“Today, September 10, 1942, the military tribunal in Chernivtsi pronounced a verdict on the communists from the city of Khotyn.

Kuzma Galkin, Vladimir Manchenko, Alexander Nepomnyashchiy, Nikolay Saltanchuk, Dmitry Semenchuk were sentenced to death.

For life hard labor - Nikolai Tampolar, Alexei Gerasimov, Vladimir Zvenigorodsky, Alexander Galits, Alexander Bondarchuk, Ivan Chebotar, Mikhail Fostiy.

For various terms of imprisonment - Ivan Trofa, Efim Reshetnik, Antip Osipov.

On October 24, 1942, the patriots were executed. They left the prison cell singing the Internationale and met death like heroes, bequeathing to the living to continue the fight, to avenge them.

"Uncle Andrei", according to the stories of local residents, a year after the execution of young patriots was captured by the Nazis, imprisoned in the Balti camp and tortured to death by the Gestapo. The real name of the communist hero, inspirer and party leader of the youth underground remained unknown. But the bright image of the Russian tank officer will forever remain in the hearts of the working people of Bukovina as a symbol of fraternal friendship, sealed with blood in the dark years of foreign invasion.

On April 1, it became clear to the command of the 1st Ukrainian Front that the 1st German Panzer Army was breaking through to the west. To intercept the enemy's retreat routes, it decided to use the 52nd and 74th rifle corps, which were on the march in the Buchach, Tlumach area, to regroup the 4th tank army from Kamenetz-Podolsky, and then several more divisions from the 1st Guards, 18 th and 38th armies.

The 74th Rifle Corps of Lieutenant-General F.E. Sheverdin was ordered to deploy front to the east in the Ozeryany area, and the 52nd Rifle Corps of Major-General F.I. Perkhorovich - in the Tolstoy area. Both corps, after a long march along bad roads, entered the battle on the move, far from being at full strength, with a small amount of artillery and deployed on a wide front. Therefore, they were unable to hold back the concentrated attack of the enemy tank divisions and, after heavy fighting that lasted throughout April 1 and 2, they withdrew: the 74th corps to the north of Ozeryana, and the 52nd corps to Chertkov. Having overcome the resistance of these corps, units of the 1st German Panzer Army continued to move west. On April 7, the forward detachments of the tank divisions of this army reached the Buchach region.

During ten days of heavy fighting, the 1st Panzer Army of the enemy lost in battle and threw onto the battlefield a large number of artillery, tanks, assault guns, and heavy weapons. All divisions lost at least half of their strength, and some of them had to be reorganized due to heavy losses.

While the troops of the 1st Guards, 38th, 18th and 4th Tank Armies of the 1st Ukrainian Front fought heavy battles with the enemy’s 1st Tank Army, which was breaking through to the west, on the outer front, especially in the zone of the 18th guards rifle corps, the situation was not in favor of our troops.

As previously noted, as a result of cutting off the 1st German Panzer Army, a huge gap was formed in the enemy defenses in the area from Ternopil to Stanislav. To close it, the enemy command took urgent measures. The 1st Hungarian Army, consisting of seven divisions and two brigades, advanced from Hungary to the Stanislav direction. Troops from France (the 2nd SS Panzer Corps consisting of the 9th and 10th SS Panzer Divisions and the 349th Infantry Division), from Yugoslavia (the 100th Jaeger and 367th Infantry divisions), from Denmark (361st Infantry Division), as well as from the reserve of the High Command of the German Ground Forces (214th Infantry Division).

These troops were used to form a new front of defense between the Ozeryans and Stanislav, as well as to strike in order to release the 1st German Panzer Army. In particular, in the Bolypovtsy area, a strike force was created consisting of the 9th and 10th SS Panzer Divisions, the 100th Jaeger and 367th Infantry Divisions. It should be noted that our reconnaissance did not detect the concentration of these enemy troops in a timely manner.

On April 4, the enemy went on the offensive on the outer front. He delivered the main blow in the area of ​​​​Podgaytsy, in the zone of the 18th Guards Rifle Corps, parts of which had to retreat south, to the river. Dniester, in the strip of our 1st Panzer Army. The 8th Infantry Division of the 60th Army, advanced on April 2 to the Vuchach region, being under attack from two sides, was unable to counteract the enemy troops and retreated north of Vuchach. On April 7, the vanguards of the enemy divisions advancing on Podgaitsy, in the Vuchach region, connected with the advanced units of their 1st Panzer Army.

Pursuing units of the 1st German Tank Army emerging from the encirclement, the troops of our 1st Guards and 4th Tank Armies reached the Vuchach area. They made an attempt to develop the offensive in a westerly direction. The enemy sought to push our troops back to the east. Fierce ten-day battles in the Vucach region ended in vain. Soviet troops entrenched at the turn of Zolotniki, Vuchach, the mouth of the river. Strypa.

At the same time, intense battles unfolded south of the Dniester, where our 1st Panzer Army was operating on a wide front. In early April, units of the army reached the approaches to Stanislav and the Nadvirna area. But the enemy, having concentrated large forces of infantry and tanks near Stanislav, went on the offensive and began to push the Soviet units. Then the front command transferred the troops of the 38th Army to the right bank of the Dniester. By mid-April, the enemy offensive was stopped by the joint efforts of the 38th combined arms and 1st tank armies. Soviet troops held the line from the mouth of the river. Strypa, west of Kolomyia, Kuta.

In the first half of April, there were heavy battles in the Ternopil direction. The troops of the 60th Army - the 336th and 322nd rifle divisions of the 15th rifle corps, on March 24, surrounded the garrison of Ternopil - 12 thousand people with 145 guns, and parts of the 23rd, 28th and 106th corps advanced 15 -20 km west of the city, forming the outer front of the encirclement.

The enemy, surrounded in Ternopil, surrounded the city with a network of defensive structures and turned stone buildings into fortified strongholds. The prisoners showed that the enemy command gave the order to keep the city at any cost, declaring it a "fortress". The order emphasized that in Ternopil the Germans were defending the "borders of Germany." For the retention of the city, Hitler promised high awards to all soldiers and officers, and to the soldiers of penal battalions - the removal of a criminal record. To cheer up the soldiers, rumors were strongly fanned that large forces of tanks were rushing to the aid of the besieged garrison. Indeed, the enemy repeatedly tried to break through to Ternopil from the outside, undertaking fierce attacks against the 23rd Rifle Corps. But all these attempts ended in failure.

The Soviet troops, surrounding the garrison of Ternopil, gave him an ultimatum to surrender. However, the enemy rejected the ultimatum.

Then our troops began to prepare to storm the city. On March 25, the 94th Rifle Corps (99th and 117th Guards Rifle Divisions) was brought up to the city. Then the 4th Guards Tank Corps was also regrouped here.

For more than half a month there were fierce battles with the enemy encircled in Ternopil. On March 31, troops of the 15th, 94th Rifle and 4th Guards Tank Corps broke into the city from the north, east and south. On April 12, Soviet troops, after heavy artillery preparation and air strikes, began a decisive assault on the central part of the city. Two days later, the main forces of the enemy garrison in Ternopil were destroyed. On April 17, the liquidation of the remnants of this garrison (up to 1,500 people) on the outskirts of the city - Zagrobel - ended.

The combat path of the 50th army during the Second World War

How many of those heroes

Whose names are not known.

I took them with me forever

In your own land, unknown, war.

Stepan Kadashnikov

50th ARMY IN OPERATION "BAGRATION"

The 1st Belorussian Front, which included the 50th Army, had the task, in cooperation with the left wing of the 3rd and the right wing of the 1st Belorussian Fronts, to defeat the Mogilev grouping of the enemy, liberate Mogilev and reach the Berezina River. The main blow to Mogilev, the Berezina was inflicted by the 49th Army.

From June 24 to June 28, the 50th Army, in cooperation with the 49th Army, took part in the Mogilev offensive operation, which was an integral part of the strategic Belarusian operation of 1944.

The front commander, Colonel-General G.F. Zakharov, at the end of the day on June 23, set the following task for the 50th Army: in order to quickly defeat the Chausy enemy grouping and reach the Dnieper by the end of June 23, accept the 330th Infantry Division of the 49th Army into the army army under the command of Colonel V. A. Gusev in its combat area. Inflict the main blow on the right flank with the forces of the 121st Rifle Corps under the command of Major General D.I. Smirnov (139th, 238th and 330th Rifle Divisions). When the enemy withdraws, deliver an auxiliary strike with the forces of the 38th Rifle Corps of Major General A.D. Tereshkov (385th, 110th and 380th Rifle Divisions). The 121st Rifle Corps was reinforced by the 144th Cannon Artillery Brigade, the 16th Howitzer and Guards Mortar Regiments.

The decision of the commander of the 50th Army provided for the main attack by introducing into the gap in the sector of the 49th Army of the 121st Rifle Corps in the direction of Blagov, Udovsk and part of the forces of the 38th Rifle Corps (two regiments of the 385th Rifle Division and one regiment of the 110th th Rifle Division), which broke through the enemy defenses on the Zalesye, Golovenchitsy front, advanced in the direction of Otrazhye in order to surround the enemy in cooperation with units of the 121st Rifle Corps. After the destruction of the Chaussy grouping of the enemy, they, in cooperation with the left-flank formations of the 49th Army, were to develop an offensive on Blagovichi, Veino, and by the end of the sixth day, the main forces of the army would reach the eastern bank of the Dnieper in the Lupolovo, Staiki sector and seize bridgeheads on its western bank.

The 19th Rifle Corps under the command of Major General D. I. Samarsky, as part of the 324th and 362nd Rifle Divisions, defended at the turn of the forest south of Komarin, Staraya Trasna.

The 307th Rifle Division under the command of Major General V.N. Dalmatov was in the reserve of the army commander.

The density per 1 km of the breakthrough front at the Antonovka-Golovenchitsy line was: battalions - 24, mortars - 252, guns - 307. With a breakthrough front width of 6 km, the average density per 1 km of the front was: battalions - 4, guns and mortars - 93, and with a width of 7 km - 80 trunks.

The formations of the 39th tank and 12th army corps of the enemy, consisting of the 337th, 12th, 31st, 267th and 57th infantry divisions, the 18th motorized division and the 113th battle group, were defending in front of the army front - numbering up to 40 thousand people supported by 20 artillery battalions. In the operational reserve of the enemy was the motorized division "Feldherrnhalle", in the area south-west of Mogilev. On the right flank of the bridgehead, from Chausy to Pribor, the Nazis created the maximum density of manpower - over 200 people per 1 km of the front, not counting the rear, special and artillery units.

With the main forces of Army Group Center, the enemy held a bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Dnieper, creating a defense in depth here. The German high command attached special importance to this bridgehead, deeply wedged on the left bank - it was supposed to launch an offensive from here. The total depth of defense reached 35-40 km. The positions to the west of the Chausy were especially thoroughly equipped, which ended with a prepared line on the western bank of the Dnieper.

The first defensive line "Westphalia" passed along the western bank of the Pronya River from the north of Chausy and further to the south-west. It consisted of three, in places five lines of trenches of a full profile, equipped to a depth of 2 to 2.5 km. In front of the first, and in some areas and in front of the second line of trenches, there were barbed wire. Up to 60 percent of the area in front of the front line was mined.

