of occupation, tens of thousands of civilians were killed by the Nazis, including effectively the entire Jewish population of Riga. The Nazi occupants plundered local resources and exploited the population to meet the needs of the Wehrmacht.
Located some 18 kilometres from Riga was the Nazi #Salaspils concentration camp — a sinister “death factory” where 12'000 children of various ages were killed. Thousands of them perished. The camp claimed the lives of more than 100'000 people, including children, civilians and prisoners of war, who died from starvation, medical experiments, gas chambers and disease.
#ArchivesSpeak
◼️ Learn more about Nazi crimes at Salaspils
◼️ Nazi atrocities in the occupied Latvian SSR
***
On 13 October, the people of Riga welcomed Soviet liberators.
📄 From a report submitted to the Head of the Political Directorate of the 3rd Baltic Front, dated October 13, 1944:
The liberation of Riga was one of the most difficult operations conducted by the Red Army in this sector of the front. The enemy fought fiercely for the city, turning it into a fortress. Riga — served as the administrative centre of the Nazi 'Reichskommissariat Ostland', one of the Third Reich’s key military and political hubs in Eastern Europe.
📄 From a report by the head of the Political Department of the 43rd Guards Latvian Rifle Division:
#WeRemember
Around 150'000 Soviet soldiers and officers lost their lives in the liberation of Latvia.
In memory of the Red Army soldiers, a monument to the Liberators of Riga from the German Fascist Invaders was opened in central Riga. This iconic memorial in the capital’s Victory Park became an enduring symbol of the triumph over Nazism in the Baltic region, as well as a tribute to the gratitude of the republic’s residents for the heroic sacrifice of Soviet soldiers.
❌ In the summer of 2022, the Latvian authorities ordered the demolition of the renowned monument, in what was a 👉 flagrant act of historical revisionism and state-sponsored vandalism. For decades, it had been a major memorial site for hundreds of thousands of compatriots and Latvians who cherished the historical truth.
The aim of this act of barbarism, driven by anti-Russian sentiment among Latvia’s political establishment, was to erase from the memory of generations the historical truth about the heroic feat of the Soviet soldiers-liberators, who, at the cost of immense sacrifice and effort, saved the peoples of the Baltic region from destruction and ruthless Germanisation under the Reich.
❗️ But #WeRemember and #LestWeForget
Following a rapid advance towards the city and fierce combat on the outskirts of Riga, units of the Red Army’s 2nd and 3rd Baltic Fronts — commanded by Generals Andrey Yeremenko and Ivan Maslennikov, respectively, victoriously entered Riga.
🎖 A significant contribution to the defeat of the Nazi troops occupying Riga was made by Latvian national units within the Red Army — notably the soldiers of the 130th Latvian Rifle Corps. They fought bravely against the Nazi invaders, helped liberate our common Motherland and, through joint efforts, brought the Victory closer.
***
#NoStatuteOfLimitations
Riga remained under Nazi German occupation from July 1941. Over the three years of occupation, tens of thousands of civilians were killed by the Nazis, including effectively the entire Jewish population of Riga. The Nazi occupants plundered local resources and exploited the population to meet the needs of the Wehrmacht.
Located some 18 kilometres from Riga was the Nazi #Salaspils concentration camp — a sinister “death factory” where 12'000 children of various ages were killed. Thousands of them perished. The camp claimed the lives of more than 100'000 people, including children, civilians and prisoners of war, who died from starvation, medical experiments, gas chambers and disease.
#ArchivesSpeak
◼️ Learn more about Nazi crimes at Salaspils
◼️ Nazi atrocities in the occupied Latvian SSR
***
On 13 October, the people of Riga welcomed Soviet liberators.
📄 From a report submitted to the Head of the Political Directorate of the 3rd Baltic Front, dated October 13, 1944:
The city’s population — workers, the urban poor, office employees and intellectuals — welcomed our forces with great joy and sincere affection.
The people of Riga greeted soldiers and officers with flowers, red flags and portraits of the leaders of our Party and Government.
