FIRST BALTIC FRONT - operational-strategic association of Soviet troops in the Great Patriotic War in the northwestern and western right-le-no-yah.

Ob-ra-zo-van on October 20, 1943, with the order of Stav-ki Ver-khov-no-go Main-no-ko-man-do-va-niya of October 16, 1943 (in re-zul- ta-te pe-re-ime-no-va-nia Ka-li-nin-sko-go front-ta) in co-hundred-ve 4th strike, 39th and 43rd general -how-sko-out and 3rd air-soul-noy army. In the next-blowing at a different time, the 2nd, 6th and 11th guards-days, the 51st and 61st general-howl- sko-vye and 5th Guards Tank Army. From November 1 to November 21, the war-ska of the front-that we-whether on-stu-p-le-tion on the vi-teb-sko-on-pilot-com on-right-le-nii, in rezul- ta-te-to-toro-go with the co-action of the 2nd Baltic-th-Pri-Bal-ti-sko-go-th front, wedged in 45-55 km in the ras-lo-same against-no-ka with your right-wing and deep-bo-ko oh-va-ti-li with se-ve-ro-for-pa-da-ro-doc-sky and vi- Teb-sky group-pi-ditch-ki of the German troops. In the course of the Go-ro-doc-sky operation of 1943, raz-gro-mi-whether the go-ro-dok group-pi-ditch-ku and whether-k-wee-di-ro- va-whether the city-ro-dok-sky you-stoup against-it-no-ka, having taken even more you-year-oh from-no-she-niyu to Vi-teb-sk.

In February-March 1944, the troops of the First Baltic Front in mutually-mo-de-st-vie with the troops of the Western Front-that pre-pri-nya-whether on-stu-p-le-tion under Vi-teb-sk and, breaking through ob-ro-well against-no, improve-shi-whether your position on vi-teb-sk on-right-le-nii . Since June 23, in mutually-mo-de-st-vie with the howl-ska-mi of the 3rd Belo-Russian Front in the course of the Wi-teb-sko-Or-Shan opera -tsii 1944 of the year de-gro-mi-whether the left wing of the group of armies "Center" (commander - Field Marshal E. Bush), went to the steps to Po -pilot-ku and, developing, vi-vaya us-peh, without an operational pause, pro-ve-whether the Pilot operation of 1944 of the year. Raz-gro-miv in a pilot-like group-pi-ditch-ku of German troops, pro-moved-well-lied with the left wing for 120-160 km and created-yes-y-y-y-y mustache -lo-via for development on-stu-p-le-tion on Dau-wow-pils and Shyau-lyai. In July, the war-ska of the front in the course of the Siauliai operation of 1944 broke-gro-mi-whether pa-not-ve-zhis-sko-shyau-lyai-skuyu group-pi- ditch-ku against-no-ka and, from-me-niv to-right-le-tion Ch. hit-ra, raz-ver-well-whether on-stu-p-le-nie on Ri-gu with the goal of re-re-re-za su-ho-put-nye-mu-no-ka- The divisions of the German group of armies "North" with East Prussia, went to the Gulf of Riga, but in August they moved 30 km to the south. In September, the front took part in the Riga operation of 1944.

Pe-re-group-pi-ro-wav your forces on the left wing in the Shyau-lyaya district, in na-cha-le ok-tyabr-rya of the troops of the First Baltic Front on-nes -whether an out-of-the-west strike on Me-mel (now-not Klai-pe-da) and, having completed the Me-mel operation of 1944, together with how-ska-mi 2 -go Baltic-th-th front-that bloc-ki-ro-vali from su-shi kur-lyand-skuyu group-pi-ditch-ku of German troops; in the next blowing, we were fighting to destroy her. In January-February 1945, they were part of the forces teaching-st-in-va-li in the East Prussian operation of 1945, co-acting with the 3rd Be -lo-Russian front in the raz-gro-me til-zit-sky group-pi-ditch-ki against-v-no-ka. One-but-time-men-but at the end of Jan-va-rya si-la-mi of the 4th strike army in mutual-mo-action-st-vie with the unity-non-niya -mi marine infantry, ar-til-le-ri-ey and air-qi-ey Baltic-th-th fleet-that howl-ska front-that-to-wee-di-ro- va-li me-mel-sky bridgehead against-tiv-ni-ka and on January 28 os-vo-bo-di-li Me-mel. In early February 1945, the troops of the First Baltic Front, together with the 3rd Belo-Russian Front, were di-ro-vat p-zha-tuyu to the sea-toch-but-Prussian group-pi-ditch-ku against-no-ka on the Zem-land peninsula and in the Kyo region -nigs-ber-ga (we-not Ka-li-nin-grad). The armies of the front, the action-st-in-vav-shie in Latvia, would we have re-re-da-us to the 2nd Baltic Front. Since February 17, all the efforts of the front have been co-medium-to-chi-lis on whether-to-vi-da-tion of the Zem-land group-pi-ditch-ki. The first Baltic Front was up-divided on February 24, 1945, and its troops, pre-ob-ra-zo-van-nye in the Zemland operational group of troops, including che-us in the composition of the Third Be-lo-Russian-sko-th front.

