Batov Pavel Ivanovich

Army General, twice Hero Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the 65th Army.

In the Red Army since 1918

He graduated from the Higher Officer Courses "Shot" in 1927, the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1950.

Member of the First World War since 1916. Awarded for distinction in battles

2 George crosses and 2 medals.

In 1918 he voluntarily joined the Red Army. From 1920 to 1936 he consistently commanded a company, a battalion, and a rifle regiment. In 1936-1937 he fought on the side of the Republican troops in Spain. Upon his return, the commander of the rifle corps (1937). In 1939-1940 he participated in the Soviet-Finnish war. Since 1940, Deputy Commander of the Transcaucasian Military District.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War commander of a special rifle corps in the Crimea, deputy commander of the 51st Army of the Southern Front (since August 1941), commander of the 3rd Army (January-February 1942), assistant commander of the Bryansk Front (February-October 1942 ). From October 1942 until the end of the war, commander of the 65th Army, participating in hostilities as part of the Don, Stalingrad, Central, Belorussian, 1st and 2nd Belorussian Fronts. The troops under the command of P. I. Batov distinguished themselves in the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, in the battle for the Dnieper, during the liberation of Belarus, in the Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations. The combat successes of the 65th Army were noted about 30 times in the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

For personal courage and courage, for organizing a clear interaction of subordinate troops during the crossing of the Dnieper, P.I. Batov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and for crossing the river. Oder and the capture of the city of Stettin (the German name for the Polish city of Szczecin) was awarded the second "Gold Star".

After the war - commander of the mechanized and combined arms armies, first deputy commander in chief of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, commander of the Carpathian and Baltic military districts, commander of the Southern Group of Forces.

In 1962-1965 he was chief of staff of the United Armed Forces of the states - participants of the Warsaw Pact. Since 1965, a military inspector - adviser to the Group of General Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Since 1970, Chairman of the Soviet Committee of War Veterans.

Awarded 6 Orders of Lenin, Order of the October Revolution, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 3 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, Orders of Kutuzov 1st Class, Bogdan Khmelnitsky 1st Class, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 3rd Class, "Badge of Honor", Honorary weapons, foreign orders, medals.

Vatutin Nikolai Fyodorovich

Army General, Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously). In the Battle of Kursk he took part as commander of the Voronezh Front.

In the Red Army since 1920

He graduated from the Poltava Infantry School in 1922, the Kyiv Higher United Military School in 1924, the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1929, the operational department of the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1934, the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1937

Member of the Civil War. After the war, he commanded a platoon, a company, worked at the headquarters of the 7th Infantry Division. In 1931-1941. He was chief of staff of the division, chief of the 1st department of the headquarters of the Siberian Military District, deputy chief of staff and chief of staff of the Kyiv Special Military District, chief of the Operations Directorate and deputy chief of the General Staff.

From June 30, 1941 Chief of Staff of the North-Western Front. In May - July 1942 - Deputy Chief of the General Staff. In July 1942 he was appointed commander of the Voronezh Front. During the Battle of Stalingrad, he commanded the troops of the Southwestern Front. In March 1943 he was again appointed commander of the Voronezh Front (since October 1943 - the 1st Ukrainian Front). On February 29, 1944, while leaving for the troops, he was seriously wounded and died on April 15. Buried in Kyiv.

He was awarded the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov 1st Class, the Order of Kutuzov 1st Class, and the Order of Czechoslovakia.

ZhADOV Alexey Semenovich

Army General, Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the 5th Guards Army.

In the Red Army since 1919

He graduated from cavalry courses in 1920, military-political courses in 1928, the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1934, Higher academic courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1950

Member of the Civil War. In November 1919, as part of a separate detachment of the 46th Infantry Division, he fought against Denikin. Since October 1920, as a platoon commander of a cavalry regiment of the 11th Cavalry Division of the 1st Cavalry Army, he participated in battles with Wrangel's troops, as well as with gangs operating in Ukraine and Belarus. In 1922-1924. fought with the Basmachi in Central Asia, was seriously wounded. Since 1925 he was the commander of a training platoon, then the commander and political instructor of the squadron, chief of staff of the regiment, chief of the operational part of the division headquarters, chief of staff of the corps, assistant inspector of cavalry in the Red Army. Since 1940, the commander of the mountain cavalry division.

During the Great Patriotic War, commander of the 4th Airborne Corps (since June 1941). As chief of staff of the 3rd Army of the Central, then the Bryansk Fronts, he took part in the Battle of Moscow, in the summer of 1942 he commanded the 8th Cavalry Corps on the Bryansk Front.

From October 1942 he was commander of the 66th Army of the Don Front, operating north of Stalingrad. From April 1943, the 66th Army was transformed into the 5th Guards Army.

Under the leadership of A. S. Zhadov, the army as part of the Voronezh Front participated in the defeat of the enemy near Prokhorovka, and then in the Belgorod-Kharkov offensive operation. Subsequently, the 5th Guards Army participated in the liberation of Ukraine, in the Lvov-Sandomierz, Vistula-Oder, Berlin, and Prague operations.

Army troops for successful fighting 21 times noted in the orders of the Supreme Commander. For the skillful management of troops in the fight against the Nazi invaders and the courage and courage shown at the same time, A.S. Zhadov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In the post-war period - Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces for combat training (1946-1949), head of the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze (1950-1954), Commander-in-Chief of the Central Group of Forces (1954-1955), Deputy and First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces (1956-1964). From September 1964 - First Deputy Chief Inspector of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Since October 1969, a military inspector - adviser to the Group of Inspectors General of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

Awarded 3 Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, 5 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov, 1st Class, Orders of Kutuzov, 1st Class, Red Star, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR," 3rd Class, medals, as well as foreign orders.

Died in 1977

KATUKOV Mikhail Efimovich

Marshal armored forces, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the 1st Tank Army.

In the Red Army since 1919

He graduated from the Mogilev infantry courses in 1922, the Higher officer courses "Shot" in 1927, the academic courses for the improvement of command personnel at the Military Academy of Motorization and Mechanization of the Red Army in 1935, the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1951.

Member of the October armed uprising in Petrograd.

AT civil war fought as a private on the Southern Front.

From 1922 to 1940 he successively commanded a platoon, a company, was the head of a regimental school, commander of a training battalion, chief of staff of a brigade, commander tank brigade. From November 1940 commander of the 20th Panzer Division.