The second defensive line on the western bank of the Resta River was called "East Prussia" and consisted of one or two, in some places - three lines of trenches.

The third defensive line along the western bank of the Dnieper was called the "Bear". Op consisted of two or three lines of trenches, but was not fully equipped. Since March 1944, Mogilev has been adapting for defense. Three circular defensive positions were built here: the first - 3-4 km from the city, the second - on its outskirts and the third directly in Mogilev ("city ring"). Separate areas in the city were mined. A number of houses were prepared for defense. With the beginning of the Soviet offensive, Mogilev was declared a fortress by order of Hitler.

Before the start of the offensive, much attention was paid to party political work. Its main content at that time was to bring to the consciousness of the fighters and commanders of their honorable duty in the liberation of the long-suffering Belarusian people from the yoke of the Nazi invaders. As already mentioned, the troops of the 50th Army were the first to enter the territory of the Byelorussian SSR and liberated from the Nazis the first regional center of the Mogilev region - Khotimsk. This was of great importance for fostering feelings of fraternal friendship for the Belarusian people among the multinational personnel of the association.

Serious attention was paid to instilling hatred for the Nazi occupiers. In 1944, a number of materials of the Extraordinary State Commission were published on new facts of Nazi atrocities in death camps committed on the territory of the USSR, punitive expeditions, and in particular on Belarusian soil.

The military council of the army and the political agencies of the formations did a great deal of work to strengthen the party and Komsomol organizations. With the new replenishment, conversations were held about the requirements of the military oath, the combat path of the formation and unit. Soldiers and sergeants who had already been in battles passed on their experience and knowledge to the new replenishment.

Of great practical importance for increasing the effectiveness of agitation was the brochure “Agitator at the Front” published by that time by the Military Publishing House of the NPO, which summarized the experience of a company agitator, commander of a machine gun crew of the 1322nd rifle regiment of the 413th rifle division, senior sergeant Yefim Schedry.

Generous was not only a brave machine gunner, who destroyed about 200 Nazis during the summer and autumn of 1943, he was a skilled agitator, whose experience was passed on throughout the army.

In his article “Notes of an Agitator”, E. Schedry wrote: “The role of an agitator at the front is great and honorable. With an ardent Bolshevik word, he inspires the soldiers to a noble feat for the glory of the Motherland, instills in them courage and courage, sacred hatred for the enemy. It is in this that I see the meaning of all my campaign work.

A fighter must believe his agitator, see him as a friend. I have learned from experience the invaluable benefits of heart-to-heart conversations. They enable the agitator to better know the thoughts and aspirations of the fighters, their dreams and desires, and the peculiarities of their character. But only under this condition can you put together a friendly combat team, make agitation effective and achieve an increase in the combat capability of your company.

The goal of my daily work as an agitator is, in fact, to ensure that the privates and sergeants fight the enemy skillfully, bravely and courageously, and fulfill their military duty with honor. Only by achieving such results can the agitator tell himself that his labor was not in vain, that his words reached the warrior's heart.

It is not enough for an agitator to accomplish the feat himself. His job is to inspire the rest of the soldiers of his company as well.

Combat is a serious test for every warrior. The greater test is op for the agitator. For it is on the battlefield that the effectiveness of agitation is tested, the ability of the agitator to set a personal example, to lead the entire Red Army masses to exploits is tested.

In the course of agitation and propaganda work, the personnel were explained the materials of the eleventh session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the military-political results of the three years of the war, the orders of the Supreme Commander No. 16 and 70, in which the Soviet Army was tasked with completing the liberation of all Soviet limits of the USSR.

An important role in the political training of the personnel was played by the appeal of the Military Council of the Army, the text of which was handed over a few hours before the start of the offensive to each soldier, sergeant and officer. The appeal explained the specific political tasks of the offensive operation and called for exemplary fulfillment of them. Simultaneously with the presentation of the appeal of the Military Council, the combat orders of their immediate commanders were also communicated to the entire personnel of the units of the first echelon.

On June 23, 1944, the offensive of the troops of the 49th Army began. Having broken through the enemy defenses on a front of 12 km, by the end of the day they advanced 5-8 km.

On the night of June 24, the 121st Rifle Corps castled to the right flank in the sector of the 49th Army.

On the morning of June 24, the 330th Rifle Division of the 121st Rifle Corps from the previously occupied sector, after a short artillery and mortar raid, went on the offensive with two right-flank regiments, broke through the enemy’s defenses on the Pronya River, crossed it and captured the settlement of Chizhi. Overcoming the stubborn resistance of the Nazis, by 18 o'clock the division captured the settlement of Belevitsa and started a battle for Selets.

At 6 p.m., the 139th Rifle Division under the command of Major General I.K. Kirillov, brought into battle from behind the right flank of the 330th Rifle Division, went on the offensive and liberated Girovtsy by the end of the day.

The enemy in front of the right flank of the army began to withdraw parts of the 337th and 12th infantry divisions, hiding behind rearguards at intermediate lines. In the center and on the left flank, he continued to hold the previous line of defense, providing fire resistance to the actions of individual detachments of the 38th and 19th rifle corps.

On June 25, formations of the 121st Rifle Corps resumed the offensive, delivering the main blow to Blagovichi (7 km west of Chausy). The second echelon of the corps was brought into battle - the 238th rifle division under the command of Major General I. D. Krasnoshtanov. Parts of the corps crossed the Basya River by 10 o'clock, immediately took possession of the intermediate defensive line on its western bank and vigorously pursued the retreating enemy. The 38th Rifle Corps, after a short fire raid by two rifle regiments of the 385th Rifle Division under the command of Colonel M.F. Suprunov and one rifle regiment of the 110th Rifle Division under the command of Colonel V.A. Guzhavin, went on the offensive. The 19th Rifle Corps conducted reconnaissance in small groups.

As a result of the joint actions of the left-flank regiment of the 330th Infantry Division and two battalions of the 385th Infantry Division, a simultaneous attack from the north, east and south, the troops of the 50th Army captured an important stronghold on the western bank of the Basya River - the district center of the Mogilev Region, the city of Chausy . During the day, the attackers advanced from 8 to 16 km in depth, freeing 60 settlements. Prisoners, 20 guns, 35 machine guns, 20 vehicles and other military property were captured. The enemy lost up to 350 soldiers and officers, 15 machine guns, 8 mortars.

The order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief dated June 25, 1944 stated: “The troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front, having crossed the Pronya River west of the city of Mstislavl, with the support of powerful artillery and air strikes, broke through the heavily fortified defenses of the Germans, covering the Mogilev direction, in a section of 45 kilometers and in three days of offensive battles advanced up to 30 kilometers, expanding the breakthrough to 75 kilometers along the front.

During the offensive, the troops of the front occupied the district center of the Mogilev region - the city of Chausy and liberated more than 200 other settlements, including Chernevka, Zhdanovichi, Khopkovichi, Budino, Vaskovichi, Temrivichi and Bordinichi.

The troops that participated in the battles during the crossing of the Pronya River and the breakthrough of the enemy's defenses were thanked for their excellent military operations.

On June 25, Moscow saluted the valiant troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front, who crossed the Pronya River and broke through the enemy defenses in the Mogilev direction, with twenty artillery volleys from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

Many soldiers of the 50th Army were awarded orders and medals.

By the end of the day on June 26, having broken the stubborn resistance of the enemy on the western bank of the Resta River, formations of the 50th Army continued to develop a successful offensive in the western direction. As a result of the rapid night actions of the reinforced forward detachments, which overcame fire resistance, minefields, engineering barriers and difficult terrain, by the morning of June 27, the Dnieper was crossed on the move, fighting began on the southern and southeastern outskirts of Mogilev. By 1300, the 238th Infantry Division had captured the suburb of Mogilev - Lupolovo. By the end of the same day, two regiments of the 238th Infantry Division and a regiment of the 139th Infantry Division crossed the Dnieper and fought intense battles, repelling enemy counterattacks. Parts of the 139th Rifle Division were the first to reach the Dnieper, acting as a landing force on the installations of a self-propelled artillery regiment. Two regiments of the 139th Rifle Division crossed the Dnieper and began advancing along the highway to the north, bypassing Mogilev from the west.

The crossing of the Dnieper by infantry with 82-mm mortars and anti-tank guns was carried out on improvised means, in small groups on a wide front, which forced the enemy to disperse their firepower.

The 380th Rifle Division under the command of Major General A.F. Kustov from the 38th Rifle Corps captured a bridgehead on the western bank of the Dnieper in the area of ​​Staiki. Southeast of Bykhov, the 362nd Rifle Division of the 19th Rifle Corps under the command of Major General M.A. Enshin captured the bridgehead.

During the crossing of the Dnieper, the soldiers of the army showed the will to win, selflessness and mass heroism. The first to cross the river was the 257th separate reconnaissance company, commanded by Senior Lieutenant K.S. Lisitsyn. Having started a battle in the village of Trebukha, the breeders drove the enemy out of the first trench and during the day beat off fierce counterattacks of the fascist infantry and tanks, ensuring that the rest of the division crossed the Dnieper. Senior Lieutenant K.S. Lisitsyn, who showed an example of courage and courage, showed initiative and military skill, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In the 238th Infantry Division, under heavy enemy fire, the first to reach the right bank of the Dnieper was a platoon of a Komsomol member, junior lieutenant M.A. Zamulaev from the 830th Infantry Regiment. Having knocked out the enemy from the village of Nizhny Polov, the platoon began to pursue him and broke into the outskirts of Mogilev. In this battle, junior lieutenant M. L. Zamulaev died the death of the brave. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

The commander of the battalion of the 1266th Infantry Regiment of the 385th Infantry Division, Communist Major M.P. Dokuchaev, was awarded the same high knowledge. After breaking through the enemy defenses in the Chausy region, his battalion, rapidly pursuing the enemy, liberated up to 25 settlements, captured large trophies and prisoners. As a result of a skillful maneuver, the battalion captured a mined bridge across the Dnieper, which the enemy did not have time to blow up. This ensured the rapid advance of the division's units and the crossing of the Dnieper.

Sappers acted bravely on the Dnieper. The sapper platoon of the 065th separate sapper battalion of the 385th rifle division, commanded by the communist senior lieutenant M.E. Volkov, ensured the crossing of units of the 1270th rifle regiment. Senior Lieutenant Volkov, with a detachment of fighters, was the first to cross the Dnieper, captured five enemy inflatable boats, and sent his machine-gun crews to them. Then, under the cover of machine-gun fire, his platoon burst into the enemy trenches, made a passage in the barbed wire and destroyed two enemy machine-gun crews, capturing their machine guns. Fascinated by the example of the sappers, the rifle subunits captured the enemy's trenches on the right bank of the Dnieper.

Senior Lieutenant M.E. Volkov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, his subordinates were awarded orders and medals.

On June 27, the 2nd Infantry Battalion of the 1266th Infantry Regiment of the 385th Infantry Division reached the Dnieper. Fierce enemy artillery fire did not allow the arrows to start forcing, and they dug in on the left bank.