1st Baltic Front It was created on October 20, 1943 on the basis of the directive of the Supreme Command Headquarters of October 16, 1943 by renaming the Kalinin Front. The front included the 4th shock army, the 39th, 43rd combined arms armies, and the 3rd air army. Subsequently, it included the 2nd, 6th, 11th guards, 51st, 61st combined arms armies, 5th guards tank army.During the offensive in November-December 1943, the troops of the front defeated the Gorodok grouping of the enemy, improved their position in the Vitebsk direction. In the course of further operations in the spring of 1944, the formations of the front improved their position near Vitebsk. During the offensive in Belarus in the summer of 1944, the formations of the front, together with the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front, defeated the left flank of the army group"Center", liberated Vitebsk, defeated the enemy's Polotsk grouping, created the conditions for an offensive in the Baltic. During the offensive battles in July 1944, the troops of the front defeated the Panevezys-Siauliai grouping of the enemy, changed the direction of the main attack on Riga, went west of it to the Gulf of Riga, thereby cutting off Army Group North from East Prussia, but in August of the same year they did not were able to hold this area and were thrown back 30 km to the south. In the autumn of 1944, during offensive operations in the Baltic states, the troops of the front participated in the defeat of the enemy grouping in Latvia and Lithuania, together with formations of the 2nd Baltic Front, blockaded the enemy groupings on the territory of the Courland Peninsula and in the Memel region. In January - February 1945, units of the front supported the offensive of the 3rd Belorussian Front in East Prussia, and at the same time the enemy bridgehead in the Memel region was liquidated. In February 1945, the formations operating in Courland were transferred to the 2nd Baltic Front. The remaining formations were concentrated for offensive operations in the area of ​​the Zemland Peninsula.

On February 24, 1945, on the basis of the directive of the Headquarters of the Supreme Command of February 21, 1945, it was transformed into the Zemland Group of Forces as part of the 3rd Belorussian Front.

The troops of the 1st Baltic Front participated in the following operations:

Strategic operations:

• Belarusian strategic offensive operation of 1944;

  East Prussian strategic offensive operation of 1945;

  Baltic strategic offensive operation of 1944.

Front and army operations:

• Vitebsk offensive operation in 1944;

  Insterburg-Koenigsberg offensive operation of 1945;

  Klaipeda offensive operation in 1945;

  Memel offensive operation in 1944;

  Minsk offensive operation of 1944;

  Polotsk offensive operation of 1944;

  Riga offensive operation in 1944;

  Siauliai offensive operation in 1944.

Connections:

• Army:

  • 11th Guards Army;

    4th shock army;

    39th Army;

    43rd Army;

    3rd Air Army;

• • 103rd Rifle Corps:

    • 16th Rifle Division;

  47th Rifle Division;

• 85th Guards Mortar Regiment;

Air Force:

• 13th Correction and Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron;

  36th Correction and Reconnaissance Aviation Squadron;

Engineering Troops:

• 4th Assault Engineer Brigade;

  93rd pontoon bridge battalion.

• Army:

  • 6th Guards Army;

    11th Guards Army;

    4th shock army;

    43rd Army;

    3rd Air Army;

Front line connections:

• Rifle, airborne and cavalry formations:

  • 16th Rifle Division;

Artillery and mortar formations:

• 34th Guards Mortar Regiment;

  601st anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  1623rd anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  1625th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  1714th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  183rd Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion;

  622nd Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion;

• 5th Panzer Corps:

  • 24th tank brigade;

    41st tank brigade;

    70th tank brigade;

    5th motorized rifle brigade;

    1261st self-propelled artillery regiment;

    1515th self-propelled artillery regiment;

    92nd motorcycle battalion;

    731st separate anti-tank battalion;

    277th mortar regiment;

    1708th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

Air Force:

Engineering Troops:

• 2nd engineer-sapper brigade;

  5th Special Purpose Engineering Brigade;

  4th Guards Separate Engineering Battalion;

  37th separate engineering battalion;

  114th separate engineering battalion;

  210th separate engineering battalion;

  249th separate engineering battalion;

  293rd separate engineering battalion;

  10th Guards Miners Battalion;

  57th pontoon-bridge battalion;

  60th pontoon bridge battalion;

  67th pontoon-bridge battalion;

  86th pontoon-bridge battalion;

  93rd pontoon bridge battalion;

  94th pontoon bridge battalion.

• Army:

  • 6th Guards Army;

    4th shock army;

    39th Army;

    43rd Army;

    51st Army;

    3rd Air Army;

Front line connections:

• Rifle, airborne and cavalry formations:

  • 22nd Guards Rifle Corps:

    • 90th Guards Rifle Division;

      47th Rifle Division;

      51st Rifle Division;

  14th Rifle Corps:

  • 239th Rifle Division;

    311th Rifle Division;

    378th Rifle Division;

Artillery and mortar formations:

• 64th Cannon Artillery Brigade (from the 21st Breakthrough Artillery Division);

  283rd howitzer artillery regiment;

  376th howitzer artillery regiment;

  45th anti-tank artillery brigade;

  408th mortar regiment;

  601st anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  1623rd anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  1625th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  183rd Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion;

Armored and mechanized formations:

• 1st Panzer Corps:

  • 89th tank brigade;

    117th tank brigade;

    159th tank brigade;

    44th motorized rifle brigade;

    1437th self-propelled artillery regiment;

    1514th self-propelled artillery regiment;

    108th mortar regiment;

    89th motorcycle battalion;

    10th Guards Mortar Battalion;