At the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he participated in defensive operations in the area of ​​the cities. Lutsk, Dubno, Korosten.

On November 11, 1941, for courageous and skillful fighting, the brigade of M.E. Katukov was the first in the tank troops to receive the title of guards.

In 1942, M. E. Katukov commanded the 1st Tank Corps, which repelled the onslaught of enemy troops in the Kursk-Voronezh direction, and then the 3rd Mechanized Corps.

In January 1943, he was appointed to the post of commander of the 1st Tank Army, which, as part of the Voronezh, and later the 1st Ukrainian Front, distinguished itself in the Battle of Kursk and during the liberation of Ukraine.

In June 1944, the army was transformed into a guards. She participated in the Lvov-Sandomierz, Vistula-Oder, East Pomeranian and Berlin operations.

In the postwar years, M. E. Katukov commanded the army, armored and mechanized troops of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany.

Since 1955 - Inspector General of the Main Inspectorate of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Since 1963 - military inspector-advisor of the Group of General Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

Awarded 4 Orders of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, Orders of Kutuzov 1st Class, Bogdan Khmelnitsky 1st Class, Kutuzov 2nd Class, Order of the Red Star, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR » 3rd degree, medals, as well as foreign orders.

Konev Ivan Stepanovich

Marshal of the Soviet Union, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he participated as commander of the Steppe Front.

In the Red Army since 1918

He graduated from advanced training courses for senior officers at the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1926, the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1934

During the First World War he was drafted into the army and sent to the South-Western Front. Demobilized from the army in 1918, he took part in the establishment of Soviet power in the city of Nikolsk (Vologda region), where he was elected a member of the Nikolsky district executive committee and appointed district military commissar.

During the Civil War, he was the commissar of an armored train, then a rifle brigade, division, headquarters of the People's Revolutionary Army of the Far Eastern Republic. Fought on the Eastern Front.

After the Civil War - military commissar of the 17th Primorsky Rifle Corps, 17th Rifle Division. After completing advanced training courses for senior officers, he was appointed commander of the regiment. Later he was assistant division commander in 1931-1932. and 1935-1937, commanded a rifle division, a corps and the 2nd Separate Red Banner Far Eastern Army.

In 1940-1941. - commanded the troops of the Trans-Baikal and North Caucasian military districts.

At the beginning of World War II, he was commander of the 19th Army of the Western Front. Then he successively commanded the Western, Kalinin, Northwestern, Steppe and 1st Ukrainian fronts.

In the Battle of Kursk, troops under the command of I. S. Konev successfully operated during the counteroffensive in the Belgorod-Kharkov direction.

After the war, he served as Commander-in-Chief of the Central Group of Forces, Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces - Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR, Chief Inspector of the Soviet Army - Deputy Minister of War of the USSR, Commander of the Carpathian Military District, First Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR - Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Commander-in-Chief of the United Armed Forces of the participating States Warsaw Pact, Inspector General of the Group of Inspectors General of the USSR Ministry of Defense, Commander-in-Chief of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany.

Hero of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (1970), Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic (1971).

Awarded 7 Orders of Lenin, Order of the October Revolution, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, 2 Orders of Kutuzov 1st Class, Order of the Red Star, medals and foreign orders.

He was awarded the highest military order "Victory", the Honorary weapon.

MALINOVSKY Rodion Yakovlevich

Marshal of the Soviet Union, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the Southwestern Front.

In the Red Army since 1919

Graduated from the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze.

Since 1914, he participated as a private in the First World War. He was awarded the St. George Cross of the 4th degree.

In February 1916 he was sent to France as part of the Russian Expeditionary Force. Upon his return to Russia, he voluntarily joined the Red Army in 1919.

During the Civil War, he participated in battles as part of the 27th Infantry Division of the Eastern Front.

In December 1920, commander of a machine gun platoon, then head of a machine gun team, assistant commander, battalion commander.

Since 1930, the chief of staff of the cavalry regiment of the 10th cavalry division, then served in the headquarters of the North Caucasus and Belarusian military districts, was the chief of staff of the 3rd cavalry corps.

In 1937-1938. participated as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, was awarded the Orders of Lenin and the Order of the Red Banner for military distinctions.

Since 1939, a teacher at the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze. From March 1941, commander of the 48th Rifle Corps.

During the Great Patriotic War, he commanded the 6th, 66th, 2nd Guards, 5th shock and 51st armies, the Southern, Southwestern, 3rd Ukrainian, 2nd Ukrainian fronts. He took part in the Battles of Stalingrad, Kursk, Zaporozhye, Nikopol-Krivoy Rog, Bereznegovat-Snigirevskaya, Odessa, Iasi-Kishinev, Debrecen, Budapest, Vienna operations.

Since July 1945, the commander of the Trans-Baikal Front, which dealt the main blow in the Manchurian strategic operation. For high military leadership, courage and courage he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

After the war, he commanded the troops of the Trans-Baikal-Amur Military District, was the commander-in-chief of the troops Far East Commander of the Far Eastern Military District.

Since March 1956, the First Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR - Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces.

Since October 1957 Minister of Defense of the USSR. He remained in this post until the end of his life.

Awarded 5 Orders of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, Order of Kutuzov 1st Class, medals, and foreign orders.

He was awarded the highest military order "Victory".

POPOV Markian Mikhailovich

Army General, Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the Bryansk Front.

Born on November 15, 1902 in the village of Ust-Medveditskaya (now Serafimovich, Volgograd Region).

In the Red Army since 1920

He graduated from the infantry command courses in 1922, the Higher officer courses "Shot" in 1925, the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze.

He fought in the Civil War on the Western Front as a private.

Since 1922, platoon commander, assistant company commander, assistant chief and head of the regimental school, battalion commander, inspector of military educational institutions of the Moscow Military District. From May 1936 he was chief of staff of a mechanized brigade, then of the 5th mechanized corps. From June 1938 he was deputy commander, from September chief of staff, from July 1939 commander of the 1st Separate Red Banner Army in the Far East, and from January 1941 commander of the Leningrad Military District.

During the Great Patriotic War, commander of the Northern and Leningrad fronts (June - September 1941), 61st and 40th armies (November 1941 - October 1942). He was deputy commander of the Stalingrad and Southwestern fronts. He successfully commanded the 5th Shock Army (October 1942 - April 1943), the Reserve Front and the troops of the Steppe Military District (April - May 1943), Bryansk (June-October 1943), Baltic and 2nd Baltic (October 1943 - April 1944) fronts. From April 1944 until the end of the war he was chief of staff of the Leningrad, 2nd Baltic, then again Leningrad fronts.