Then the machine gunner Private M. I. Usachev asked the commander for permission to cross the Dnieper alone and ensure the crossing of his comrades. Pushing a raft with a light machine gun and cartridge discs in front of him, Usachev reached the right bank under heavy enemy fire. Noticing the daredevil, the Nazis sent a group of machine gunners to destroy him. However, with well-aimed fire from a machine gun, Usachev himself mowed down the Nazis. At this time, five more fighters arrived to help him, who swam across the Dnieper. Leading this group, Usachev repulsed up to ten attacks by small enemy units during the day, and suppressed several enemy firing points. Taking advantage of this, the battalion crossed the river.

Having joined the attackers, Usachev destroyed up to ten fascists in hand-to-hand combat with grenades.

Private M. I. Usachev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Together with Usachev, the communist senior sergeant M. Sharov fought bravely, who during the battle on the bridgehead and in hand-to-hand combat destroyed 11 Nazis. He was also awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The same high rank was awarded to the Komsomol submachine gunner Private III. Shaimov, who, together with Usachev and Sharov, engaged in hand-to-hand combat, killed 13 fascists from a machine gun and died a heroic death.

By the decision of the commander of the 50th Army, the 121st Rifle Corps was to strike from the south-west, in cooperation with the troops of the 49th Army, to capture Mogilev, the assault on which was scheduled for 3 hours on June 28. About 18 hours were allotted for the preparation of the infantry for the assault on the city. Each battalion commander received a plan of the city with an offensive site marked for him, indicating enemy firing points. A reconnaissance was carried out and coordination of issues of interaction with artillery, which supported the attackers from the east coast, since the crossing for artillery and other means of reinforcement could only be ready by 8 o'clock on June 28, that is, five hours after the start of the assault.

Each rifle regiment prepared two or three assault groups (50-60 people), reinforced with anti-tank guns, which the soldiers dragged on straps, and 82-mm mortars. The assault group, in turn, was divided into two or three detachments, which moved along the streets assigned to them.

On the eve of the crossing of the Dnieper and the assault on Mogilev, a lot of party-political work was carried out with the fighters and commanders. The experience of forcing the rivers Zhizdra, Sozh, Pronya and others was widely popularized. Party and Komsomol meetings were held, where tasks were set for the communists and Komsomol members to cross the river and storm the city, talks were held about the features of crossing the Dnieper and actions during street fighting, speeches by army veterans.

Street fighting in the city was extremely fierce. The Nazis, relying on strong fortifications, defended themselves with the despair of the doomed. Breaking their resistance, the assault units showed courage, heroism, and military skill.

The assault groups of the 2nd battalion of the 609th rifle regiment of the 139th rifle division, commanded by the communist captain A.S. Novichkov, acted skillfully. Well prepared for battles in the city, the fighters boldly entered into hand-to-hand fights, clearing houses, attics, and basements from the Nazis.

Repelling enemy counterattacks, Captain Novichkov skillfully maneuvered his units, bypassed the enemy, surrounded him and captured him. At the same time, the battalion commander constantly showed his subordinates an example of outstanding courage, endurance and composure. During the fighting, the battalion captured 5 German colonels, 95 non-commissioned officers and 130 soldiers. Rich trophies were captured: 50 vehicles, 10 guns, 5 radio stations and many other military property.

For the skillful command of his unit, personal courage and courage, Captain A.S. Novichkov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Captain V. G. Karpenko, deputy for political affairs, battalion commander of the 843rd Infantry Regiment of the 238th Infantry Division, bravely fought the enemy. Before the battle, he carefully instructed the party and Komsomol activists, calling on him to be an example for all personnel, talked with the soldiers, checked their provision with everything necessary for the battle. The political officer was always where it was especially difficult. Op repeatedly led the attacks of the battalion units, and the fighters boldly went into battle behind the commissar - as they affectionately called political workers. The battalion captured large trophies, up to a hundred prisoners. Captain V. G. Karpenko was also awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

The 1st rifle battalion of the 609th rifle regiment of the 139th rifle division, commanded by a candidate member of the CPSU (b) captain V.V. Fatin, inflicted heavy losses on the enemy during street fighting, captured the headquarters of the 12th German infantry division, including two generals. The battalion fighters captured 35 officers and more than 500 soldiers, captured 16 guns, two Ferdinand assault guns, up to 200 vehicles, 8 warehouses and many other military property. Captain V.V. Fatin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, many soldiers of his battalion received government awards.

During the assault on Mogilev and the destruction of the enemy group, the commander of the 1113th Infantry Regiment of the 330th Infantry Division, Lieutenant Colonel Yakov Fedorovich Kosovichev, distinguished himself. The regiment under his command was the first in the division to cross the Dnieper south of Mogilev, destroyed 700 and captured 200 Nazis.

The former commander of the 121st Rifle Corps, Major General D. I. Smirnov, assessed the feat of Ya. F. Kosovichev as follows: Hero of the Soviet Union".

As a result of a night assault on June 28, units of the 238th, 139th and 330th rifle divisions, in cooperation with units of the 70th and 62nd rifle corps of the 49th army, advancing from the north, liberated the regional center of the Byelorussian SSR Mogilev - an important enemy defense center on Minsk direction. On the same day, units of the 362nd and 324th rifle divisions under the command of Colonel I.K. Kazak cleared the enemy of a large stronghold on the western bank of the Dnieper, the regional center of the Mogilev region, the city of Bykhov. During the day, overcoming the relatively weak resistance of the enemy, they continued to develop the offensive in a westerly direction. In Mogilev, army troops captured over 1,500 prisoners, up to 70 officers, 2 generals, one of them was the commander of an infantry division. The 12th German Infantry Division was completely destroyed, its headquarters was captured. Among the trophies were 60 guns of various calibers, 300 machine guns, 50 mortars, 2000 rifles, 200 vehicles, 1000 horses, over 15 warehouses and many other military equipment. Up to 760 enemy soldiers and officers, 18 machine guns, 8 guns, 12 mortars, 29 vehicles were destroyed.

During the crossing of the Dnieper, the storming of Mogilev, the liberation of Bykhov, an unprecedented upsurge and a high offensive impulse reigned in the army troops. Formations, units and subunits in these battles showed mass heroism. Fighters and commanders went into battle, not sparing their strength and life itself.

By order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief No. 122 of June 28, 1944, for excellent military operations, the troops of the 50th, 49th and 33rd armies, who participated in the battles during the crossing of the Dnieper and in the liberation of the cities of Mogilev, Shklov (liberated by the troops of the 33rd army), Bykhov, were thanks are given.

On June 28 at 10 p.m. Moscow saluted the valiant troops of the 2nd Byelorussian Front with twenty artillery volleys from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

In commemoration of the victory, the formations and units that distinguished themselves most in the battles during the crossing of the Dnieper and the capture of the cities of Mogilev, Shklov and Bykhov received the honorary names of Verkhnedneprovsky, Mogilev and were awarded orders.

For courage and heroism shown during the crossing of the Dnieper and the capture of Mogilev and Bykhov, 47 soldiers of the 50th Army were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Thus, on the fourth day of the offensive, the army troops fully completed the tasks assigned to them, according to the plan, for six days.

Vigorous night actions of reinforced forward detachments, allocated by all the advancing divisions, made it possible to conduct round-the-clock pursuit and not give the enemy the opportunity to linger on pre-prepared intermediate lines, to organize the defense of Mogilev.

An unprecedented political upsurge and a high offensive impulse of fighters and commanders, high consciousness caused mass heroism of the soldiers of the army.

All this, taken together, ensured victory over the enemy.

As a result of the fighting on the bridgehead of the eastern bank of the Dnieper, the enemy lost up to 10 thousand people killed and wounded and up to 3 thousand prisoners. Were completely destroyed

The 10th Infantry Division and partly the 31st Infantry Division, which lost all of its artillery materiel and a significant part of vehicles with ammunition.

By the end of June 28, the troops of the front created the conditions for the development of an offensive in the Minsk direction.

After capturing Mogilev and Bykhov, reaching the Drut River, the 50th Army took part in the Minsk offensive operation of the 2nd Belorussian Front without a pause from June 29 to July 4.

The enemy, hiding behind detachments reinforced with assault guns and artillery, withdrew units of the 18th motorized division, the 15th penal battalion, the 267th and 57th infantry divisions in a northwestern direction, to the next defensive line along the western bank of the Berezina.

Shooting down the covering detachments, by the end of July 1, the army troops crossed the Berezina and by dawn on July 2, as a result of a bold and decisive advance of units of the 110th Infantry Division, they captured the regional center of the Minsk region - the city of Chervei.

The Military Council of the 2nd Belorussian Front, by a telegram dated June 30 addressed to the commander of the 362nd Infantry Division, Major General M. L. Enshin, the commanders of the 43rd separate tank brigade and the 722nd self-propelled artillery regiment, expressed gratitude to them and their subordinate units for successful completion of a combat mission but reaching the eastern bank of the Berezina.

The commander of the troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front noted the bold and decisive actions to advance the troops of the 50th Army, which crossed the Berezina, the advance detachments occupied Cherven, and expressed gratitude to the commander of the 50th Army, Lieutenant General I. V. Boldin, the commanders of the 19th and the 38th Rifle Corps, the commanders of the 380th, 385th, 110th, 324th, 362nd Rifle Divisions and the troops led by them.

The troops of the enemy's 3rd tank and 4th field armies departing from the Orsha direction moved to the southwest, and the troops of the Bobruisk direction, which were part of the 9th German army, retreated to the northwest. Thus, the withdrawal route of the entire Army Group "Center" with the general movement of the retreating enemy troops to Minsk turned out to be in the zone of the 50th Army.

On July 2, the advance detachment of the 362nd Infantry Division for the first time encountered a detachment from the encircled enemy grouping in the Snezhin area, which was trying to advance in a southwestern direction.

On July 3, the troops of the 1st and 3rd Belorussian Fronts liberated the capital of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic - Minsk. Mobile detachments of the 385th and 110th rifle divisions also took part in the battles for the city, which broke into the western and northeastern outskirts of Minsk at 13:00 on July 3. The troops of the 3rd Panzer, 4th and 9th German armies were surrounded. A significant part of these troops, totaling up to 40 thousand people, was concentrated in the forests north of Cherven. Having put up a strong cover at the line of Domovitskoye, Krasnaya Niva and breaking into several columns, the enemy began to advance in a westerly direction.

Parts of the 362nd Rifle Division, having beaten off six enemy counterattacks, by force a battalion-regiment north of Cherven, inflicted heavy losses in manpower and equipment, captured prisoners and trophies.

The 50th Army approached the eastern and southeastern outskirts of Minsk, covering the enemy from the southeast. In 11-12 days, the German Army Group Center suffered a catastrophic defeat, its main forces were defeated and surrounded east of Minsk. Troops of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts surrounded a 105,000-strong enemy group near Minsk, which included the 12th, 27th and 35th army, 39th and 41st tank corps of the 4th and 9th armies. As a result, a huge gap appeared in the center of the German front - up to 400 km wide.

Pursuing the enemy, the troops of the army did not give him a break. They intercepted the departing columns, crushed and destroyed them. Aviation of the 4th and 16th air armies delivered continuous strikes against the retreating enemy. German troops retreated only along the roads, as partisans dominated the forests, and this made it easier for Soviet aircraft to bombard their concentrations.

Some small groups of the enemy managed to seep through the encirclement, but they could not go far and again fell into the cauldron.