    1720th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

46th mechanized brigade;

15th Guards Separate Tank Regiment;

336th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment;

346th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment;

1489th self-propelled artillery regiment;

Air Force:

• 87th Medical Aviation Regiment;

Engineering Troops:

• 5th Assault Engineer Brigade;

  37th separate engineering battalion;

  94th pontoon bridge battalion;

• Army:

  • 2nd Guards Army;

    6th Guards Army;

    4th shock army;

    43rd Army;

    51st Army;

    5th Guards Tank Army;

    3rd Air Army;

Front line connections:

• Artillery and mortar formations:

  • 43rd anti-tank artillery brigade;

    17th Guards Mortar Brigade (from 2nd Guards Mortar Division);

    46th anti-aircraft artillery division:

    • 609th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

      617th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

      618th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

      717th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  601st anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  1623rd anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  1625th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

  183rd Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion;

  221st Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion;

  622nd Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion;

Armored and mechanized formations:

• 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps:

  • 7th Guards Mechanized Brigade;

    8th Guards Mechanized Brigade;

    9th Guards Mechanized Brigade;

    35th Guards Tank Brigade;

    64th Guards Separate Tank Regiment;

    380th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment;

    1510th self-propelled artillery regiment;

    1823rd self-propelled artillery regiment;

    1st Guards Motorcycle Battalion;

    743rd separate anti-tank fighter division;

    129th mortar regiment;

    334th Guards mortar division;

    1705th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

1501st self-propelled artillery regiment;

272nd Separate Motorized Special Purpose Battalion;

Air Force:

• 206th Correction and Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment;

  87th Medical Aviation Regiment;

Engineering Troops:

• 5th Guards Mine Engineering Brigade;

  9th pontoon-bridge brigade;

  37th separate engineering battalion;

  91st pontoon bridge battalion;

  106th pontoon bridge battalion.

• Army:

  • 6th Guards Army;

    4th shock army;

    43rd Army;

    51st Army;

    3rd Air Army;

Front line connections:

• Artillery and mortar formations:

  • 609th anti-aircraft artillery regiment (from the 46th anti-aircraft artillery division);

    246th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

    601st anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

    1623rd anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

    1625th anti-aircraft artillery regiment;

    183rd Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion;

    221st Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion;

    622nd Separate Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion;

Armored and mechanized formations:

• 2nd Guards Separate Tank Regiment;

  64th Guards Tank Regiment (from the 2nd Mechanized Corps);

  377th Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment;

Air Force:

• 353rd aviation communication regiment;

Engineering Troops:

• 5th Guards Mine Engineering Brigade;

  9th pontoon-bridge brigade;

  37th separate engineering battalion of mine detectors.

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Abstract on the topic:

1st Baltic Front

Plan:

Introduction

• 1. History
• 2 Composition
• 3 Command

Introduction

1st Baltic Front(October 20, 1943 - February 24, 1945) - the front of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War, operating in the Baltic direction.

1. History

It was formed in the northwestern and western directions on October 20, 1943 on the basis of the order of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command dated October 16, 1943 by renaming the Kalinin Front.

From November 1 to November 21, 1943, the troops of the front launched an offensive in the Vitebsk-Polotsk direction. With the support of the 2nd Baltic Front, it was possible to penetrate the German defenses to a depth of 45-55 km and deeply cover the Gorodok and Vitebsk groupings of German troops.

As a result of the Gorodok operation in 1943, the German grouping was defeated and the ledge in the enemy defenses was destroyed. As a result, an advantageous position was taken near Vitebsk.

In February-March 1944, together with the Western Front, the troops of the 1st Baltic Front carried out the Vitebsk operation. As a result of the operation, it was possible to improve the situation, break through the enemy defenses, and deeply cover the enemy's Vitebsk grouping.

Since June 23, in cooperation with the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front, during the Vitebsk-Orsha operation, the left wing of the German Army Group Center was defeated. Soviet troops reached the approaches to Polotsk.

Building on the success, the Polotsk operation was carried out without an operational pause. As a result, the Polotsk group of Germans was defeated and the left wing advanced 120-160 km. Favorable conditions were created for the development of the offensive against Daugavpils and Siauliai.

In July, the troops of the front carried out the Šiauliai operation. As a result, the Panevezys-Siauliai grouping of the enemy was defeated. Then they launched an offensive against Riga in order to cut off the land communications of the German Army Group North with East Prussia, went to the Gulf of Riga, but in August they retreated 30 km to the south.

In September, the front took part in the Riga operation. In early October, Soviet troops launched a surprise attack on Memel (Klaipeda). After the completion of the Memel operation, together with the troops of the 2nd Baltic Front, he blocked the enemy’s Courland grouping from land. Then he fought to destroy it.

In January-February 1945, the front part of the forces participated in the East Prussian strategic operation. Assisted the 3rd Belorussian Front in defeating the enemy's Tilsit grouping. At the same time, at the end of January, the Memel bridgehead was liquidated, and on January 28, Memel was liberated.

In early February 1945, the troops of the front, together with the 3rd Belorussian Front, participated in the operation to eliminate the East Prussian enemy grouping pressed to the sea on the Zemland Peninsula and in the area of ​​​​Königsberg (Kaliningrad). The armies of the front operating in Courland were transferred to the 2nd Baltic Front. Since February 17, all the efforts of the front have been focused on the liquidation of the enemy Zemland grouping.