The liberation of Riga was one of the most difficult operations conducted by the Red Army in this sector of the front. The enemy fought fiercely for the city, turning it into a fortress. Riga — served as the administrative centre of the Nazi 'Reichskommissariat Ostland', one of the Third Reich’s key military and political hubs in Eastern Europe.
📄 From a report by the head of the Political Department of the 43rd Guards Latvian Rifle Division:
The division fought its way from the borders of the Latvian SSR to Riga, yet nowhere had the local population welcomed us more warmly than in Riga itself…
The city’s residents greeted the soldiers and officers with flowers and red flags.
#WeRemember
Around 150'000 Soviet soldiers and officers lost their lives in the liberation of Latvia.
In memory of the Red Army soldiers, a monument to the Liberators of Riga from the German Fascist Invaders was opened in central Riga. This iconic memorial in the capital’s Victory Park became an enduring symbol of the triumph over Nazism in the Baltic region, as well as a tribute to the gratitude of the republic’s residents for the heroic sacrifice of Soviet soldiers.
❌ In the summer of 2022, the Latvian authorities ordered the demolition of the renowned monument, in what was a 👉 flagrant act of historical revisionism and state-sponsored vandalism. For decades, it had been a major memorial site for hundreds of thousands of compatriots and Latvians who cherished the historical truth.
The aim of this act of barbarism, driven by anti-Russian sentiment among Latvia’s political establishment, was to erase from the memory of generations the historical truth about the heroic feat of the Soviet soldiers-liberators, who, at the cost of immense sacrifice and effort, saved the peoples of the Baltic region from destruction and ruthless Germanisation under the Reich.
❗️ But #WeRemember and #LestWeForget
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#WeRemember
📅 #OTD in 1943, an uprising broke out at #Sobibor — the only successful mass escape by POWs from Nazi “death factories” during #WW2.
The Sobibor uprising was helmed by Alexander Pechersky, a Soviet POW, lieutenant of the Red Army, held among others in Sobibor. The Soviet officer performed a truly heroic feat — just in a few weeks, he managed to devise an escape plan, rally other prisoners and inspired them to fight the Nazis.
◼️ During #WWII, Germany established around 14'000 'death camps'. Among them, the so-called death factories became infamous as places where the Nazis herded their victims for the one purpose — annihilation.
Sobibor was among such “death factory”, established in the south-east of Nazi-occupied Poland, near the Western Bug River and the Polish-Soviet border. The camp was built alongside the railway line between the towns of Chełm and Włodawa.
POWs were transported to Sobibor in entire railway carriages, for one sole purpose — to be killed. The camp was turned into a veritable 'assembly line' for the mass murder of human beings. Each and every day, up to six trains carrying POWs arrived at Sobibor, including prisoners of war and civilians — elderly people, women and children.
At Sobibor, the Nazis starved their victims and exploited them to death. Inhuman medical experiments were conducted on POWs. People from Austria, Czechoslovakia, France and other countries were brought to the camp to be tortured. In June 1943, two special trains carrying children arrived at Sobibor from the Netherlands. In September 1943, a group of Soviet POWs arrived from the Minsk transit camp.
According to various estimates, the Nazis exterminated up to 250'000 POWs at Sobibor during the camp’s existence.
🎖 From the all-Union newspaper 'Krasnaya Armiya' (The Red Army) (September 2, 1944):
***
⚔️ On 14 October 1943, an uprising broke out at Sobibor under the leadership of lieutenant Alexander Pechersky.
The POWs, who dared to challenge the enemy, engaged in an unequal battle. Overpowering 'SS' guards with their bare hands, prisoners rushed towards the main gate despite machine-gun fire from the watchtowers.
❗️Nothing could stop exhausted people determined to break free from Nazi enslavement.
As a result of the uprising, around 300 people managed to escape from the sheer hell on earth. Many of those who survived and made it to freedom joined the resistance movement and continued fighting the Nazis. Pechersky himself joined the Belarusian partisans and, in 1944, returned to the front, fighting the enemy as part of an assault battalion.
The #SobiborUprising became a testament to the unbending human will and strength of spirit — a symbol of the triumph of good over Nazi evil.