Participated in the planning of operations and successfully led the troops in the battles near Leningrad and Moscow, in the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, during the liberation of Karelia and the Baltic states.

In the post-war period, the commander of the Lvov (1945-1946), Tauride (1946-1954) military districts. From January 1955 he was deputy chief and then chief of the Main Directorate of Combat Training, from August 1956 chief of the General Staff - First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces. Since 1962, a military inspector - adviser to the Group of General Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

Awarded 5 Orders of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, 2 Orders of Kutuzov 1st Class, Order of the Red Star, medals, and foreign orders.

ROKOSSOVSKY Konstantin Konstantinovich

Marshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of Poland, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he participated as commander of the Central Front.

In the Red Army since 1918

He graduated from the cavalry advanced training courses for command personnel in 1925, advanced training courses for senior command personnel at the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1929

In the army since 1914. Member of the First World War. He fought as part of the 5th Kargopol Dragoon Regiment, as an ordinary and junior non-commissioned officer.

After the October Revolution of 1917 he fought in the ranks of the Red Army. During the Civil War he commanded a squadron, separate division and a cavalry regiment. For personal bravery and courage he was awarded 2 Orders of the Red Banner.

After the war, he successively commanded the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, a cavalry regiment, and the 5th Separate Cavalry Brigade. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for military distinctions at the CER.

From 1930 he commanded the 7th, then the 15th cavalry divisions, from 1936 - the 5th cavalry, from November 1940 - the 9th mechanized corps.

From July 1941 he commanded the 16th Army of the Western Front. From July 1942 he commanded the Bryansk, from September the Don, from February 1943 the Central, from October 1943 the Belorussian, from February 1944 the 1st Belorussian and from November 1944 until the end of the war the 2nd Belorussian fronts.

Troops under the command of K. K. Rokossovsky participated in the Battle of Smolensk (1941), the Battle of Moscow, in the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, in the Belorussian, East Prussian, East Pomeranian, and Berlin operations.

After the war, commander-in-chief of the Northern Group of Forces (1945-1949). In October 1949, at the request of the government of the Polish People's Republic, with the permission of the Soviet government, he left for the PPR, where he was appointed Minister of National Defense and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the PPR. He was awarded the title of Marshal of Poland.

Upon returning to the USSR in 1956, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR. Since July 1957, the chief inspector - Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR. Since October 1957, commander of the Transcaucasian Military District. In 1958-1962. Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR and Chief Inspector of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Since April 1962 he was the chief inspector of the Group of Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

He was awarded 7 Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, 6 Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov 1st degree, medals, as well as foreign orders and medals.

He was awarded the highest military order "Victory". Awarded with Honorary Arms.

ROMANENKO Prokofy Logvinovich

Colonel General. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the 2nd Tank Army.

In the Red Army since 1918

He graduated from advanced training courses for command personnel in 1925, advanced training courses for senior command personnel in 1930, the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1933, the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1948

On the military service since 1914. Member of the First World War, ensign. Awarded 4 St. George's crosses.

After the October Revolution of 1917, he was a volost military commissar in the Stavropol province, then during the Civil War he commanded a partisan detachment, fought on the Southern and Western fronts as a squadron commander, regiment and assistant commander of a cavalry brigade.

After the war he commanded a cavalry regiment, since 1937 a mechanized brigade. Participated in the national liberation struggle of the Spanish people in 1936-1939. For heroism and courage he was awarded the Order of Lenin.

Since 1938, commander of the 7th mechanized corps, participant in the Soviet-Finnish war (1939-1940). Since May 1940, the commander of the 34th rifle, then the 1st mechanized corps.

During the Great Patriotic War, the commander of the 17th Army of the Trans-Baikal Front. From May 1942 commander of the 3rd tank army, then deputy commander of the Bryansk Front (September-November 1942), from November 1942 to December 1944 commander of the 5th, 2nd tank armies, 48th army. The troops of these armies took part in the Rzhev-Sychevsk operation, in the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, in the Belorussian operation.

In 1945-1947. Commander of the East Siberian Military District.

He was awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, 2 Orders of Kutuzov 1st Class, medals, a foreign order.

ROTMISTROV Pavel Alekseevich

Chief Marshal of the Armored Forces, Hero of the Soviet Union, Doctor of Military Sciences, Professor. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the 5th Guards Tank Army.

In the Red Army since 1919

He graduated from the Military Joint School. All-Russian Central Executive Committee, Military Academy. M. V. Frunze, Military Academy of the General Staff.

During the Civil War, he commanded a platoon, company, battery, and was deputy battalion commander.

From 1931 to 1937 he worked at the headquarters of the division and the army, commanded a rifle regiment.

Since 1938, he has been a lecturer in the Tactics Department of the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army.

During the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. commander of a tank battalion and chief of staff of the 35th tank brigade.

From December 1940 he was deputy commander of the 5th Panzer Division, and from May 1941 he was chief of staff of the mechanized corps.

During the Great Patriotic War he fought on the Western, Northwestern, Kalinin, Stalingrad, Voronezh, Steppe, Southwestern, 2nd Ukrainian and 3rd Belorussian fronts.

Participated in the Battle of Moscow, the Battle of Stalingrad, the Battle of Kursk, as well as the Belgorod-Kharkov, Uman-Botoshansk, Korsun-Shevchenko, Belorussian operations.

After the war, commander of the armored and mechanized troops of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, then the Far East. Deputy Chief, then Head of the Department of the Military Academy of the General Staff, Head of the Military Academy of Armored Forces, Assistant to the Minister of Defense of the USSR, Chief Inspector of the Group of General Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

Awarded 5 Orders of Lenin, Order of the October Revolution, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov 1st Class, Suvorov 2nd Class, Red Star, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 3rd Class, medals, as well as foreign orders.

RYBALKO Pavel Semyonovich

Marshal of armored forces, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the 3rd Guards Tank Army.

Born on November 4, 1894 in the village of Maly Istorop (Lebedinsky district of the Sumy region, Republic of Ukraine).

In the Red Army since 1919

He graduated from advanced training courses for senior officers in 1926 and 1930, the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1934

Member of the First World War, private.

During the Civil War, the commissar of the regiment and brigade, squadron commander, commander of the cavalry regiment and brigade.

After graduating from the academy, he was sent as an assistant commander of a mountain cavalry division, then as a military attache to Poland, China.