During July 4, the enemy at any cost sought to break through to the west in the Minsk region. The 324th and 362nd rifle divisions of the 19th rifle corps, the 380th rifle division of the 38th rifle corps fought intense battles. By the end of the day, the rifle regiment of the 110th rifle division of the 38th rifle corps, covering the Minsk highway, entered the battle. All attacks of the Nazis with heavy losses for them were repulsed.

The commander of the machine-gun crew of the 1st battalion of the 1289th rifle regiment of the 110th rifle division, Sergeant P.S. Grishchenko, showed courage and courage. On July 5, when repelling the attacks of the Nazis, he advanced with his calculation to the heights and knocked out two leading vehicles with well-aimed fire, stopping the advance of the column. Taking advantage of the enemy's confusion, Grishchenko shifted his fire into the depths of the column, shooting at the enemy's manpower and equipment. The enemy was forced to retreat, leaving up to 170 people killed, vehicles and convoys on the battlefield. The next day, the Nazis again launched attacks, trying to break through the defenses of the regiment. Grishchenko, with his calculation, let the Nazis in at close range and, opening a sudden fire, destroyed up to a company of infantry, damaged 15 vehicles. However, the enemy continued to stubbornly break out of the encirclement. Having used up all the cartridges, Grishchenko's crew began to fight back with grenades and died heroically in hand-to-hand combat.

The 70th Rifle Corps of Major General V.G. Terentyev transferred to the army as part of the 64th Rifle Division under the command of Major General M.K. Shkrylev and the 199th Rifle Division under the command of Major General M.P. Kononenko with means of enhancing contact with the enemy has not yet been.

On the left, units of the 40th Rifle Corps of the 3rd Army were advancing.

The 121st Rifle Corps (238th, 139th, 330th Rifle Divisions) was in the commander's reserve and continued to move west. The troops of the army, which did not participate in battles with the encircled enemy, also moved in the same direction. The situation that had arisen urgently demanded the immediate elimination of the enemy grouping that had broken through by the forces of the 50th Army in cooperation with the 33rd Army, which was advancing from the right.

In addition to the five divisions of the 19th and 38th rifle corps, the 330th rifle division of the 121st rifle corps entered the battle in the area 18 km southeast of Minsk. On July 5, the 19th Rifle Corps was withdrawn from the 50th Army.

The main grouping of the surrounded enemy, numbering up to 8,000 people, moving southwest, came out against the 110th and 385th rifle divisions of the 38th rifle corps and pushed them to the western bank of the Ptich River.

In the following days, the enemy, without breaking through the battle formations of units of the 38th Rifle Corps, tried to infiltrate in this direction in groups of 200-1000 people. One of these groups, numbering up to 800 people, on July 6 attacked the command post of the 50th Army in the Lake. And on July 7, about 1,000 Nazis again attacked the army command post in the forest south of Sosnovka. Both attacks were repulsed by a security company and a self-propelled artillery regiment with heavy losses for the enemy.

The liquidation of the encircled group southeast and south of Minsk took place in fierce battles, in which the personnel repeatedly showed courage and heroism. The commander of the machine-gun company of the 3rd battalion of the 1289th rifle regiment of the 110th rifle division, Senior Sergeant P.I. to the main body of the battalion. Tsupa's calculation knocked out 3 vehicles and destroyed 80 enemy soldiers and officers.

On July 6, during an enemy attack, the same crew with well-aimed fire stopped the advance of the enemy and forced him to retreat in a panic. The enemy left on the battlefield 120 people killed, 3 vehicles, 3 heavy and 5 light machine guns. On the night of July 7, when repulsing the attack of the Nazis, the machine gunners fired to the last bullet, and then, throwing grenades at the Nazis, they rushed into hand-to-hand combat. Tsupa himself killed two enemy soldiers, his fighters also destroyed several fascists. The attack was repulsed. The enemy left 200 dead, 8 machine guns and 4 vehicles on the battlefield.

On July 2, moving in the direction of Minsk, a machine-gun platoon of a machine-gun company under the command of Lieutenant P.N. Polovinkin destroyed three enemy firing points, ensuring the rapid advance of the battalion units. Lieutenant Polovinkin was wounded in this battle, but remained in the ranks. On July 5, his platoon, while behind enemy lines, knocked out 6 vehicles and destroyed up to 150 enemy soldiers and officers.

On July 6, Polovinkin's platoon stopped the movement of the advancing enemy with a force of up to two battalions. The Nazis lost 4 vehicles, 300 people were killed and wounded. On the night of July 7, machine gunners, defending the height, did not allow the enemy to break out of the encirclement with their fire, and when the enemies came close, they launched grenades.

Lieutenant Polovinkin personally defeated 5 Nazis, and in total in this battle the platoon destroyed up to 300 enemy soldiers and officers, suppressed 16 machine-gun points. The commander of the 2nd division of the 981st artillery regiment, captain A. Elfimov, being engulfed by the enemy from both flanks, opened fire with direct fire and repeatedly counterattacked with his artillerymen. Having inflicted great damage on the enemy in terms of manpower and equipment, he led the division to a new position with minor losses.

The soldiers of Lieutenant I. Klyuev's battery fought heroically. Having inflicted great damage on the enemy and having used up the last shells, the fighters fired back from personal weapons and died in this unequal battle the death of the brave.

Despite the heroism of the fighters and officers, the liquidation of the encircled enemy groups still proceeded slowly and insufficiently organized. Instead of destroying the enemy with an offensive, units and formations of the 38th Rifle Corps defended themselves, waiting for his approach, which made it possible for the Nazis to rush from side to side, attack headquarters, warehouses, rear units and formations, vehicles, thereby disrupting the normal operation of the rear and control.

On July 7, the army commander ordered the commander of the 38th rifle corps with the forces of the 110th, 385th and 330th rifle divisions (the 330th rifle division was transferred from the 121st rifle corps) to eliminate the enemy by the end of July 9 in the Samokhvalovichi, Osipovichi area. It was proposed that specially detached detachments, reinforced by artillery, intercept all possible enemy withdrawal routes and destroy him. On the left, units of the 49th Army were operating with the same task.

Leaving the 38th Rifle Corps to complete the destruction of the encircled enemy grouping southeast of Minsk, the 50th Army from July 5 to 27 took part in the Bialystok offensive operation of the 2nd Belorussian Front. In pursuance of the directive of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command of July 4, 1944, the troops of the front continued to develop the offensive, inflicting the main blow on Novogrudok, Volkovysk, Bialystok. By the end of July 5, the 50th Army was to reach the Kaidanovo-Troevka line and by the end of July 8 - to the line of Baraniy Bor, Priluki, and then advance in the direction of Turets, Novogrudok. The front commander established a new demarcation line with the neighbor on the left - the 3rd Army. On July 6, the front commander clarified the task of the 50th Army, due to the fact that the troops of the 3rd Army, without encountering enemy resistance, reached the line of Dudka (10 km southeast of Ivenets), Rublevichi; By the end of July 8, the 50th Army was to go out with its main forces to the line of Shorsy, Maly Turets, and mobile detachments - to the city of Novogrudok. The 38th Rifle Corps remained to eliminate the encircled enemy.

By the decision of the army commander on July 9, to conduct long-range reconnaissance, capture important lines, cross rivers and destroy small enemy groups, an army mobile detachment (APO) was formed under the command of the deputy commander of the 50th Army, Lieutenant General A. A. Tyurin, consisting of 23- 1st separate tank brigade, 1434th self-propelled artillery regiment, two anti-tank regiments of the 5th anti-tank brigade, two companies of submachine gunners from the 238th rifle division, 4th assault engineering and engineer battalion of the 1st Guards assault engineering - sapper brigade. The detachment was tasked with reaching the Novina-Klonevichi line by the end of the day on July 9 and cutting the Lida-Baranovichi railway

On July 8, after many days of stubborn battles with army troops on the eastern bank of the Ptich River, the acting commander of the 4th German Army and commander of the 12th Army Corps, Lieutenant General Muller, arrived at the command post of the 121st Rifle Corps to negotiate the terms of surrender of the remnants of the defeated parts of the 4th German army. Having agreed on the procedure for surrender, Muller gave the order to stop hostilities, in which he wrote: “Soldiers of the 4th Army east of the Ptich River! After many weeks of heavy fighting, our situation has become hopeless... Our fighting capacity has dropped to a minimum, we have no hope of supply. Russian forces, according to the message of the supreme command, are at Baranovichi. Crossings across the river are closed to us, without hopes of their conquest by our forces and means. We have huge losses in the wounded and fled. The Russian command undertook:

a) take care of the wounded;

b) leave the officers cold weapons, awards, the soldiers - awards.

We are required: all weapons and equipment must be collected and handed over in good condition. An end to senseless bloodshed! I order therefore: to suspend hostilities from now on. Everywhere, under the leadership of officers or senior non-commissioned officers, groups of 100 to 500 people should be created. The wounded must join these groups. Pull yourself together, show your discipline and help to quickly carry out measures to ensure the order.

This order must be disseminated in writing and orally by all means.

The command of the 50th Army took the necessary measures to bring to the encircled troops of Army Group Center, who were outside large settlements in a wooded and swampy area, the orders to stop resistance given by the German generals.

After the encirclement of the enemy grouping east of Minsk, the commander of the 2nd Belorussian Front sent an appeal to the encircled troops, which, together with the order to surrender General Muller in the form of a leaflet printed in 2 million copies, was scattered by the front aviation over the encircled troops. Its content was also widely promoted through loudspeakers installed at the forefront. In addition, 20 prisoners voluntarily agreed to hand over the order to the commanders of German divisions and regiments.

On July 8, the reconnaissance group of the 2nd battalion of the 1289th rifle regiment of the 110th rifle division, having met two German officers, negotiated with them, as a result of which the commander of the infantry division - a major general, the division chief of staff and two officers surrendered.

On July 8, after many days of stubborn battles with the troops of the army on the eastern bank of the Ptich River, the remnants of the defeated units of the 4th German Army capitulated.

As a result of a stubborn battle, an army mobile detachment, in cooperation with units of the 238th Infantry Division, captured the city of Novogrudok on July 8 and cut the Lida-Baranovichi railway on July 9.

On July 9, the 38th Rifle Corps left the 50th Army. At the same time, the army included: the 69th Rifle Corps under the command of Major General N.N. Multan as part of the 153rd and 42nd Rifle Divisions, the 81st Rifle Corps under the command of Major General F.D. 238th, 95th and 290th rifle divisions.

The troops of the 50th Army continued to move west, knocking down cover detachments and newly planted enemy units - the 12th Panzer Division in the Novogrudok region and the 50th Infantry Division in the Shchuchin and Skidel regions.

During the battles for the liberation of the cities of Chausy, Mogilev, Bykhov, Skidel, the enemy suffered heavy losses, numerous trophies were captured. The Nazis lost 42 thousand soldiers and officers (including two generals), 1660 vehicles, 132 tractors, 130 motorcycles, 149 tractors, 17 tanks, 12 armored vehicles, 10 assault guns, 18 armored personnel carriers, 190 guns, 2265 rifles, 526 machine guns, 867 machine guns, 241 mortars, 37 ammunition depots, 57 with food and other property.