On February 24, 1945, the front was abolished, and its troops, transformed into the Zemland Operational Group of Forces, were included in the 3rd Belorussian Front.

2. Composition

Initial:

• 4th shock army (USSR)
• 39th Air Army (USSR)
• 43rd Air Army (USSR)
• 4th Air Army (USSR)

At various times included:

• 2nd Guards Army (USSR)
• 6th Army (USSR)
• 11th Army (USSR)
• 51st Army (USSR)
• 61st Army (USSR)
• 5th Tank Army (USSR)

3. Command

Commanders:

• Army General A. I. Eremenko (October-November 1943)
• General of the Army I. Kh. Bagramyan (November 1943 - February 1945)

Members of the Military Council:

• Lieutenant General D. S. Leonov (October 1943 - November 1944)
• Lieutenant General M. V. Rudakov (November 1944 - February 1945).

Chief of staff:

• Lieutenant General, from June 1944 Colonel General V. V. Kurasov (October 1943 - February 1945)

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This abstract is based on an article from the Russian Wikipedia. Synchronization completed 07/11/11 05:39:20
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The fascist German army group "North", operating in the Baltic states on a thousand-kilometer front, found itself in an extremely unfavorable operational and strategic position. However, the Nazi command did not think to withdraw it. It attached great importance to holding the Baltic States in its hands and took measures to strengthen its grouping. Several infantry and tank divisions, a large number of tanks and assault guns from Germany and other sectors of the front were transferred here. The total number of German troops here was over 700 thousand people. They had 1210 tanks and assault guns. Their actions were supported by 300,400 aircraft of the 1st and 6th air fleets.

The troops of the Leningrad, three Baltic fronts and the 39th army of the 3rd Belorussian front acted against this German group.

The troops of the 1st Baltic Front occupied the defense from the Western Dvina River to Fliornanishka. It consisted of: 4th shock, 41st and 43rd armies, 2nd and 6th guards combined arms, 5th guards tank, 3rd air armies and 1st separate tank corps.

The enemy prepared his powerful defense in advance, consisting of three defensive lines. Wire fences were set up in front of the front line, tank-hazardous directions were mined, and all main roads were dug up by anti-tank ditches.

The second line of defense consisted of 2-3 trenches with communication passages. In addition, the Nazis prepared a defensive line in the operational depth, located in

1520 kilometers from the second line of defense.

The fascist German command created a particularly defense in depth in the Memel direction. Here it consisted of six defensive lines and two urban bypasses around Memel. However, the Nazis did not have the necessary forces to simultaneously occupy all the defensive lines. They expected to occupy them with retreating forces in the event of a breakthrough by the Red Army of the tactical defense.

The troops of the Red Army had a significant superiority over the enemy in terms of forces and means and occupied a more advantageous operational position. However, the multi-lane enemy defense, combined with the wooded and swampy terrain, required the Soviet command to carefully prepare an offensive operation.

On August 17, 1944, the 5th Guards Tank Army, which was transferred to the 1st Baltic Front, was withdrawn from the battle in the Siauliai region on August 24. The 29th Panzer Corps, having made a thirty-kilometer night march, concentrated in the area of ​​​​Trumpaytel, Stanuliai, Yakiskiai, Linkaichai in readiness to launch powerful counterattacks in the direction of Darguzhiai, Jelgava, Siauliai. Here, parts of the corps were until September 13, where they were replenished with personnel and supplies, conducted classes and prepared military equipment for the upcoming battles. By this time, the corps had: 120 tanks, 53 self-propelled artillery mounts, 13 guards rocket artillery mounts.

On September 13, the 29th Tank Corps received the task, after breaking through the enemy defenses, by units of the 1st Rifle Corps, to enter the gap and develop an offensive in two directions, defeat the opposing enemy units and reach the area east of Zhdukote.

The Nazi command sought to break through the defenses of the Red Army troops in the direction of Dobele and thereby provide a wide passage for Army Group North to connect with the troops of Army Group Center. The German strike force pushed back units of the 6th Guards Army. There was a threat of capture by the enemy of Dobele and communications of the Soviet troops.

On the night of September 20, 1944, formations of the 5th Guards Tank Army rushed to the aid of the shooters. The 29th Panzer Corps took up defenses north and west of Dobele at the line of Laukanlzhas, Ciruli, Tynni, began engineering work and strengthened reconnaissance.

32nd Tank Brigade under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Kolesnikov S.G. was located in the Laukanjas area on the northwestern outskirts of Dobele and was preparing to repel enemy attacks. But the tankers did not have to engage in battle and the German troops were overturned by advanced rifle units.

The 5th Guards Tank Army again returned to its original area. Only the 32nd tank brigade remained on the defensive.

In order to disorient the enemy, on the night of September 27, 1944, large radio exercises began, during which the approach of new formations to this area was demonstrated. In fact, only a partial regrouping of some parts took place. The 32nd tank brigade withdrew from the defense and redeployed in two night marches to the forest northeast of Kayre. Here she temporarily became subordinate to the commander of the 43rd Army.

During the regrouping of troops, the 5th Guards Tank Army received the task of moving to a new concentration area. Having made a hundred-kilometer march for two nights, by the morning of September 30, the 29th Panzer Corps concentrated in the Lepshi, Tulskaya Sloboda, Karvelyai, and Taurugiai regions and began to prepare for hostilities.