During the Great Patriotic War, Deputy Commander of the 5th Tank Army, later commanded the 5th, 3rd, 3rd Guards Tank Armies in the Bryansk, South-Western, Central, Voronezh, 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian fronts.

He participated in the Battle of Kursk, in the Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh, Kharkov, Kyiv, Zhytomyr-Berdichev, Proskurov-Chernivtsi, Lvov-Sandomierz, Lower Silesian, Upper Silesian, Berlin and Prague operations.

For successful military operations, the troops commanded by P. S. Rybalko

22 times noted in the orders of the Supreme Commander.

After the war, first deputy commander, and then commander of the armored and mechanized troops of the Soviet army.

Awarded 2 Orders of Lenin, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 3 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, Order of Kutuzov 1st Class, Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky 1st Class, medals, and foreign orders.

SOKOLOVSKY Vasily Danilovich

Marshal of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the Western Front.

Born on July 21, 1897 in the village of Kozliki, Belostok district (Grodno region, Republic of Belarus).

In the Red Army since 1918

He graduated from the Military Academy of the Red Army in 1921, the Higher Academic Courses in 1928.

During the Civil War he fought on the Eastern, Southern and Caucasian fronts. He held the positions of company commander, regiment adjutant, assistant regiment commander, regiment commander, senior assistant chief of staff of the 39th Infantry Division, brigade commander, chief of staff of the 32nd Infantry Division.

In 1921, assistant chief of the operational department of the Turkestan Front, then division chief of staff, division commander. He commanded the Group of Forces of the Fergana and Samarkand regions.

In 1922 - 1930. chief of staff of a rifle division, rifle corps.

In 1930 - 1935. commander of a rifle division, then chief of staff of the Volga Military District.

From May 1935 he was chief of staff of the Ural, from April 1938 of the Moscow military districts. Since February 1941, Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

During the Great Patriotic War, he served as Chief of Staff of the Western Front, Chief of Staff of the Western Direction, Commander of the Western Front, Chief of Staff of the 1st Ukrainian Front, Deputy Commander of the 1st Belorussian Front.

For the skillful leadership of the military operations of the troops in the Berlin operation, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

After the war, he served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief, then Commander-in-Chief of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, First Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR, Chief of the General Staff - First Deputy Minister of War.

Awarded 8 Orders of Lenin, Order of the October Revolution, 3 Orders of the Red Banner, 3 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, 3 Orders of Kutuzov 1st Class, medals, as well as foreign orders and medals, Honorary Weapons.

CHERNYAKHOVSKY Ivan Danilovich

Army General, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk he took part in the post of commander of the 60th Army.

In the Red Army since 1924

He graduated from the Kyiv Artillery School in 1928, the Military Academy of Mechanization and Motorization of the Red Army in 1936.

From 1928 to 1931, he served as a platoon commander, head of the topographic detachment of the regiment, assistant battery commander for political affairs, commander of a reconnaissance training battery.

Upon graduation from the academy, he was appointed chief of staff of a battalion, then commander of a tank battalion, tank regiment, deputy division commander, commander of a tank division.

During the Great Patriotic War, he commanded a tank corps, the 60th Army on the Voronezh, Central and 1st Ukrainian fronts.

The troops under the command of I. D. Chernyakhovsky distinguished themselves in the Voronezh-Kastornensky operation, the Battle of Kursk, while crossing the river. Desna and Dnieper. Later they participated in the Kyiv, Zhytomyr-Berdichev, Rivne-Lutsk, Proskurov-Chernivtsi, Vilnius, Kaunas, Memel, East Prussian operations.

For successful military operations during the Great Patriotic War, the troops commanded by I. D. Chernyakhovsky were noted 34 times in the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

In the area of ​​the town of Melzak, he was mortally wounded and died on February 18, 1945. Buried in Vilnius.

Awarded with the Order of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, Order of Kutuzov 1st Class, Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky 1st Class and medals.

CHIBISOV Nikandr Evlampievich

Colonel General, Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he participated as commander of the 38th Army.

In the Red Army since 1918

Graduated from the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1935

During the First World War he fought on the Western and Southwestern fronts. Commanded a company.

During the Civil War, he took part in the battles on Karelian Isthmus, near Narva, Pskov, in Belarus.

He was the commander of a platoon, company, battalion, regiment, assistant chief of staff and chief of staff of a rifle brigade. From 1922 to 1937 in staff and command positions. Since 1937, the commander of a rifle division, since 1938 - a rifle corps, in 1938-1940. Chief of Staff of the Leningrad Military District.

During the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. Chief of Staff of the 7th Army.

From July 1940 he was deputy commander of the troops of the Leningrad Military District, and from January 1941 he was deputy commander of the troops of the Odessa military district.

Troops under the command of N. E. Chibisov took part in the Voronezh-Kastornoye, Kharkov, Belgorod-Kharkov, Kyiv, Leningrad-Novgorod operations.

For the skillful leadership of the army troops during the crossing of the Dnieper, courage and heroism was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

From June 1944, he served as head of the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze, from March 1949 - Deputy Chairman of the Central Committee of DOSAAF, and from October 1949 - Assistant Commander of the Belarusian Military District.

He was awarded 3 orders of Lenin, 3 orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov 1st degree and medals.

SHLEMIN Ivan Timofeevich

Lieutenant General, Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the 6th Guards Army.

In the Red Army since 1918

He graduated from the first Petrograd infantry courses in 1920, the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1925, the operational department of the Military Academy. M. V. Frunze in 1932

Member of the First World War. During the Civil War, as a platoon commander, he took part in battles in Estonia and near Petrograd. Since 1925 he was the chief of staff of a rifle regiment, then the chief of the operational unit and the chief of staff of the division, since 1932 he worked at the headquarters of the Red Army (since 1935 the General Staff).

Since 1936 he was the commander of a rifle regiment, since 1937 he was the head of the Military Academy of the General Staff, since 1940 he was the chief of staff of the 11th Army, in this position he entered the Great Patriotic War.

Since May 1942, Chief of Staff of the North-Western Front, then the 1st Guards Army. Since January 1943, he successively commanded the 5th tank, 12th, 6th, 46th armies on the Southwestern, 3rd and 2nd Ukrainian fronts.

Troops under the command of I. T. Shlemin took part in the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, Donbass, Nikopol-Krivoy Rog, Bereznegovato-Snigirevskaya, Odessa, Iasi-Kishinev, Debrecen and Budapest operations. For successful actions, 15 times were noted in the orders of the Supreme Commander.