12,000 soldiers and officers (including two generals) were captured, over 3,000 soldiers and officers (including two generals) capitulated. The trophy collection points received 16 tanks, 12 armored vehicles, 12 assault guns, 14 armored personnel carriers, 12 tractors, 320 vehicles, 16 tractors, 156 guns, 4902 rifles, 388 machine guns, 1523 machine guns, 152 mortars, a large amount of ammunition, 92 various warehouses, 1443 horses, food, fodder.

Belarusian partisans closely cooperated with the advancing troops of the army. By June 1944, 150 partisan brigades and 49 separate detachments were fighting in the occupied part of the eastern regions of Belarus. Their total number was 143 thousand people.

An example of direct assistance to the advancing troops was the operation of the Belarusian partisans to massively undermine the rails, carried out on the eve of the offensive of the troops of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts. 40,775 rails were blown up, the Orsha-Mogilev, Orsha-Borisov railway lines were completely disabled, enemy transportation in the Polotsk-Molodechno, Minsk-Baranovichi, Osipovichi-Baranovichi sections was paralyzed.

The main group of encircled German troops, which were part of Army Group Center, turned out to be in the offensive zone of the army. The troops of the army, having taken the brunt of the encircled grouping that was trying to break through, inflicted huge losses on the enemy in fierce battles and did not allow the main forces of the grouping to break through in the southwestern direction. While fighting to eliminate the encircled remnants of Army Group Center, the formations of the 50th Army at the same time continued to perform the main task of continuously pursuing retreating enemy units with the main forces.

An unprecedented patriotic upsurge reigned among the personnel of the army troops. Despite the heat, heavy sandy ground, lack of ammunition, lagging behind due to lack of fuel for artillery and tank units, the infantry steadily continued to move west in forced transitions, knocking down the enemy's rearguards.

The troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front in 10 - 11 days of the offensive advanced from Minsk to the west up to 230 km, forcing numerous river barriers, including the Berezina, Svisloch, Shchara, Neman

Continuing the offensive, units of the army started fighting with enemy cover in the Skidel area and along the western banks of the Pyra and Kotra rivers. On July 13, the 1415th Rifle Regiment of the 64th Rifle Division, in cooperation with the 238th Rifle Division, captured the village of Skidel on the outskirts of the city of Grodno. Up to 700 enemy soldiers and officers were destroyed, 200 Nazis were captured, 16 guns with tractors and a large amount of ammunition were captured.

As we approached Grodno, the enemy's resistance increased sharply. New units entered the battle - a police regiment and a combat group consisting of the 1065th, 1068th and 1069th infantry regiments, a separate SS battalion. They offered fierce resistance to the formations of the 69th and 121st rifle corps, which crossed the Pyra and Kotra rivers, however, the 81st rifle corps, introduced into the battle on July 14 at the junction of these corps, crossed the Kotra river, ensuring the success of the 69th and 121st corps . On the same day, the 70th Rifle Corps crossed the Neman near Lunno and Dubno, repelling nine counterattacks by units of the 50th German Infantry Division, supported by tanks and assault guns. During the battles for the expansion of the bridgehead, up to 350 enemy soldiers and officers were destroyed, 50 prisoners were taken.

After fierce fighting, the troops of the 50th Army reached the city of Grodno by the end of July 15, and the 70th Rifle Corps completely crossed to the western bank of the Neman, as a result of a stubborn battle, captured the settlement of Lunno, cutting the Grodno-Volkovysk road.

When crossing the Neman by the 433rd Infantry Regiment of the 64th Infantry Division, a group of soldiers consisting of Sergeant S. N. Kalinin, privates M. S. Maidan, I. G. Sheremet, I. K. Osipny, A. P. Nicheporenko especially distinguished themselves and T.I. Solopenko. The tiny foothold occupied by them was followed by 12 attacks by the Nazis, but the brave fighters fought to the death. In the ninth attack, 150 Nazis rose. They were met with devastating fire. Private M.S. Maidan in this battle destroyed 25 Nazis. Unable to withstand the rebuff, the enemy rolled back, leaving about 80 dead on the battlefield. The last attack of the Nazis was especially furious - about 300 soldiers took part in it. The brave warriors survived this time too, having defeated more than 100 enemies, and ensured the crossing of the division's units.

For courage and heroism, Private M.S. Maidan was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, his comrades were awarded high government awards.

On the night of July 16, after stubborn street fighting, units of the 95th under the command of Colonel S. K. Artemyev, the 290th under the command of Major General I. G. Gasparyan and the 42nd rifle divisions of the 81st and 69th rifle corps , in cooperation with formations and units of the 36th Rifle Corps of the 31st Army of the 3rd Belorussian Front, by night assault they captured a large junction of highways and railways, an important fortified enemy defense area in the Bialystok direction, covering the approaches to the borders of East Prussia, the regional center Byelorussian SSR, the city of Grodno.

In the center on the left flank, units of the army crossed the Neman. Developing the offensive, the 70th Rifle Corps crossed the Svisloch. By the end of the day on July 16, formations of the 69th Rifle Corps, having finished clearing Grodno of enemy remnants, advanced 7 km west of the city and prepared to force the Neman.

The 81st Rifle Corps, entrenched in the northern part of Grodno, crossed the Neman south of the city under heavy artillery and mortar fire with two battalions and fought to expand the bridgehead.

The 139th Rifle Division of the 121st Rifle Corps also crossed the Neman in the Ponezhan area (8 km northwest of Lunno). During these battles, enemy losses amounted to 500 soldiers and officers, 150 prisoners were taken. In Grodno, the Nazis abandoned several warehouses with ammunition, automobile spare parts and other property, as well as a large number of rolling stock.

By order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of July 16, 1944, gratitude was announced to the troops participating in the battles for the liberation of the city of Grodno for excellent military operations. On July 16, Moscow saluted the valiant troops of the 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts, who captured the city of Grodno, with twenty artillery volleys from two hundred and twenty-four guns. In commemoration of the victory, the formations and units that distinguished themselves most in the battles for the capture of Grodno were given the honorary name of Grodno.

Seven brave scouts of the 609th rifle regiment of the 139th rifle division - Sergeant N. A. Khokhlov, squad leader of the 162nd separate reconnaissance company Sergeant M. N. Loginov, squad leader Sergeant V. A. Volosatov, platoon commander of the 3rd rifle company lieutenant M. I. Bobrov, reconnaissance corporal V. N. Bobkov, reconnaissance platoon squad leader junior sergeant L. G. Babushkin, foot reconnaissance platoon commander Sergeant V. M. Afanasyev, who distinguished himself in battles in the Grodno region and at crossings on the Neman River, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

On July 17, army troops continued their offensive. The main forces of the 69th Rifle Corps crossed the Neman, 15 km northwest of Grodno and east of Naumovichi. Fighting forward, repelling numerous enemy counterattacks, supported by slippers and self-propelled guns, units of the 153rd Infantry Division under the command of Colonel A. A. Shchennikov by the end of the day on July 17 reached the USSR state border in the Volkushi sector, Border Sign No. 39 and entered the territory of Poland.

By the morning of July 17, the 81st Rifle Corps also crossed the Neman with the main forces and during the day fought heavy battles with the enemy in the southern part of the suburb of Grodno on the left bank of the Neman. The 121st and 70th rifle corps fought stubborn, intense battles, but could not move forward.

In connection with the withdrawal of Soviet troops to the territory of Poland, new tasks arose before the commanders and political agencies. It was necessary to explain to the personnel of units and subunits the policy of the Soviet government towards the fraternal Polish people, to establish correct relations with the local population. Particular emphasis was placed on the education of soldiers and officers in the spirit of Soviet patriotism and proletarian internationalism. At the same time, the instructions of V. I. Lenin were widely used, who on May 5, 1920, speaking to the Red Army men heading to the Polish front, said: “Let your behavior towards the Poles there prove that you are soldiers of the Workers 'and Peasants' Republic, that you go to them not as oppressors, but as liberators.”

Proceeding from this, the features of the historical situation and conditions in which military operations were conducted with the enemy were explained, as well as the party's demand to establish correct relations with the Polish population, to increase discipline, order and organization in the troops. Lectures and reports on the topics: "Modern Poland", "Soviet-Polish relations" were read in units and formations. At the same time, it was necessary to take into account that in bourgeois-landlord Poland a policy hostile to the USSR was pursued for a long time, there were reactionary forces that hated the Soviet Union and actively collaborated with the occupiers. This required greater vigilance.

Along with propaganda of the international tasks of the great liberation mission of the Soviet Army, it was necessary to explain to the personnel that there were still fierce battles ahead and the victory had to be consolidated by finishing off the fascist beast in its own lair.

In an attempt to save the situation, the enemy transferred from Romania the SS Panzer Division "Dead Head", which, in cooperation with a group of the 2nd, 17th, 22nd and 24th police regiments with the 501st SS battalion, on the morning of July 18, went on the offensive along the western coast Neman in a northerly direction, with the aim of cutting off Soviet troops advancing to the state border. The enemy offensive was supported by 30-40 tanks and assault guns. In the course of a stubborn and fierce battle, at the cost of heavy losses, the Nazis managed to penetrate into the area of ​​​​Bella Sukhaya, Kelbaski. In front of the left flank of the army, units of the 50th Infantry and units of the 12th Panzer Division launched fierce counterattacks with the support of 20 tanks and pressed the advanced units of the C4th and 199th Rifle Divisions.

The 42nd Rifle Division, under the command of Colonel A. I. Slitz, held a bridgehead on the western bank of the Neman with two regiments, and its 455th Rifle Regiment fought in encirclement in the area of ​​the Old Fortress (east of Zagoryana). In heavy battles, the soldiers of the regiment showed heroism and courage. On July 17, the 1st and 2nd rifle battalions occupied the Old Fortress. The next morning, the infantry and tanks of the Nazis launched a counterattack. Despite the multiple superiority of the enemy, the soldiers and officers, led by the deputy commander of the regiment, Major M.V. Sidorets, did not retreat. The Nazis managed to surround the fortress. Eight tanks and assault guns "Ferdinand" from different sides opened heavy direct fire on the fortress. After that, over 200 Nazis went on the attack. A grenade battle ensued. At the moment when the enemies climbed onto the roofs of the ruins and sought to destroy the defenders, Major Sidorets called the fire of the PC on himself. A volley of Katyushas covered the fortress, about 100 Nazis were killed, our soldiers were not injured. For a day and a half, without receiving ammunition and food, the group of Major Sidorets was surrounded. On the night of July 19, she broke through the enemy ring with a fight and went to her unit.

The medical instructor of the 1st battalion of the 459th rifle regiment of the 42nd rifle division, Komsomol member V. Kochurenko, fought bravely in the fortress, who, having killed a German sniper, took his rifle and cartridges. From this rifle, Kochurenko destroyed 5 more enemy soldiers in a day. The explosion of a grenade tore off his right hand, but the brave warrior did not lose his courage and throughout the entire period of the siege of the fortress he encouraged his comrades, firing with one hand. During the battle, when leaving the encirclement, Kochurenko, despite being seriously wounded, helped several wounded comrades to get out. Having reached the Neman, he was the last to sail to the eastern shore.