At noon on September 3, the corps received an order: without the 32nd Tank Brigade and the 1223rd Light Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment with the 14th Heavy Tank Regiment, the 366th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment after breaking through the enemy defenses and leaving parts of the 43rd Army on the line Gudminki-Stefanishki enter the gap and develop an offensive in two directions on Gedyntsy, Stefanishki, Zhorany and on Pokurshenai, Yanopol, Andreevo.

The 31st Tank Brigade crossed the Venta River in the Kurshenaya area in an organized manner and, rapidly advancing along the indicated route, reached the forest east of Stefanishki by the end of the day.

The 3rd tank battalion, which acted in the vanguard of the forward detachment, met stubborn resistance from the enemy in the Upina area and started a battle with him. In an effort to hold an important road junction, the enemy concentrated the retreating units of the 551st and 547th Infantry Divisions here. Despite the courage of the tankers, they failed to fight their way through. The battle took on a protracted character. The brigade commander, Colonel Pokolov, in order not to delay the movement of the main forces, left the 3rd battalion to cover the units from the front, and decided to bypass the enemy from the south with an advance detachment. This maneuver paid off. Bypassing the swampy area, the brigade reached Vidsodis by 19:00, crossed a number of water barriers and, under cover of night, quickly broke into Patumshai. The enemy, stunned by the audacity of the tankers, did not put up serious resistance and, having suffered losses in manpower and equipment, hastily retreated to the west. Pursuing the departing battered parts of the Nazis, the brigade approached Lukniki at 21:00. Covering the highway junction, the enemy built a number of engineering structures here and concentrated a significant number of tanks and artillery, which met the tankers with organized fire and forced them to stop. Suddenly, the German artillery ceased fire. The reason is this: behind the advanced units of the brigade, a tank tractor headed by Lieutenant Technician Gubaidullin was moving. He lagged behind and sought to catch up with his own. Moving at maximum speed, he lost his way and decided to catch up with his battalion by shortening the path through the bushes and jumped out to the high-rise, where there was a German battery and began to crush its cannons with caterpillars. The Germans, mistaking the rapidly moving tank tractor for a unit of advancing tankers, rushed in all directions. This moment was used by the brigade commander, who developed the offensive, bypassed the high-rise and continued the offensive in the direction of Yanopol. At 11 o'clock the brigade approached Vekshele, broke through the defenses at the junction between the 551st and 547th enemy divisions and entered the operational space.

The enemy tried in small groups of infantry, supported by two or three tanks and several guns, to delay the advance of the 31st Tank Brigade. But these attempts were unsuccessful. Tankers, skillfully maneuvering, bypassing the nodes of resistance, quickly moved forward and by 20 o’clock approached Retovo. In a short but heated battle, the vanguard of the brigade defeated up to a regiment of enemy infantry and captured this large junction of highways. For two days of fighting, the brigade passed through the wooded and swampy terrain for about 135 kilometers, inflicting significant damage on the enemy and sowing panic among his units, while she herself suffered minor losses.

The 25th tank brigade bypassed the enemy's stronghold in the Lukniki area by a maneuver to the north and reached the eastern outskirts of Zhorana at noon. The reconnaissance of the brigade discovered the concentration of enemy infantry, tanks and artillery. In order not to get involved in protracted battles, the brigade commander, Colonel Stanislavsky I.O., hiding behind one battalion from the front, bypassed the settlement from the south with the main forces and, with the 1446th self-propelled artillery regiment, launched an attack on the Medingyans and by 18 o’clock took possession of it.

In the battles these days, the soldiers of a tank company under the command of Senior Lieutenant A.G. Parfenov distinguished themselves. The company in offensive battles from October 5 to October 10, 1944 was in the forward detachment of the 25th tank brigade and acted decisively and boldly, paving the way for the brigade on the way to the coast of the Baltic Sea. In the Plunglyany area, in battle, Senior Lieutenant Parfenov A.G. with his crew, he destroyed 3 tanks, 39 Nazi soldiers, defeated a convoy with military equipment, captured a food warehouse, and freed 50 Soviet citizens from German captivity. Tankers under the command of Senior Lieutenant Parfenov A.G. with a swift dash, they reached the Siauliai-Klaipeda railway, which ensured the successful actions of the brigade and corps.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 24, 1945, Senior Lieutenant Afanasy Georgievich Parfenov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Continuing to participate in the battles for the liberation of Latvia, Senior Lieutenant Parfenov A.G. November 1, 1944 died a heroic death in battle.

Soviet troops advanced to the shores of the Baltic Sea.

By the end of the day, the 29th Panzer Corps was on the line of Keturaki, Kentrokalne. His 25th tank brigade took up all-round defense in the Medingyan area. The 31st tank brigade, advancing in the forward detachment of the corps, occupied all-round defense in the Retovo area and conducted reconnaissance in the direction of Endriejavas. The 53rd motorized rifle brigade was located in Yanopol, providing tank brigades from the flanks and rear.

The 32nd tank brigade, withdrawn from the command of the 43rd army, concentrated in the Yanopol area by the end of the day and formed the reserve of the corps commander.