For the skillful command and control of the troops and the heroism and courage shown at the same time, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

After the Great Patriotic War, Chief of Staff of the Southern Group of Forces, and from April 1948 Deputy Chief of the Main Staff of the Ground Forces - Chief of Operations, from June 1949 Chief of Staff of the Central Group of Forces. In 1954-1962. senior lecturer and deputy head of the department at the Military Academy of the General Staff. Reserved since 1962.

Awarded 3 Orders of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, Orders of Kutuzov 1st Class, Bogdan Khmelnitsky 1st Class, medals.

SHUMILOV Mikhail Stepanovich

Colonel General, Hero of the Soviet Union. In the Battle of Kursk, he served as commander of the 7th Guards Army.

In the Red Army since 1918

He graduated from the courses of command and political staff in 1924, the Higher Officer Courses "Shot" in 1929, the Higher Academic Courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1948, and before the Great October Revolution, the Chuguev Military School in 1916.

Member of the First World War, ensign. During the Civil War he fought on the Eastern and Southern fronts, commanded a platoon, company, regiment. After the war, the commander of the regiment, then the division and corps, participated in the campaign in Western Belarus in 1939, the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940.

During the Great Patriotic War, commander of a rifle corps, deputy commander of the 55th and 21st armies on the Leningrad and Southwestern fronts (1941-1942). From August 1942 until the end of the war, commander of the 64th Army (reorganized in March 1943 into the 7th Guards), operating as part of the Stalingrad, Don, Voronezh, Steppe, 2nd Ukrainian fronts.

The troops under the command of M. S. Shumilov participated in the defense of Leningrad, in the battles in the Kharkov region, fought heroically near Stalingrad and, together with the 62nd Army in the city itself, defended it from the enemy, participated in the battles near Kursk and for the Dnieper, in Kirovogradskaya , Uman-Botoshansky, Iasi-Chisinau, Budapest, Bratislava-Brnovskaya operations.

For excellent military operations, the troops of the army were noted 16 times in the orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

After the war, he commanded the troops of the White Sea (1948-1949) and Voronezh (1949-1955) military districts.

In 1956-1958. retired. Since 1958, military consultant of the Group of General Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

Awarded 3 Orders of Lenin, 4 Orders of the Red Banner, 2 Orders of Suvorov 1st Class, Orders of Kutuzov 1st Class, Orders of the Red Star, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 3rd Class, medals, as well as foreign orders and medals .

Kursk in brief about the battle

• The offensive of the German army
• The offensive of the Red Army
• General results
• About the Battle of Kursk even shorter
• Video about the Battle of Kursk

How did the Battle of Kursk begin?

• Hitler decided that it was in the location of the Kursk Bulge that a turning point in the seizure of territory should occur. The operation was called "Citadel" and was supposed to involve the Voronezh and Central fronts.
• But, in one thing, Hitler was right, Zhukov and Vasilevsky agreed with him, the Kursk Bulge was to become one of the main battles and, undoubtedly, the main one of the future ones.
• That is how Zhukov and Vasilevsky reported to Stalin. Zhukov was able to roughly estimate the possible forces of the invaders.

• German weapons were updated and increased in volume. Thus, a grandiose mobilization was carried out. The Soviet army, namely those fronts that the Germans were counting on, were approximately equal in terms of their equipment.
• In some ways, the Russians were winning.
• In addition to the Central and Voronezh fronts (under the command of Rokossovsky and Vatutin, respectively), there was also a secret front - Stepnoy, under the command of Konev, about which the enemy did not know anything.
• The steppe front became insurance for two main directions.
• The Germans have been preparing for this offensive since the spring. But when they launched an attack in the summer, this did not come as an unexpected blow to the Red Army.
• The Soviet army also did not sit idle. Eight defensive lines were built at the supposed site of the battle.

Tactics of warfare on the Kursk Bulge

• It was thanks to the developed qualities of a military leader, and the work of intelligence, that the command of the Soviet army was able to understand the plans of the enemy and the defense-offensive plan came up perfectly.
• Defensive lines were built with the help of the population living near the battlefield.
  The German side built the plan in such a way that the Kursk Bulge should help to make the front line more even.
• If this succeeded, then the next stage would be to develop an offensive in the center of the state.

The offensive of the German army

The offensive of the Red Army

General results

Intelligence as an important part of the Battle of Kursk

About the Battle of Kursk even shorter
One of the largest battlefields during the Great Patriotic War was the Kursk Bulge. The battle is briefly described below.

All the fighting that took place during the Battle of Kursk took place from July 5 to August 23, 1943. The German command hoped during this battle to destroy all Soviet troops representing the Central and Voronezh Fronts. At that time, they were actively defending Kursk. If the Germans had been successful in this battle, the initiative in the war would have returned to the Germans. In order to implement their plans, the German command allocated more than 900 thousand soldiers, 10 thousand guns of various calibers, and 2.7 thousand tanks and 2050 aircraft were allocated in support. New tanks of the Tiger and Panther class, as well as new Focke-Wulf 190 A fighters and Heinkel 129 attack aircraft took part in this battle.

The command of the Soviet Union hoped to bleed the enemy during his offensive, and then conduct a large-scale counterattack. Thus, the Germans did exactly what the Soviet army expected. The scope of the battle was truly grandiose, the Germans sent almost the entire army and all available tanks to the attack. However, the Soviet troops stood to the death, and the defensive lines were not surrendered. On the Central Front, the enemy advanced 10-12 kilometers; on Voronezh, the depth of the enemy’s passage was 35 kilometers, but the Germans could not go further.

The outcome of the battle on the Kursk Bulge was determined by the battle of tanks near the village of Prokhorovka, which took place on July 12. It was the largest tank battle in history, more than 1.2 thousand tanks and self-propelled artillery units were thrown into battle. On this day, the German troops lost more than 400 tanks, and the invaders were driven back. After that, the Soviet troops went on an active offensive, and on August 23 the Battle of Kursk was over with the liberation of Kharkov, and with this event the further defeat of Germany became inevitable.

In the summer of 1943, one of the most grandiose and important battles of the Great Patriotic War took place - the Battle of Kursk. The Nazis' dream of revenge for Stalingrad, for the defeat near Moscow, resulted in one of the most key battles, on which the outcome of the war depended.