The crimes committed at Sobibor formed part of the charges brought against the Nazis at the Nuremberg Trials. In March 1962, eleven guards who had served at Sobibor and Treblinka stood trial in Kiev. Alexander Pechersky himself testified as a witness. All the Nazi criminals were sentenced to death.
Today, the Alexander Pechersky Foundation, together with the Russian Military Historical Society, museums and other organisations, is doing everything possible to ensure that the memory of the heroic feat of the Sobibor prisoners is carefully preserved and passed on to future generations.
#LestWeForget #Victory81
📅 #OTD in 1943, an uprising broke out at #Sobibor — the only successful mass escape by POWs from Nazi “death factories” during #WW2.
The Sobibor uprising was helmed by Alexander Pechersky, a Soviet POW, lieutenant of the Red Army, held among others in Sobibor. The Soviet officer performed a truly heroic feat — just in a few weeks, he managed to devise an escape plan, rally other prisoners and inspired them to fight the Nazis.
◼️ During #WWII, Germany established around 14'000 'death camps'. Among them, the so-called death factories became infamous as places where the Nazis herded their victims for the one purpose — annihilation.
Sobibor was among such “death factory”, established in the south-east of Nazi-occupied Poland, near the Western Bug River and the Polish-Soviet border. The camp was built alongside the railway line between the towns of Chełm and Włodawa.
POWs were transported to Sobibor in entire railway carriages, for one sole purpose — to be killed. The camp was turned into a veritable 'assembly line' for the mass murder of human beings. Each and every day, up to six trains carrying POWs arrived at Sobibor, including prisoners of war and civilians — elderly people, women and children.
At Sobibor, the Nazis starved their victims and exploited them to death. Inhuman medical experiments were conducted on POWs. People from Austria, Czechoslovakia, France and other countries were brought to the camp to be tortured. In June 1943, two special trains carrying children arrived at Sobibor from the Netherlands. In September 1943, a group of Soviet POWs arrived from the Minsk transit camp.
According to various estimates, the Nazis exterminated up to 250'000 POWs at Sobibor during the camp’s existence.
🎖 From the all-Union newspaper 'Krasnaya Armiya' (The Red Army) (September 2, 1944):
The Nazis turned Poland into one vast prison, where millions of people from every country in Europe perished after indescribable suffering.
<...>
The Sobibor camp was one of the death factories established by the Germans on Polish territory. Residents of the Polish village of Zhlobok-2 <...> wrote in a letter to the Red Army command that the inhabitants of villages neighbouring Sobibor knew well of the conditions in this horrific concentration camp.
Every day, more than 1'000 people of various nationalities were exterminated in the camp’s gas chambers. <...>
The Germans referred to this camp as a “button factory” and a “thread factory”...
***
⚔️ On 14 October 1943, an uprising broke out at Sobibor under the leadership of lieutenant Alexander Pechersky.
The POWs, who dared to challenge the enemy, engaged in an unequal battle. Overpowering 'SS' guards with their bare hands, prisoners rushed towards the main gate despite machine-gun fire from the watchtowers.
❗️Nothing could stop exhausted people determined to break free from Nazi enslavement.
As a result of the uprising, around 300 people managed to escape from the sheer hell on earth. Many of those who survived and made it to freedom joined the resistance movement and continued fighting the Nazis. Pechersky himself joined the Belarusian partisans and, in 1944, returned to the front, fighting the enemy as part of an assault battalion.
The #SobiborUprising became a testament to the unbending human will and strength of spirit — a symbol of the triumph of good over Nazi evil.
The crimes committed at Sobibor formed part of the charges brought against the Nazis at the Nuremberg Trials. In March 1962, eleven guards who had served at Sobibor and Treblinka stood trial in Kiev. Alexander Pechersky himself testified as a witness. All the Nazi criminals were sentenced to death.
Today, the Alexander Pechersky Foundation, together with the Russian Military Historical Society, museums and other organisations, is doing everything possible to ensure that the memory of the heroic feat of the Sobibor prisoners is carefully preserved and passed on to future generations.
#LestWeForget #Victory81
🫡16❤4🙏3
Forwarded from Russian MFA 🇷🇺
#Victory81
🌟 #OTD in 1943, Zaporozhye was liberated by the Red Army during the Battle of the Dnieper.