By this time, the defeated units of the 551st Infantry Division, the 201st Security Division, the Laukhert combat group, the 303rd and 846th assault gun brigades were retreating westward under the blows of the Soviet troops. In front of the army front, they covered their retreat with small groups of infantry and tanks. The Panzer Division "Grossdeutschland" approached the Telshiai area and, together with the 201st Security Division, held back the rapid advance of the Red Army formations.

The 31st tank brigade, during the offensive, approached the settlement of Blindaki, which the Nazis turned into a stronghold. On the heights north and east of Blindaki, the enemy dug full-profile trenches, set up wire fences and minefields, and dug an anti-tank ditch in the depths of the defense. But even here the Nazis could not put up serious resistance. After a short battle, the 31st tank brigade broke into the settlement and, without stopping, overtaking and destroying convoys and convoys, reached Budryai and captured it. Leaving the 3rd tank battalion to cover the right flank, the brigade commander led the main forces to the crossing over the Miniya River in the Rogovishki area.

This water barrier was a serious obstacle for the attackers. She had three sleeves. Between them stretched a swampy area more than a kilometer wide. The west bank dominated the east. Full profile trenches were dug along its heights, bunkers were equipped, wire fences, minefields were installed in five stakes, there was an anti-tank ditch. The bridges across each arm were mined. This powerful defensive line, covering the approaches to the Baltic Sea in the Rogoviski area, was defended by an enemy infantry battalion supported by an artillery battalion and 15 tanks of the Grossdeutschland division.

But nothing could stop the offensive impulse of the Soviet troops. Acting swiftly and boldly, they also overcame this defensive line. The reconnaissance platoon of the 31st Tank Brigade was the first to reach the river on two armored personnel carriers with three motorcycles, led by the head of intelligence, Senior Lieutenant Zinoviev. The Germans were in no hurry to blow up the bridges. They expected to lift them into the air at the moment when a significant number of Soviet troops and equipment were on them. The reconnaissance chief figured out this plan of the enemy and decided at all costs to keep the bridges for the crossing of our troops. Scout senior sergeant I.A. Shvetskov, having overcome a 45-meter sleeve under enemy fire, got ashore and, using bushes, secretly crawled to the first bridge. Here he found about 600 kilograms of explosives, found the wires leading to the explosion mechanism, and cut them. Overcoming the cold when overcoming the sleeves, camouflaging in the bushes, supporting the scouts from the shore with machine guns, the senior sergeant found and neutralized all the bridges one by one. For courage, courage, courage shown during the clearance of bridges, senior sergeant Shvetskov Ivan Andreevich was awarded the Order of Glory 3rd degree.

After a short but heated battle, the tankers crossed the river and captured the bridgehead. During October 8, 1944, formations and parts of the corps successfully completed the task. The advanced units crossed the Miniya River and captured a bridgehead on its western bank. As part of these units, a tank platoon fought under the command of Lieutenant Bashchenko A.P., who was the first to cross the river, captured the crossing and held it until the main forces of the 31st Tank Brigade approached. Continuing the offensive, the platoon broke into the Kretinga railway station, destroyed a lot of enemy manpower and captured 2 trains with military equipment. The next day, being in reconnaissance northeast of the village of Karklininkai, he boldly entered into battle with superior enemy forces. During the battle, Lieutenant Bashchenko A.P. died a heroic death on the battlefield.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 24, 1945, the commander of a tank platoon, Lieutenant Bashchenko Alexander Petrovich, was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

During the offensive battles, favorable conditions were created for breaking through the second and third defensive lines on the outskirts of Memel.

For the capture of the cities of Plunge, Telshai and the breakthrough of a number of defensive lines that day, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief announced gratitude to all the personnel of the corps.

On the morning of October 9, 1944, the army commander ordered the 29th tank corps, which was operating ahead of the main forces of the army, to go on a decisive offensive, with the main forces to force the Minia River in the Kartena, Ragavishki sector and capture the city of Kretinga by 14 o'clock. The advance detachment was to go to the coast and capture the cities of Palanga and Karklininkai, provide themselves with strong cover from the north and northwest.

1st tank battalion of the 25th tank brigade under the command of Captain Reshetnikov N.M. advanced rapidly. On approaching the Miniya River, the battalion routed a three times superior enemy, crossed the river, seized a bridgehead, and cut off the enemy's retreat to East Prussia. During offensive battles, the battalion overtook and defeated the German motorized column, liberated a large number of settlements, destroyed more than 250 enemy soldiers and officers, 18 tanks and self-propelled guns, 7 mortar batteries and many other enemy equipment. Only the crew of the battalion commander destroyed 4 tanks and 12 vehicles with fire and caterpillars.

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated March 24, 1945, the battalion commander Captain Reshetnikov Nikolai Mikhailovich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

The 31st Tank Brigade with a daring blow broke through the enemy's second defensive line south of Kretinga. Its avant-garde, advancing through the wooded and swampy terrain, bypassing the settlements, by ten o'clock approached the crossing over the Akmena River in the Eglischke region and met the fire resistance of the Nazis. After a two-hour battle, the brigade pushed the enemy back throughout its offensive sector.

The 53rd motorized rifle brigade, after a short artillery preparation, in which guards mortars took part, in cooperation with the 1223rd light self-propelled artillery regiment, went on the offensive on Kretinga and, without encountering serious resistance, captured this important junction of highways and railways.