Total mobilization - selected generals, the best soldiers and officers, the latest weapons, guns, tanks, planes - such was the order of Adolf Hitler - to prepare for the most important battle and not just win, but do it spectacularly, indicatively, avenging all the previous lost battles . A matter of prestige.

(In addition, it was precisely as a result of the successful Operation Citadel that Hitler assumed the opportunity to negotiate a truce from the Soviet side. German generals repeatedly stated this.)

It was for the Battle of Kursk that the Germans prepared a military gift for Soviet military designers - a powerful and invulnerable tank "Tiger", which there was simply nothing to resist. Its impenetrable armor was too tough for Soviet-designed anti-tank guns, but new anti-tank guns have not yet been developed. During the meetings with Stalin, Marshal of Artillery Voronov said literally the following: "We do not have guns capable of successfully fighting these tanks"

The Battle of Kursk began on July 5, and ended on August 23, 1943. Every year on August 23, Russia celebrates the "Day of Military Glory of Russia - the Day of the Victory of the Soviet Troops in the Battle of Kursk."

Moiarussia collected the most Interesting Facts about this great confrontation:

Operation Citadel

In April 1943, Hitler approved a military operation code-named Zitadelle ("Citadel"). For its implementation, a total of 50 divisions were involved, including 16 tank and motorized; more than 900 thousand German soldiers, about 10 thousand guns and mortars, 2 thousand 245 tanks and assault guns, 1 thousand 781 aircraft. The location of the operation is the Kursk salient.

German sources wrote: “The Kursk ledge seemed to be a particularly suitable place for delivering such a blow. As a result of the simultaneous offensive of German troops from the north and south, a powerful grouping of Russian troops will be cut off. They also hoped to defeat those operational reserves that the enemy would bring into battle. In addition, the elimination of this ledge would significantly shorten the front line ... True, even then someone claimed that the enemy was expecting a German offensive in this particular area and ... that therefore there was a danger of losing more of their forces than inflicting losses on the Russians ... However, it was impossible to convince Hitler , and he believed that the operation "Citadel" would succeed if it was undertaken soon"

The Germans were preparing for the Battle of Kursk for a long time. The start of it was postponed twice: either the guns were not ready, or the new tanks were not delivered, or the new aircraft did not have time to pass the tests. On top of that, Hitler's fears that Italy was about to withdraw from the war. Convinced that Mussolini was not going to give up, Hitler decided to stick to the original plan. Fanatic Hitler believed that if you strike at the place where the Red Army was strongest and crush the enemy in this particular battle, then

"The victory at Kursk," he declared, would strike the imagination of the whole world.

Hitler knew that it was here, on the Kursk ledge, that the Soviet troops numbered more than 1.9 million people, more than 26 thousand guns and mortars, over 4.9 thousand tanks and self-propelled artillery installations, about 2.9 thousand aircraft. He knew that by the number of soldiers and equipment involved in the operation, he would lose this battle, but thanks to an ambitious strategically correct plan developed and the latest weapons, which, according to the assurances of the military experts of the Soviet army, will be difficult to resist, this numerical superiority will be absolutely vulnerable and useless.

Meanwhile, the Soviet command did not waste time in vain. The headquarters of the Supreme High Command considered two options: attack first or wait? The first option was promoted by the commander of the Voronezh Front Nikolai Vatutin. The commander of the Central Front insisted on the second . Despite Stalin's initial support for Vatutin's plan, Rokossovsky's safer plan was approved - "wait, wear down and go on the counteroffensive." Rokossovsky was supported by the majority of the military command and, first of all, by Zhukov.

However, later Stalin doubted the correctness of the decision - the Germans were too passive, who, as mentioned above, had already postponed their offensive twice.

(Photo by: Sovfoto/UIG via Getty Images)

Having waited for the latest technology - the tanks "Tigers" and "Panthers", the Germans on the night of July 5, 1943 began their offensive.

That same night, Rokossovsky had a telephone conversation with Stalin:

- Comrade Stalin! The Germans are on the offensive!

- What are you happy about? - asked the surprised leader.

“Now victory will be ours, Comrade Stalin!” - answered the commander.

Rokossovsky was not mistaken.

Agent Werther

On April 12, 1943, three days before Hitler approved Operation Citadel, Stalin had on his desk the exact text of Directive No. 6 “On the plan for Operation Citadel” translated from German by the German High Command, signed by all services of the Wehrmacht. The only thing that was not on the document was the visas of Hitler himself. He put it in three days after the Soviet leader got acquainted with it. The Fuhrer, of course, did not know about this.

Nothing is known about the person who obtained this document for the Soviet command, except for his code name - "Werther". Various researchers put forward different versions of who "Werther" really was - some believe that Hitler's personal photographer was a Soviet agent.

Agent "Werther" (German: Werther) - the code name of the alleged Soviet agent in the leadership of the Wehrmacht or even in the top of the Third Reich during the Second World War, one of the prototypes of Stirlitz. For all the time he worked for Soviet intelligence, he did not allow a single misfire. It was considered the most reliable source in wartime.

Hitler's personal translator, Paul Karel, wrote about him in his book: Soviet intelligence contacted the Swiss residency as if they were asking for information in some information bureau. And they got everything they were interested in. Even a superficial analysis of radio interception data shows that in all phases of the war in Russia, the agents of the Soviet General Staff worked first-class. Part of the transmitted information could only be obtained from the highest German military circles.

- it seems that the Soviet agents in Geneva and Lausanne were dictated to the key directly from the Fuhrer's Headquarters.

Biggest tank battle

"Kursk Bulge": Tank T-34 against the "Tigers" and "Panthers"

The key moment of the Battle of Kursk is considered to be the largest tank battle in the history of the war near the village of Prokhorovka, which began on July 12.

Surprisingly, this large-scale clash of armored vehicles of the warring parties to this day causes fierce disputes among historians.

Classical Soviet historiography reported 800 tanks for the Red Army and 700 for the Wehrmacht. Modern historians tend to increase the number Soviet tanks and reduce the number of German.

None of the parties managed to achieve the goals set for July 12: the Germans failed to capture Prokhorovka, break through the defenses of the Soviet troops and enter the operational space, and the Soviet troops failed to surround the enemy grouping.

Based on the memoirs of German generals (E. von Manstein, G. Guderian, F. von Mellenthin and others), about 700 Soviet tanks took part in the battle (some of them probably fell behind on the march - “on paper” the army had more than a thousand vehicles ), of which about 270 were shot down (meaning only the morning battle on July 12).