During the battles for the village of Novy Dvor, the enemy, retreating, mined the entrance to it, crossing the railway and the crossroads in the village itself. When the Nazis retreated, two little girls ran out to meet our shooters. They shouted loudly: “Uncles, stop! Stop!..” Interrupting each other, they told where the Germans had placed the mines and ran away. Sappers removed up to 30 anti-tank mines at the crossing, almost the same number at the crossroads in the village. But they never managed to find out the names of these girls.

Before the battalion of enemy infantry, with the support of 8 tanks, the 44th and 455th rifle regiments counterattacked. The soldiers of the 455th Infantry Regiment were supported by armor-piercers of the 4th Separate Anti-tank Battalion. When the tanks approached the battle formations, the armor-piercing corporal

A. Motodov opened fire with an anti-tank rifle. With a few shots, he knocked out a tank, two more were hit by artillery fire, the rest turned back. Enemy: the infantry rolled back, leaving up to 150 dead on the battlefield.

The transition to the offensive of fresh enemy units, supported by a large number of tanks and assault guns, strong artillery and mortar fire, put the troops of the right and left flanks of the army in a difficult position. Most of the artillery lagged behind due to lack of fuel, there was not enough ammunition. Despite this, the enemy's attempts to push back our units to the eastern bank of the Neman north of Grodno and across the Svisloch River were unsuccessful.

The rear did not keep pace with the rapidly moving westward troops of the army. The provision of ammunition was also complicated by interruptions in the supply of fuel to vehicles. Army supply stations lagged behind for many tens of kilometers. The active field army depots ended up in the rear in two or three days. But even in these warehouses, ammunition was running out. For PC regiments, mines had to be transported by aircraft.

As a result of fierce fighting from July 17 to July 20, the army troops repulsed all attacks and counterattacks of the Nazis.

The situation that had developed for the enemy did not allow him to concentrate significant forces in order to simultaneously strike with them. The Nazis were forced to throw units into battle as they approached, as was the case with the SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf". This greatly facilitated the position of the troops of the army and gave them the opportunity to beat the enemy in parts.

The task assigned by the Nazi command to the troops - to restore the situation and cover the distant approaches to East Prussia - was not fulfilled. This was prevented by the steadfastness and high offensive impulse of the Soviet troops.

In connection with the approach of the main forces of the 49th Army to the Svisloch River, the front commander ordered on July 19 to transfer the 70th Rifle Corps with its combat sector along the western bank of the Svisloch to the 49th Army, and then the 121st Rifle Corps.

The operation undertaken on July 21 to encircle and eliminate the enemy northwest of Grodno by the forces of the 69th Rifle Corps, in cooperation with the 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps and the 153rd Rifle Division, as well as the 93rd Rifle Division of the 81st Rifle Corps, was not successful . The 69th Rifle Corps, having repelled nine enemy counterattacks supported by tanks and assault guns, only managed to reach the Kovnyany-Shinkovtsy line. The 95th Rifle Division was counterattacked by two enemy regiments supported by 35 tanks and withdrew to its original position.

On the morning of July 23, reinforced rifle companies brought in from each division of the 69th Rifle Corps again attacked the enemy and advanced in the southern and southwestern directions. The Nazis began to withdraw to the line of the Biebrzha River, conducting deterrent battles with rearguards consisting of an infantry battalion, a group of tanks and assault guns. In front of the front of the 69th Rifle Corps, units of the SS Panzer Division "Dead Head" retreated, in front of the 81st Rifle Corps - parts of the Anhalt police group and the Berkel combat group, supported by tanks of the 19th Panzer Division.

Having established the withdrawal of the enemy, the commander brought into battle the main forces of the 69th, and then the 81st rifle corps. By the end of the day, they captured 30 settlements and, developing an offensive to the west. On July 25, they reached the eastern bank of the Sidra River.

During 12 days of intense fighting, the enemy lost over 6,000 people killed and 600 captured at the Neman line.

On the night of July 26, army troops crossed the Sidra River and continued the offensive. The army encountered significant difficulties in advancing on its right flank: a large forest massif stretched here - the Augustow forests, enabling the enemy to widely use the rubble, reinforced by mining and covered by fire. The 69th Rifle Corps, fighting with enemy cover units and overcoming obstacles on the Grodno-Avgustov road, as well as in the forests, crossed the Sidra River and on July 26 fought at the Balinka-Gerasimovichi line.

Soviet soldiers, fighting for the liberation of the fraternal Polish people from the yoke of the Nazi invaders, selflessly fulfilled their internationalist duty.

On July 26, 1944, the party organizer of the 3rd rifle company of the 1021st rifle regiment of the 307th rifle division, communist corporal G.P. Kunavin, performed a heroic feat on July 26, 1944 near the village of Gerasimoviche. During the attack, fire from an enemy pillbox blocked the path of his company. Without hesitation, the warrior rushed to the pillbox and closed the embrasure with his body. Rota completed the task. On August 9, 1944, a meeting of residents of the Polish village of Gerasimoviche took place near the ruins of a school burned down by the Nazis. Major N. Butkevich, editor of the divisional newspaper Za Rodinu, spoke at this meeting about the feat of Corporal Grigory Pavlovich Kuiavin, who fell in the battles for the village, about the brotherhood of the Russian and Polish peoples, about the liberation mission of the Soviet Army in Poland. His speech was listened to with intense attention, people tried not to miss a single word. The story of the immortal feat of the Russian soldier, who sacrificed his life for the sake of the liberation of the Polish land, excited and shocked people.

As a sign of gratitude to the Russian brother-liberator, the general meeting of the inhabitants of the village of Gerasimovichi decided: “1. Enter the name of the Russian warrior Grigory Pavlovich Kunavin forever into the list of honorary citizens of the Polish village of Gerasimoviche.2. Carve his name on a marble slab, which will be installed in the very center of the village. 3. To ask for the name of Grigory Kunavin to the school where our children will study. 4. Teachers every time to start the first lesson in the first grade with a story about a warrior-hero and his comrades-in-arms, whose blood won the right to happiness and freedom for Polish children. Let the children listen to this story while standing. Let their hearts be filled with pride for the Russian brother, the Slav warrior. Let their understanding of life begin with the thought of the brotherhood of the Polish and Russian peoples.”

The assistant platoon commander of the 3rd rifle company of the 1021st rifle regiment of the 307th rifle division, corporal G.P. Kunavin, was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Intense fighting continued. The enemy in front of the front of the 69th and 81st rifle corps put up fierce resistance and at the same time threw up infantry units with tanks from the west to the area of ​​Augustow and Dombrova, trying to hold back the advance of our troops. However, on the morning of July 28, in the center and on the left flank of the army, the Nazis began a fighting retreat in a westerly direction, hiding behind strong rearguards.

The formations of the army turned to pursuit, captured 31 settlements, including the regional center and the Dombrov dirt road junction.

On the night of July 30, army troops made a partial regrouping and replaced units of the 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps in the Mikaszowka sector, the Augustow Canal, Saino Lake, defended by the 153rd Rifle Division returned to the army and the 369th Rifle Division under the command of Colonel P.S. Galaiko, which became part of the 69th th rifle corps.

On the morning of July 30, the offensive resumed along the entire front. In the center and on the left flank, overcoming the enemy’s fire resistance, wide and swampy floodplains, the main forces of the army reached the eastern bank of the Bzhozuvka River and with forward units captured a bridgehead on its western bank in the areas of Charnevo and south of Karpovichi. During the day, 18 settlements were liberated.

In front of the front of the 69th Rifle Corps, the consolidated detachments of the 299th Infantry Division defended themselves, the 74th motorized infantry regiment of the 19th Panzer Division replaced the newly formed East Prussia infantry regiment; The 81st Rifle Corps was opposed by the remnants of the Gotberg police group, part of the forces of the Berkel battle group and the 14th battle group.

On July 31, army troops fought to eliminate the enemy bridgehead on the southern bank of the Augustow Canal and expand the bridgeheads on the western bank of the Bzhozuvka River, but did not have significant progress here.

In the center of the army, they developed an offensive in a western direction and occupied 43 settlements.

The successful advance to the border made it possible for the artillery of the 50th Army to strike at the territory of Nazi Germany. At 6:10 pm on July 31, 1944, the 144th cannon artillery brigade launched fire raids on the settlements of Gingen and Pravdtsysken in East Prussia. On August 1, artillery fired one hundred 152-mm shells at these settlements.

Trying to prevent the Soviet troops from crossing the Netta River and the Augustow Canal, on the morning of August 2, the enemy blew up the locks in the southwestern part of Saino Lake, flooding the floodplain, and created a water barrier 500-800 m wide south of the city of Augustov.

On the morning of August 2, after a short artillery raid with the support of assault and bomber aircraft, the army troops launched a decisive offensive with the task of capturing Augustow and during the day, breaking the enemy’s stubborn resistance, part of the forces crossed the Netta River and the Augustow Canal, capturing bridgeheads on the th western bank. Subsequent attempts to expand the bridgeheads were unsuccessful due to the continuous counterattacks of the enemy, the strong fire impact of his artillery, assault guns and bomber aircraft. Regardless of the losses, "the Nazis sought to hold their positions. The crossings, built by sappers at night under continuous fire, were destroyed in the morning by artillery and mortar fire and aircraft. This greatly hampered the transfer of artillery to the western coast and the supply of ammunition. The absence of artillery in battle formations put the units in a difficult position when repulsing enemy counterattacks supported by assault guns.

Despite the difficult situation, the units operating on the bridgeheads held out courageously and steadfastly. An example of an exemplary performance of their duty was shown to the soldiers by the communists. The decisive and courageous actions of the deputy battalion commander for political affairs of the 1019th Infantry Regiment, Captain N. Asadov, became the property of the entire personnel of the army.

A group of battalion officers, including the battalion commander, Major Dvoychenko and his deputy for political affairs, Captain Asadov, was at the observation post, directing the battle. Up to 30 enemy soldiers quietly went to the rear of the observation post. The Nazis suddenly attacked the battalion commander, grabbed him and dragged him along. Another group of Nazis opened heavy automatic fire on the NP, not giving them the opportunity to raise their heads, and after that attacked the fighters. Captain Asadov boldly entered the battle. With automatic bursts, he destroyed up to ten enemy soldiers, and then fired at the Nazis, who hastily took the battalion commander with them. Following the example of the political officer, they opened fire on the Nazis and the rest of the fighters. The enemies fled in panic, the battalion commander was saved.

As a result of fierce enemy resistance and significant losses suffered by the advancing units, the army troops failed to break through the enemy defenses.

The enemy considered the section from the Augustow Canal to the state border as a foreground to the East Prussian fortified area and tried to hold it with any foam. During interrogations, the prisoners reported that all the soldiers were warned that at the slightest attempt to retreat they would be shot by the special detachments behind them.

For ten days of fighting, from July 20 to August 6, the enemy lost over 900 soldiers and officers killed and wounded, army troops captured 130 prisoners, liberated over 97 settlements, of which the largest were Dombrova and Sukhovlya.

According to the instructions of Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov, who coordinated the actions of the fronts in the operation, it was ordered to leave two divisions of the 50th Army on the Plaska front, Lake Saino, the eastern bank of the Netta River to Yazovo, and regroup the main forces during August 6 and 7 to its left flank to the Karpovich, Bzhozovo sector for the subsequent attack on Osovets.