All parts and formations of the corps were approaching the sea. Having made a twelve-kilometer throw, two rifle companies of the 53rd motorized rifle brigade, with the support of tankers and self-propelled gunners, at 13:30 took the city of Palanga by storm and reached its western outskirts.

The commander of a tank company, Senior Lieutenant Shabalin B.S., acting as part of the forward detachment of the 25th Tank Brigade, broke through behind enemy lines and on October 19, 1944, was the first to enter the city of Palanga. The company during the battle destroyed more than a hundred German soldiers and officers, set fire to 15 tanks and other equipment. With its decisive actions, the company ensured the exit of the main forces of the corps to the Baltic Sea.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 24, 1945, the commander of a tank company, Captain Shabalin Boris Sergeevich, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

One of the first on October 10, 1944, a tank platoon, commanded by Junior Lieutenant Pegov G.I.

Being on the reconnaissance patrol of the brigade, the platoon acted boldly, proactively and decisively, timely discovering weak areas in the enemy's defenses and reporting to the brigade headquarters. Destroying the enemy, the crew of the platoon commander destroyed up to 150 Nazis, 2 tanks, 3 self-propelled guns, an artillery battery on the march, 2 armored personnel carriers and many other equipment.

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 24, 1945, the commander of a tank platoon, Junior Lieutenant Grigory Ivanovich Pegov, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

At 2 p.m., the 32nd tank brigade reached the Palanga region. By 15 o'clock the rest of the formations of the corps reached the sea on a fifteen-kilometer front.

The enemy grouping in the Baltic was divided into two parts.

The corps, like the entire 5th Guards Tank Army, had to operate in a wooded and swampy area with a significant number of lakes and small rivers and streams. The beginning of the rains and the autumn thaw turned the roads into impassable. The high pace of the offensive was achieved at the cost of a high strain of moral and physical strength of the entire personnel. And the pace of advance averaged 50 kilometers per day.

As a result of the rapid offensive of the Red Army units, the Germans failed to use 5 pre-prepared lines. They intended to occupy them with outgoing units. But the Soviet advancing units reached these lines before the retreating Nazi troops and overcame them relatively easily.

After reaching the sea, the 29th Panzer Corps received the task of taking up defense on the lines of Darataychay, Derbenai, Shventai with the front to the north.

The experience of the operation carried out showed that if the enemy has defensive lines in the depths of the defense, it is possible to successfully complete the assigned task only with a swift offensive, preempting the enemy in their occupation.

On the morning of October 5, 1944, after a 30-minute artillery preparation, the troops of the 1st Baltic Front went on the offensive. Memel operation started. The blow was a complete surprise for the German command. A witty hoax was invented in the 43rd Army. To mislead the enemy on the left flank, the start of a grandiose offensive was imitated. Under the cover of a dense smoke screen, all artillery fire fell on the enemy. The frightened German units defending this sector of the front, several times larger than the two companies of infantry advancing against them, fled in a panic, deciding that no less than the corps was going on the offensive. And the reserves of the German command were urgently thrown into this false area. BUT at that very time, on the right flank, quietly and imperceptibly, the advancing battalions broke into the enemy's trenches. After breaking through the first line of defense, all the main forces were thrown into battle to develop success. The offensive of the 1st Baltic Front developed successfully in all directions. On the very first day of the offensive, the enemy defenses were broken.

On October 6, in an effort to develop success, the second echelon armies were brought into battle. By the fourth day of the offensive, the breakthrough reached a depth of up to 70 kilometers and a width of more than 200 kilometers. The 5th Guards Tank Army under the command of Lieutenant General V.T. Volsky achieved the greatest success.

On the way to the Virvita River, near the settlement of Kulshiki, a short battle broke out. Up to 12 enemy tanks and an artillery battery opened fire from an ambush on the advancing units of the 3rd Guards Tank Brigade. The 2nd tank battalion, which was in the forefront, turned around and began to bypass Kulshiki from the north and south. The car under the command of junior lieutenant I.D. Roshchin entered the position of enemy tanks, well camouflaged in the bushes. Not noticing the Soviet tank that appeared in their rear, they continued to fire. The decision matured quickly. Roshchin took an advantageous position and immediately opened fire on the enemy, sending shell after shell into the side of the enemy vehicle. One, another, then a third German tanks began to smoke. The rest turned around and left the battlefield. The path was open.

On October 8, units of the 31st Tank Brigade reached the Rubule-Kuli defensive line, which covered the approaches to Klaipeda. On the move, the brigade broke through two lines of enemy trenches. By the end of the day, having overcome the anti-tank ditch, the tankers took possession of a number of settlements, dispersing up to an infantry regiment. The tank platoon of Lieutenant A.P. Bashchenko, acting in intelligence, passed through the rear of the enemy for about 50 km and on the morning of October 9, broke into Ragavyshka, captured the crossing over the Minya River and held it until our troops approached, repelling attacks by enemy tanks and motorized infantry.

October 10 was the decisive day of the offensive. On this day, units of the 1st Baltic Front captured the cities of Karkelberg, Palanga and Kretinga, where several thousand concentration camp prisoners were rescued. On the same day our troops, bypassing the enemy's strongholds, reached the Baltic Sea north of Klaipeda near Palanga.

Thus, Army Group North was cut off from East Prussia on land.

On October 11, already north of Klaipeda, the 43rd Army under the command of Beloborodov entered the Baltic Sea.