The city of #Zaporozhye, which by that time had become a major industrial and logistics hub, was occupied by the Nazi invaders in the first months of the Great Patriotic War.
◼️ During two years of Nazi terror and occupation, more than 40'000 civilians and POWs were killed in Zaporozhye by the enemy troops.
The Nazis sought to hold the city at any cost, as it had become a key stronghold in the lower reaches of the Dnieper. The Germans had effectively turned Zaporozhye into a major bridgehead within the system of fortifications along the 'Eastern Wall' defence line.
⚔️ In the autumn of 1943, the front line was rapidly approaching the Dnieper. On October 4, the units of the Red Army’s Southwestern Front, commanded by would-be Marshal of the Soviet Union Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky, launched an offensive in the Zaporozhye sector.
Having breached the Germans’ outer defence on October 13, the Soviet forces approached the city.
Fierce combat raged for every street, every residential building.
By the end of the day on October 14, following a night-time assault, the Red Army had overcome enemy resistance and liberated Zaporozhye.
The Nazis were deprived of a strategically important bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Dnieper and lost the ability to launch a counterattack. Unable to stop the Red Army’s advance during its the Zaporozhye peration, the Nazi command ordered the Dnieper Hydroelectric Power Plant (DnieproGES) dam to be blown up.
📄 From the testimony given during an interrogation on October 11, 1947 by Kurt Hans Steffen, a former driver with the 520th Engineer Regiment, holding the rank of Obergefreiter:
🎖 The success of the Zaporozhye Offensive Operation, carried out in just four days, opened the way for Red Army units and formations to advance towards #KrivoyRog. It also enabled Soviet forces to outflank the Nazi troops in the Melitopol area. Its defeat paved the way for the liberation of #Melitopol on October 23.
#Victory81 #WeRemember
The city of #Zaporozhye, which by that time had become a major industrial and logistics hub, was occupied by the Nazi invaders in the first months of the Great Patriotic War.
◼️ During two years of Nazi terror and occupation, more than 40'000 civilians and POWs were killed in Zaporozhye by the enemy troops.
The Nazis sought to hold the city at any cost, as it had become a key stronghold in the lower reaches of the Dnieper. The Germans had effectively turned Zaporozhye into a major bridgehead within the system of fortifications along the 'Eastern Wall' defence line.
⚔️ In the autumn of 1943, the front line was rapidly approaching the Dnieper. On October 4, the units of the Red Army’s Southwestern Front, commanded by would-be Marshal of the Soviet Union Rodion Yakovlevich Malinovsky, launched an offensive in the Zaporozhye sector.
Having breached the Germans’ outer defence on October 13, the Soviet forces approached the city.
Fierce combat raged for every street, every residential building.
By the end of the day on October 14, following a night-time assault, the Red Army had overcome enemy resistance and liberated Zaporozhye.
The Nazis were deprived of a strategically important bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Dnieper and lost the ability to launch a counterattack. Unable to stop the Red Army’s advance during its the Zaporozhye peration, the Nazi command ordered the Dnieper Hydroelectric Power Plant (DnieproGES) dam to be blown up.
📄 From the testimony given during an interrogation on October 11, 1947 by Kurt Hans Steffen, a former driver with the 520th Engineer Regiment, holding the rank of Obergefreiter:
There were five concealed, well-camouflaged explosive charge sites at the power station and four camouflaged charge sites on the dam itself...
We received the order to blow up DnieproGES from Major Senftenberg (commander of the 520th Engineer Regiment battalion — editorial note). The explosion was intended to destroy and demolish DnieproGES.
“Leave nothing but scorched earth in our path of retreat” — that is exactly what we did.
🎖 The success of the Zaporozhye Offensive Operation, carried out in just four days, opened the way for Red Army units and formations to advance towards #KrivoyRog. It also enabled Soviet forces to outflank the Nazi troops in the Melitopol area. Its defeat paved the way for the liberation of #Melitopol on October 23.
#Victory81 #WeRemember
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
❤9👍3🫡2