After going on the defensive on the Plaska front, Lake Saino, the eastern bank of the Netta River to Yazovo, the 307th, 369th and 324th rifle divisions on the night of August 7 were regrouped on the left flank of the army west of Sukhovlya to attack the Osovets fortress - an important stronghold in the system enemy defenses on the outskirts of East Prussia.

The 121st and 123rd Infantry Regiments of the 50th Infantry Division, reinforced by an artillery brigade (36 guns) and a division of the 150th Artillery Regiment, defended themselves in the breakthrough zone in the Bzhozovo-Kamenka sector. In total, up to five infantry battalions, 14 artillery and mortar batteries, and 36 machine guns were identified in the first line. Tactical reserves (up to two battalions) were located in the area of ​​Shpakovo, Remziki, operational reserve - in Graevo.

The terrain in the offensive zone of the army made it difficult to conduct combat operations. The floodplain of the Biebrzha River on the right flank of the army in the Yaluvka, Karpovichi sector was passable only for infantry. For the movement of artillery, self-propelled guns and vehicles, it was necessary to build wooden decks and bridges.

The main role in the Osovets operation was assigned to the 81st Rifle Corps, consisting of the 290th, 369th and 324th Rifle Divisions.

The corps had the task of: on August 9, go on a decisive offensive, inflicting the main blow in the direction of Rushkovsky Belka, Gonendz; breaking through the enemy's defenses, capture the Bzhozovo-Ramziki line and reach the Mikitsyn-Yasvily line by the end of the day. In the future, developing the offensive, by the end of August 10, reach the Gonendz-Dovnary line. On the right, the 95th Rifle Division was withdrawn from the corps and advanced with one rifle regiment on Zabel. With the release of units of the 81st Rifle Corps to the line of Mikitsyn, Yasvily, the division with the rest of its forces was to go on the offensive along the Dombrova-Gonendz highway. On the left, the 380th Infantry Division of the 49th Army was defending.

The wide floodplain of the river, difficult for infantry, required significant forces of engineering troops to ensure the actions of the corps. But even with such a reinforcement of the corps by sappers, with great difficulty they were able to ensure the minimum number of crossings. Since the success of the corps' actions was determined by the element of surprise, the construction of the pole roads was completed in one night, with preliminary harvesting and transportation of timber on the previous two nights.

On the morning of August 9, each division of the corps assigned a reconnaissance detachment as part of a reinforced rifle company. Reconnaissance detachments crossed to the western bank of the Bzhozuvka River, captured and held bridgeheads. On the night of August 10, units of the 81st Rifle Corps crossed to the western bank of the Bzhozuvka and, after a 35-minute artillery preparation with air support, went on the offensive. During the day there were stubborn booms for the expansion of bridgeheads. At the same time, the 95th Rifle Division fought for Yaglovo and Karpovich.

On the night of August 11, the corps conducted reconnaissance and, acting with reinforced detachments, drove the enemy out of Yaglovo, Karpovichi, Bzhozovo, Kamenka by dawn, forcing him to withdraw.

In the morning, the main forces resumed their offensive and advanced 14-15 km deep, capturing 40 settlements. On August 12, formations of the 81st Rifle Corps reached the approaches to Gonenzu, destroying up to 300 enemy soldiers and officers and capturing 35 prisoners. As a result of decisive night operations on the morning of August 13, Osovets station, the northeastern part of the Osovets fortress and its northern fort were taken, and then the northwestern part of the fortress was completely cleared of the enemy. The 324th Infantry Division crossed the Biebrzha River and captured a bridgehead on its western bank.

On the morning of August 14, units of the 369th and 324th rifle divisions continued the offensive and, in cooperation with the 49th army, with the support of the assault, bomber and fighter units of the 4th air army, by 7 o'clock stormed the city and fortress of Osovets - a powerful fortified area defense of the Nazis on the Biebrza River, covering the approaches to the borders of East Prussia

By order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of August 14, gratitude was announced to the troops participating in the battles for the liberation of the Osovets fortress for excellent military operations. The 1091st Rifle Regiment of the 324th Rifle Division (commanded by Colonel Ya. E. Sirovsky) was given the honorary name "Osovetsky".

On August 14, Moscow saluted the valiant troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front, who captured the city and fortress of Osovets, with twelve artillery salvos from one hundred and twenty-four guns.

For the skillful provision of crossing the Bzhozuvka River and the courage and heroism shown at the same time, the company commander of the 210th engineer-sapper battalion of the 50th engineer-sapper brigade, Lieutenant F. I. Senchenko, was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

The secret regrouping of three rifle divisions to the left flank of the army made it possible to preserve the element of surprise, which, in turn, ensured the success of the offensive of the 81st rifle corps.

Continuing the offensive, units of the 324th Rifle Division, and then the 290th and 95th Rifle Divisions crossed the Biebrzha River. When the regiment of the 324th rifle division was finishing the crossing, the enemy blew up the bridge with guided land mines. The artillery of the regiment remained on the south coast, and the rest of the division was delayed. As a result, the enemy went to put the retreating units in order and organize resistance. Further attempts to expand the bridgehead on the western coast were not successful.

The units that occupied bridgeheads on the Biebrza River were in very difficult conditions. The swampy floodplain made it impossible to reinforce the battle formations with firepower. Haystacks served as the only mask for manpower and firepower. Firing was extremely difficult. The base plates of 82-mm mortars after three or four shots sank into the swamp, and the regimental artillery guns sank after the first shot.

The offensive launched on August 27 in the sector of Brzozovo, Nizkovo with the aim of breaking through the enemy's defense in depth on the western bank of the Narew River and reaching the area north of Lomza failed.

On August 28, in accordance with the order of the front commander, the troops of the 50th Army went over to temporary defense.

As a result, the troops of the 50th Army, having launched an offensive on June 24, 1944, during 52 days of continuous offensive fought over 600 km, liberating the cities of Chausy, Mogilev, Bykhov, Novogrudok, Grodno, the Osovets fortress and many other cities from the fascist invaders , as well as a significant territory of Soviet land and neighboring Poland.

In cooperation with neighboring armies, the 50th Army in fierce battles defeated many German divisions on the Pronya and Dnieper rivers, inflicted heavy losses on the encircled enemy grouping in the Minsk region, destroyed and captured a large amount of equipment and various types of military equipment, captured over 17 thousand soldiers and officers, including four generals. Army troops reached the near approaches to the border of East Prussia.