The successes of the 1st Baltic Front made a radical change in the course of the entire Riga operation.. The German command began the withdrawal of troops from Riga in the direction of the Courland Peninsula with the aim of their further evacuation by sea to East Prussia.

Having discovered the weakening of the enemy's defense north of the Western Dvina (Daugava), the troops of the 2nd and 3rd Baltic Fronts resumed their offensive against Riga.

By October 12, having completely broken the defense along the Segulda line, the Red Army troops reached the outskirts of the Latvian capital.

Having cleared Salaspils, which was only 18 km from Riga, from the invaders, the Soviet soldiers also liberated a few prisoners of the camp located near this city. There, for all three years, the Germans kept prisoners of war, partisans and civilians in inhuman conditions. Subsequently, thousands of victims were found not far from the camp and in the Rumbula forest. The camp became infamous for the extermination of children who were bled daily for wounded German soldiers, draining the life out of them to the last drop.

On October 13, our troops fought and captured the heights from which Riga was already clearly visible. From there one could see the narrow streets of the ancient city: the pointed tiled roofs of the houses and the spiers of the cathedrals, the walls of the ancient castle. And behind them are the modern quarters of the industrial city. In mid-September, our troops, advancing in a western direction, drove the Germans out of several important strongholds, and came close to the main line of defense. This new system of fortifications covered the approaches to Riga in a wide arc. It began on the coast of the Gulf of Riga, crossed four railways and several highways, and ended, resting against the bank of the Western Dvina (Daugava). This defense system included all possible means: a network of full profile trenches, barbed wire and minefields, reinforced concrete pillboxes, armored caps covering machine guns. Approaches to the positions were shot through by machine-gun and artillery fire. German soldiers captured by our scouts told during interrogations that this the outer bypass around Riga was called "winter" by the command. It was ordered to defend this line to the last soldier, since the Nazis were going to spend the winter in Riga and save it as a naval base on the Baltic Sea.

The Germans tried to hold the bridges across the Gauja in the northeastern port part of the city. But the fighters of Major General Rozhdestvensky with a swift attack threw the enemy back from the western bank of the river. Units of the Heroes of the Soviet Union Malkov and Gorishny crossed the Yugla River. The Germans blew up the bridge across the river, but this did not stop our soldiers. They entered the icy water in full gear and crossed to the other side., and soon the sappers built a bridge and the battle began already in the enemy trenches. The city was only a few kilometers away.

The closer the battle came to the walls of the city, the fiercer the resistance of the Germans became.. Soviet troops systematically destroyed pockets of enemy resistance on the city streets, and, finally, the enemy garrison was destroyed. On October 13, the troops of the 3rd Baltic Front under the command of Army General Maslennikov, with the assistance of the troops of the 2nd Baltic Front under the command of Army General Eremenko, liberated the capital of Soviet Latvia, a large industrial center, an important railway junction, one of the best ports on the Baltic Sea and military sea ​​base. Moscow celebrated the liberation of Riga with festive fireworks.

This is how TASS correspondents described the liberated Riga:

“Riga is on fire and in smoke. There are heaps of ruins everywhere. The caustic soot floats through the streets. The cadaverous smell spreads around the Riga central. From the very first day of the arrival of the Germans in Latvia, this prison was filled with innocent Soviet people. The cells held hundreds of prisoners. Every day, the Gestapo dragged the arrested into the corridors and beat and tortured them. Friday was the scariest day of the week. Each of the prisoners looked forward to this day with horror. Those whom the Germans took out of their cells that day did not return back. The Nazis pumped blood from the prisoners. The jailers determined what type of blood each had, then they tattooed the corresponding letter under the arm, which, as a stern witness, will remain with those who escaped from this hell until the end of their lives. Brivibas Street is the central thoroughfare of the city. It stretches from the Pskov highway almost to the very Western Dvina. Like other city streets and squares, it is blocked off by barricades, anti-tank obstacles ... The Nazis set fire to houses, blew up enterprises. They destroyed the buildings of the wagon factory, set fire to the motor and rubber factories. The post office burned for more than a day. We saw this huge building overlooking three streets, engulfed in flames. Interfloor ceilings burned out. The entire street adjoining the post office was set on fire by the Germans. The enemy in a wild frenzy set fire to the houses of civilians. Not far from the Riga Opera House, a multi-storey building burned down ... They set fire to the house from several sides, in which women, children, and the elderly were sleeping. By 4 o'clock in the morning the house was engulfed in flames. From the upper floors, distraught people rushed to the pavement and crashed ... We are going to the port. Here, more than anywhere else, traces of the hasty retreat of the Germans are visible. Abandoned cargo on the berths. Transports broken by our aircraft. The port of Riga did not bring salvation to the German group encircled in the Baltics. The so-called Courland cauldron was formed. The German group turned out to be completely isolated and could no longer take part in hostilities, so it was decided not to waste time and energy on its complete destruction. It was jokingly nicknamed "the camp of armed prisoners of war". The successful actions of the Soviet troops led to the complete elimination of Army Group North and the liberation of almost the entire Baltic. The road to East Prussia was opened for the soldiers of the Red Army, and the Baltic Fleet returned all its naval bases. Together with the Baltic States, the Reich also lost dominance in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea. The loss of an important industrial, raw material and food base seriously hit the industrial power of Germany, which made the long-awaited moment of final victory over the Reich even closer.