Also preserved is the version of Rudolf von Ribbentrop, son of Joachim von Ribbentrop, commander of a tank company, a direct participant in the battle:

According to the published memoirs of Rudolf von Ribbentrop, Operation Citadel pursued not strategic, but purely operational goals: to cut off the Kursk salient, destroy the Russian troops involved in it, and straighten the front. Hitler hoped to achieve military success during the front-line operation in order to try to enter into negotiations with the Russians on a truce.

In his memoirs, Ribbentrop gives detailed description the disposition of the battle, its course and result:

“In the early morning of July 12, the Germans had to take Prokhorovka, an important point on the way to Kursk. However, suddenly, units of the 5th Soviet Guards Tank Army intervened in the course of the battle.

The unexpected attack on the deep-seated spearhead of the German offensive - by units of the 5th Guards Tank Army, deployed overnight - was undertaken by the Russian command in a completely incomprehensible way. The Russians inevitably had to go into their own anti-tank ditch, which was clearly shown even on the maps we captured.

The Russians drove, if they ever got that far at all, into their own anti-tank ditch, where they naturally became easy prey for our defenses. Burning diesel fuel spread a thick black fumes - Russian tanks were burning everywhere, partly colliding with each other, Russian infantrymen jumping between them, desperately trying to orient themselves and easily turning into a victim of our grenadiers and artillerymen, who also stood on this battlefield.

The attacking Russian tanks - there should have been more than a hundred of them - were completely destroyed.

As a result of the counterattack, by noon on July 12, the Germans "with surprisingly small losses" occupied "almost completely" their previous positions.

The Germans were stunned by the extravagance of the Russian command, which threw hundreds of tanks with armored infantrymen to certain death. This circumstance forced the German command to think deeply about the power of the Russian offensive.

“Stalin allegedly wanted to court-martial the commander of the 5th Soviet Guards Tank Army, General Rotmistrov, who attacked us. In our opinion, he had good reasons for this. Russian descriptions of the battle - "the grave of German tank weapons" - have nothing to do with reality. We, however, felt unmistakably that the offensive had run out of steam. We saw no chance for ourselves to continue the offensive against the superior forces of the enemy, unless significant reinforcements were given. However, there were none."

It is no coincidence that after the victory at Kursk, Army Commander Rotmistrov was not even awarded, as he did not justify the high hopes placed on him by the Headquarters.

One way or another, the Nazi tanks were stopped on the field near Prokhorovka, which actually meant the disruption of the plans for the German summer offensive.

It is believed that Hitler himself ordered the termination of the Citadel plan on July 13, when he learned that the Western allies of the USSR had landed in Sicily on July 10, and the Italians had failed to defend Sicily during the fighting and the need to send German reinforcements to Italy loomed.

"Kutuzov" and "Rumyantsev"

Diorama dedicated to the Battle of Kursk. Author oleg95

When they talk about the Battle of Kursk, they often mention Operation Citadel - the German offensive plan. Meanwhile, after the onslaught of the Wehrmacht was repulsed, the Soviet troops carried out their two offensive operations, which ended in brilliant successes. The names of these operations are much less known than Citadel.

On July 12, 1943, the troops of the Western and Bryansk fronts went on the offensive in the Oryol direction. Three days later, the Central Front began its offensive. This operation was codenamed "Kutuzov". During it, a major defeat was inflicted on the German Army Group Center, whose retreat was stopped only on August 18 at the Hagen defensive line east of Bryansk. Thanks to Kutuzov, the cities of Karachev, Zhizdra, Mtsensk, Bolkhov were liberated, and on the morning of August 5, 1943, Soviet troops entered Oryol.

On August 3, 1943, the troops of the Voronezh and Steppe fronts began an offensive operation. "Rumyantsev", named after another Russian commander. On August 5, Soviet troops captured Belgorod and then proceeded to liberate the territory of the Left-Bank Ukraine. During the 20-day operation, they defeated the opposing forces of the Nazis and went to Kharkov. On August 23, 1943, at 2 am, the troops of the Steppe Front launched a night assault on the city, which ended in success by dawn.

"Kutuzov" and "Rumyantsev" became the reason for the first victorious salute during the war years - on August 5, 1943, it was held in Moscow to commemorate the liberation of Orel and Belgorod.

Maresyev's feat

Maresyev (second from right) on the set of a film about himself. The painting "The Tale of a Real Man." Photo: Kommersant

The book of the writer Boris Polevoy "The Tale of a Real Man", which was based on the life of a real military pilot Alexei Maresyev, was known to almost everyone in the Soviet Union.

But not everyone knows that the glory of Maresyev, who returned to combat aviation after the amputation of both legs, it was born during the Battle of Kursk.

Senior Lieutenant Maresyev, who arrived at the 63rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment on the eve of the Battle of Kursk, faced distrust. The pilots did not want to fly with him in a pair, fearing that the pilot with prostheses would not cope in Hard time. The regiment commander did not let him into battle either.

Squadron commander Alexander Chislov took him to his pair. Maresyev coped with the task, and in the midst of the fighting on the Kursk Bulge he made sorties on an equal basis with everyone else.

On July 20, 1943, during a battle with superior enemy forces, Alexei Maresyev saved the lives of two of his comrades and personally destroyed two enemy Focke-Wulf 190 fighters.

This story immediately became known all over the front, after which the writer Boris Polevoy appeared in the regiment, immortalizing the name of the hero in his book. On August 24, 1943, Maresyev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Interestingly, during his participation in the battles, fighter pilot Alexei Maresyev personally shot down 11 enemy aircraft: four before being wounded and seven after returning to service after amputation of both legs.

Battle of Kursk - losses of the parties

The Wehrmacht lost 30 selected divisions in the Battle of Kursk, including seven tank divisions, over 500 thousand soldiers and officers, 1.5 thousand tanks, more than 3.7 thousand aircraft, 3 thousand guns. The losses of the Soviet troops surpassed the German ones - they amounted to 863 thousand people, including 254 thousand irretrievable. Near Kursk, the Red Army lost about six thousand tanks.

After the Battle of Kursk, the balance of forces on the front changed dramatically in favor of the Red Army, which provided it with favorable conditions for launching a general strategic offensive.

In memory of the heroic victory of Soviet soldiers in this battle and in memory of the dead, the Day of Military Glory was established in Russia, and in Kursk there is the Kursk Bulge Memorial Complex, dedicated to one of the key battles of the Great Patriotic War.