History / chronology

1941-1943 - The feat and tragedy of the 38th Infantry Division

On July 10, 1941, the fierce battle of Smolensk began, during which the Nazi troops suffered serious losses and were unable to break through to Moscow on the move. During the Smolensk battle, which lasted two months, our city was heroically defended by units of the 38th Infantry Division of Colonel Maxim Gavrilovich Kirillov.
38th Don Red Banner Morozov-Donetsk named after A.I. Mikoyan Rifle Division was formed in 1918. Before the war, she was stationed in Rostov, Novocherkassk, Taganrog, Zernograd in the North Caucasian Military District. Well-trained and manned in wartime (15 thousand people), the division was one of the best in the district. At the end of May 1941, she was part of the 34th Rifle Corps of the 19th Army, Lieutenant General I.S. Koneva was secretly transferred to Ukraine, to the area of ​​Belaya Tserkov, where she was engaged in combat training in forest tent camps. On July 1, 1941, People's Commissar for Defense Marshal S.K. Timoshenko ordered I.S. Konev urgently transfer the army troops to the western direction in the area of ​​Rudnya, Orsha and Smolensk. Under the incessant bombing, in conditions of an acute shortage of rolling stock and huge traffic jams at stations and stages, the transfer of the 19th Army was greatly delayed. Out of 350 echelons, only 130 arrived in the unloading area in two weeks, and the troop unloading stations themselves, due to the rapid advance of the enemy, moved farther and farther east, 100-150 km., From pre-planned concentration areas. As a result, none of the divisions was assembled in full force. Scattered battalions and regiments made grueling marches to the front, without rears, air cover, with a minimum amount of ammunition.
The headquarters of the 38th SD, special units and the 48th Zernograd Rifle Regiment of Major P.I. Sheremet by July 15 unloaded at the station. Yartsevo, Vyshegor, 29th Novocherkassk Rifle Regiment, Colonel M.P. Bovdy with two battalions arrived at the station. Kardyshevo and Kolodnya, and one of his battalions, Major B.S. Apoyan turned out to be east of Yartsevo. 343rd Rostov Rifle Regiment, Major M.I. Alkhimina by July 12 arrived at the station. Krasny Bor, west of Smolensk. As a result, the 38th was split into three parts and was immediately brought into battle with the German tanks that had broken through.
The fate of the last two units of the 38th Infantry Division was the most tragic. On July 16, they became part of the 16th Army of Lieutenant General M.F. Lukin and until July 30 fought for Smolensk, where they completely died. Over 5 thousand soldiers of the 29th and 343rd rifle regiments, attached to two batteries of the 134th anti-tank division and the 214th light artillery regiment, remained forever in the ground, defending Smolensk. On August 5, only a few dozen fighters made their way out of the encirclement through the Soloviev crossing, and carried the banner of the 343rd Infantry Regiment, and the regiment soon revived again as part of its native 38th Division.
On July 16, in the Yartsevo area, the enemy landed a large parachute assault force - about a thousand specially trained saboteurs with tankettes and mortars. Riding the Moscow-Minsk highway, the paratroopers rushed to the railway station and to the bridges. Their path was blocked by two hundred fighters of the fighter battalion, who almost completely died in an unequal battle, but for a while they detained the paratroopers. On the night of July 17, Major General K.K. arrived in the Yartsevo area. Rokossovsky, who ordered Colonel M.G. Kirillov to destroy the Nazis. To accomplish this task, the divisional commander had the 48th rifle regiment and unloaded at the station. Svishchevo by the 70th separate reconnaissance battalion of captain G.I. Kolesnikov, as well as several batteries of the 214th light artillery regiment. Maxim Gavrilovich Kirillov competently organized the interaction of parts of the division, the enemy was defeated. Most of the German paratroopers died in battle, several dozen were captured. On the evening of July 18, a combat report sent to the headquarters of the Western Front reported: "The 38th division completed its task of destroying the enemy landing in the Yartsevo area."
But, on the western bank of the Vopi, at the railway station, the fighting continued. Near the company of paratroopers, hiding behind the thick stone walls of old buildings, they tried to hold out until their approach. The firing points of the Nazis were destroyed by the fire of howitzers put on direct fire, and on the morning of July 19, Yartsevo was completely cleared of the enemy.
But on the same day, the 7th German Panzer Division of Major General von Funk approached from the direction of Dukhovshchina and attacked the soldiers of the 38th Division, who had not had time to gain a foothold. For two days the fighters M.G. Kirillov fought an unequal battle with tanks and motorized infantry of the Nazis on the streets of Yartsevo. By the evening of July 20, the 101st Panzer Division of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel G.M., sent from the reserve, arrived in time to help. Mikhailov. Not all of its armored vehicles withstood the forced march - out of 132 tanks and 16 armored vehicles, only 59 tanks reached the battlefield, including 7 KVs. they led the counterattack of the 101st motorized rifle regiment of the division. The Germans were driven out of Yartsevo to the western bank of the Vopi. In the next two days, the enemy pulled the 20th motorized division of Major General Zorn to the city and intensified attacks along the railway and the Moscow-Minsk highway. By the end of July 22, after a fierce air bombardment, units of the 38th and 101st divisions could not hold back the Nazi attack, and were pushed out of the city into the forests southeast of Yartsevo. Commander of the operational group of troops, Major General K.K. Rokossovsky had to make a lot of efforts and show courage and endurance in order to delay the withdrawal of people exhausted by continuous battles, organize a defense, and then a counterattack in order to regain lost positions.
In the last week of July, non-stop fighting was in full swing in the Yartsevo area. The degree of their bitterness is evidenced by the fact that from July 22 to August 2, the Yartsevo railway station changed hands eight times and eventually remained with the 38th division. During this time, in front of its front, the Nazis lost 3570 soldiers and officers killed and wounded, 16 people captured, 5 tanks, 15 guns, 50 vehicles, 6 motorcycles, 34 mortars, 48 ​​machine guns and 5 aircraft shot down. The losses of the division were also considerable. Since August 8, a group of troops of Major General K.K. Rokossovsky is reorganized into the 16th Army and the 38th is part of it. Soon, the 343rd Infantry Regiment, replenished after the battles for Smolensk, returned to the division. A little earlier, on the basis of the battalion of the 29th Infantry Regiment, a regiment of three battalions was deployed. Now the entire 38th was again assembled and held Yartsevo until October 5th. From October 7 to 13, the division fought in the operational group of Lieutenant General M.F. Lukin in the Vyazemsky environment, where she died. By order of the People's Commissar of Defense dated December 27, 1941, it was disbanded "As a dead person on the front of the struggle against the Nazi invaders." In February 1942, the 460th Rifle Division, recently formed in Siberia, was suddenly renamed the 38th Rifle Division! At the same time, the full numbering of the regiments of the pre-war formation is preserved! Why? This means that the banners and basic documents of the division were returned to the active army.
No less tragic was the fate of the commander of the 38th Infantry Division, Colonel Maxim Gavrilovich Kirillov.
Reference: Born on May 5, 1896 in the village of Belyaikha, Kalininsky District, Ivanovo-Industrial Region. Member of the First World War and Civil War. On May 19, 1938, he was appointed commander of the 38th Rifle Division. In the same year he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the anniversary medal "20 Years of the Red Army".
When it was not possible to get out of the encirclement, the commander of his people and encirclement organized a partisan detachment in the Semlevsky district and began active hostilities. The locals also joined him. The first secretary of the Semlevsky Republican Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, being a supporter of waiting, realized that he was losing power and influence. Between him and M.G. Kirillov, a conflict arose. And the divisional commander had to leave with the detachment for the Znamensky district. There the situation repeated itself. In February 1942, the 1st Guards Cavalry Corps, Major General P.A. Belova and the 4th Airborne Corps, Major General A.F. Levashov broke through the defenses of the Germans south of Vyazma, while they were greatly assisted by a group of partisan detachments led by M.G. Kirillov (commander of the partisan detachment "Death to fascism"). But the party leaders did not calm down and began to write libels to the Central Committee and to the commander of the Western Front, G.K. Zhukov about the imaginary shortcomings of M.G. Kirillov.
On March 1, 1942, a plane flew for him, and the new commander, Major of the NKVD V.V. Jabot conveyed to him the gratitude of the command and a letter with a call to Moscow to receive a new position. But the division commander does not get to Moscow, but is appointed acting commander of the 238th rifle division. At the same time, an investigation began on the western front of the reasons for the defeat near Smolensk in the summer and autumn of the 41st.
The direct commander M.G. was already under investigation. Kirillov Lieutenant General R.P. Khmelnitsky (commander of the 34th Rifle Corps). In May 1942, when the investigation was nearing completion, of the three divisional commanders of the 34th Corps, only M.G. remained alive. Kirillov. Commander of 129 SD A.M. Gorodnyansky died near Kharkov surrounded on May 27, 1942, and the commander of the 158th SD V.I. Novozhilov went missing near Smolensk as early as 07/19/1941. Therefore, only the commander of the 38th SD could be attracted as a witness or used as a "scapegoat", which they took advantage of.
July 14, 1942 Colonel M.G. Kirillov, by the verdict of the Military Tribunal of the Western Front, along with several other commanders of divisions and regiments, was convicted under Article 58-I "B" of the UKRSFSR as a traitor to the Motherland and shot. Lieutenant General R.P. Khmelnitsky (from 1926 to 1940 he was the personal assistant of Marshal K.E. Voroshilov) was acquitted and immediately appointed head of the supply service and entered under the leadership of the same K.E. Voroshilov.
By the conclusion of the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office of the USSR Ministry of Defense dated July 19, 1991, Colonel M.G. Kirillov was rehabilitated. The fate of the 38th division and its commander is only a small, heroic and tragic episode of the Great Patriotic War. But we need to know and remember about him, for we live on earth richly watered with the blood of its warriors. And further. There were many such 38s and such Kirillovs, they endured the main hardships of the war, and then were betrayed by the State.

The article was written on the basis of materials from the almanac "White Spots" of the military history of the Fatherland" of the Rostov regional club "Memory-Search". We are grateful for the help of the Yartsevo search detachment "Bezymyanny"

Sergey GOMAN

Tereshkov Aleksey Dmitrievich - Commander of the 38th Rifle Corps of the 33rd Army of the 1st Belorussian Front, Major General.

Born on March 17, 1893 in the village of Korma, Gomel district, Mogilev province, now Dobrush district, Gomel region of the Republic of Belarus. From childhood, he helped his father as a carpenter, then he mastered the profession of a bricklayer. He built houses in Shuya, Moscow, Kyiv.

In 1913 he was drafted into the Russian army. After the outbreak of World War I, he was sent to the front. In the autumn of 1914, he was wounded in the leg near Lvov. After recovery, he completed short-term courses and, with the rank of senior non-commissioned officer, was again sent to the front. For courage he was awarded three St. George's crosses, three medals. Appointed as a platoon leader at the front. Immediately after the February Revolution of 1917, he joined the Bolshevik Party. After spending two and a half years in the trenches, he did not want to shed further blood and arbitrarily returned to his homeland.

Created a cell of the RCP (b) in his native village. Participated in the establishment of Soviet power in Belarus after the October Revolution. During the Civil War, he fought as a commander of a partisan detachment against the German invaders, was a company commander in the Bogunsky regiment under the command of the legendary red commander N. Shchors.

After the civil war he commanded a battalion and a regiment. In 1922 he graduated from the "Shot" courses, in 1941 - advanced training courses for command personnel at the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze. In 1937-1938 he fought against the Francoists and the Italo-German fascists in Spain with the rank of major, and was awarded an order for courage in battle. But already by the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of June 4, 1940, Tereshkov was awarded the military rank of Major General.

During the Great Patriotic War, he assumed the position of commander of the 413th Infantry Division in the Far East. In the fall of 1941, the division was transferred to the western direction as part of the 50th Army and began its combat path in the battles for the defense of Tula. On October 31, 1941, the regiments of the division went into battle directly from the echelons. The commander of the 50th Army ordered the division to take up defense at the line of Nizhniye Prisada, Sergeevsky, Trushkino. Far Eastern warriors took the brunt of the 2nd Panzer Group of the Germans under the command of General Guderian in the Dedilovsky direction. From November 9 to December 5, units of the division in continuous battles repelled continuous enemy attacks. Under the blows of superior Nazi forces, the regiments of the division retreated in an organized manner to the northern bank of the Shat River and entrenched themselves on the front of Marvino, Petrovo, and then participated in the army counterattack. The Nazis suffered significant losses and were forced to go on the defensive. A sniper movement unfolded in all units and subunits of the 413th Infantry Division. Sudden attacks at night on the rear garrisons of the enemy began to be practiced. At the end of November, parts of the division defended the city of Venev in the Tula region, and General Tereshkov was appointed commander of the Venev combat site. Two more divisions, weakened in battles, and separate units were subordinated to him. For five days the enemy was detained near Venev. And although on November 24 Guderian managed to occupy the city, his units were bled and unable to advance further. During the defensive battles, units of the division destroyed over 100 enemy tanks.

In December, the division launched an offensive in the direction of Shchekino, Zhidkov and soon liberated these cities. Parts of the division on December 29 captured the Vorotynsk station. General Tereshkov is rightfully revered in the hero city as one of the heroes of the battle for the city. Later he continued to command the 413th Infantry Division on the Western Front, took part in a number of offensive and defensive operations in 1942.

On May 23, 1943, Major General Tereshkov was appointed commander of the 38th Rifle Corps, at the head of which he fought heroically until the Victory. The corps as part of the 50th, 49th and 33rd armies took part in the Smolensk, Bryansk, Gomel-Rechitsa offensive operations. In the Belarusian strategic offensive operation, Major General Tereshkov liberated his native lands from the enemy. At first, he successfully acted during the encirclement and destruction of the Mogilev group, and during the Minsk operation he ensured a high rate of attack and immediately liberated the cities of Chausy and Cherven in the Minsk region. He acted heroically in forcing the Vistula in the area of ​​​​the city of Pulawy and holding a bridgehead.

During the Vistula-Oder strategic offensive operation, the 38th Rifle Corps of General A. D. Tereshkov, as part of the 33rd Army of the 1st Belorussian Front, broke through the enemy defenses at the Pulawy bridgehead and began to pursue the enemy. On the move, crossing the Warta River, the corps fighters broke through 400 kilometers in 15 days with battles, the first of the rifle units of the front entered the territory of the historical center of Germany - Brandenburg, crossed the Oder and captured a bridgehead near the city of Furstenberg.

For the exemplary performance of the combat missions of the Command on the front of the struggle against the German invaders and the courage and heroism shown at the same time by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 6, 1945, Major General Tereshkov Alexey Dmitrievich He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

The victorious result of the participation of Alexei Dmitrievich Tereshkov in the Great Patriotic War was the participation of the 38th Rifle Corps under his command in the Berlin operation. Even during the operation on April 20, 1945, Tereshkov was awarded the military rank of "lieutenant general", which was a rather rare event for corps commanders. He was distinguished by personal courage, during the fighting he was wounded 8 times and shell-shocked once.

In the postwar years, Alexei Dmitrievich Tereshkov continued to serve in the Soviet Army. Commanded an infantry corps. Since 1946 - Assistant Commander of the Gorky Military District for military educational institutions. In 1953, he retired due to age. Lived in the city of Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod). He died March 18, 1960. Lieutenant General Tereshkov was buried in Nizhny Novgorod at the Maryina Roshcha cemetery.

He was awarded 2 Orders of Lenin (02/21/45; 04/06/45), 4 Orders of the Red Banner (02/22/39; 01/02/42; 11/03/44; 06/20/49), Orders of Suvorov 2nd degree (No. 488 of 09/28/43) , Kutuzov 2nd degree (No. 1379 of 05/29/45), medals.

Streets in the cities of Dobrush (Gomel region), Bolokhovo (Tula region), the village of Malokurilskoye (Sakhalin region), as well as a street and a school in the village of Korma (Gomel region) are named after A. D. Tereshkov. In 2007, a memorial plaque was erected in his honor on the house in Nizhny Novgorod, where Hero lived in 1946-1960.