Memorial complex "Kursk Bulge"

Hitler's revenge did not take place. The last attempt to sit down at the negotiating table was destroyed.

August 23, 1943 is rightfully considered one of the most significant days in the Great Patriotic War. After the defeat in this battle, the German army began one of the longest and longest retreat routes on all fronts. The outcome of the war was a foregone conclusion.

As a result of the victory of the Soviet troops in the Battle of Kursk, greatness and stamina were demonstrated to the whole world. Soviet soldier. Our allies have no doubts and hesitations about the right choice of side in this war. And the thought that let the Russians and the Germans destroy each other, and we look at it from the side faded into the background. The foresight and foresight of our allies prompted them to intensify their support for the Soviet Union. Otherwise, the winner will be only one state, which at the end of the war will get vast territories. However, that's another story...

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A nation that forgets its past has no future. So once said the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. In the middle of the last century, "fifteen sister republics", united by "Great Russia", inflicted a crushing defeat on the plague of mankind - fascism. The fierce battle was marked by a number of victories of the Red Army, which can be called key. The topic of this article is one of the decisive battles of the Second World War - the Kursk Bulge, one of the fateful battles that marked the final mastery of the strategic initiative by our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. From that time on, the German occupiers began to be smashed at all frontiers. A purposeful movement of fronts to the West began. Since that time, the Nazis have forgotten what it means "forward to the East."

Historical parallels

The Kursk confrontation took place on 07/05/1943 - 08/23/1943 on the primordially Russian Land, over which the great noble prince Alexander Nevsky once held his shield. His prophetic warning to Western conquerors (who came to us with a sword) about imminent death from the onslaught of the Russian sword that met them once again gained strength. It is characteristic that the Kursk Bulge was somewhat similar to the battle given by Prince Alexander by the Teutonic Knights on 04/05/1242. Of course, the weapons of the armies, the scale and time of these two battles are incommensurable. But the scenario of both battles is somewhat similar: the Germans with their main forces tried to break through the Russian battle formation in the center, but were crushed by the offensive actions of the flanks.

If we pragmatically try to say what is unique about the Kursk Bulge, the summary will be as follows: unprecedented in history (before and after) operational-tactical density per 1 km of the front.

Battle disposition

The offensive of the Red Army after the Battle of Stalingrad from November 1942 to March 1943 was marked by the defeat of about 100 enemy divisions, driven back from the North Caucasus, the Don, the Volga. But due to the losses suffered by our side, by the beginning of the spring of 1943, the front had stabilized. On the map of hostilities in the center of the front line with the Germans, in the direction of the Nazi army, a ledge stood out, to which the military gave the name Kursk Bulge. The spring of 1943 brought a lull to the front: no one attacked, both sides forcedly accumulated forces in order to again seize the strategic initiative.

Preparation of Nazi Germany

After the Stalingrad defeat, Hitler announced mobilization, as a result of which the Wehrmacht grew, more than covering the losses incurred. "Under arms" were 9.5 million people (including 2.3 million reservists). 75% of the most combat-ready active troops (5.3 million people) were on the Soviet-German front.

The Führer was eager to seize the strategic initiative in the war. The turning point, in his opinion, was to occur precisely on that sector of the front, where the Kursk Bulge was located. To implement the plan, the Wehrmacht headquarters developed the strategic operation "Citadel". The plan envisaged the application of attacks converging to Kursk (from the north - from the region of the city of Orel; from the south - from the region of the city of Belgorod). In this way, the troops of the Voronezh and Central fronts fell into the "cauldron".

Under this operation, 50 divisions were concentrated in this sector of the front, incl. 16 armored and motorized, totaling 0.9 million selected, fully equipped troops; 2.7 thousand tanks; 2.5 thousand aircraft; 10 thousand mortars and guns.

In this grouping, the transition to new weapons was mainly carried out: Panther and Tiger tanks, Ferdinand assault guns.

In preparing the Soviet troops for battle, one should pay tribute to the military talent of the Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief G.K. Zhukov. Together with the Chief of the General Staff A.M. Vasilevsky, he reported to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin the assumption that the Kursk Bulge would become the main future battlefield, and also predicted the approximate strength of the advancing enemy grouping.

Along the front line, the Nazis were opposed by the Voronezh (commander - General Vatutin N.F.) and the Central Fronts (commander - General Rokossovsky K.K.) with a total number of 1.34 million people. They were armed with 19 thousand mortars and guns; 3.4 thousand tanks; 2.5 thousand aircraft. (As you can see, the advantage was on their side). Secretly from the enemy, behind the listed fronts, the reserve Steppe Front (commander I.S. Konev) was located. It consisted of a tank, aviation and five combined arms armies, supplemented by separate corps.

The control and coordination of the actions of this group was carried out personally by G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky.

tactical battle plan

The idea of ​​Marshal Zhukov assumed that the battle on the Kursk Bulge would have two phases. The first is defensive, the second is offensive.

A bridgehead in depth (300 km deep) was equipped. The total length of its trenches was approximately equal to the distance "Moscow - Vladivostok". It had 8 powerful lines of defense. The purpose of such a defense was to weaken the enemy as much as possible, to deprive him of the initiative, making the task of the attackers as easy as possible. In the second, offensive phase of the battle, two offensive operations were planned. First: the operation "Kutuzov" with the aim of eliminating the fascist group and liberating the city of "Eagle". Second: "Commander Rumyantsev" for the destruction of the Belgorod-Kharkov group of invaders.

Thus, with the actual advantage of the Red Army, the battle on the Kursk Bulge took place from the Soviet side "on defense". For offensive operations, as tactics teach, two or three times the number of troops was required.

Shelling

It so happened that the time of the offensive of the fascist troops became known in advance. On the eve of the German sappers began to make passages in the minefields. Soviet front-line intelligence started a fight with them and took prisoners. From the "tongues" it became known the time of the offensive: 03-00 07/05/1943

The reaction was prompt and adequate: On July 5, 1943, Marshal Rokossovsky K.K. (Commander of the Central Front), with the approval of the Deputy Supreme Commander-in-Chief G.K. It was an innovation in combat tactics. Hundreds of Katyushas, ​​600 guns, 460 mortars were fired at the invaders. For the Nazis, this was a complete surprise, they suffered losses.

Only at 4-30, having regrouped, they were able to carry out their artillery preparation, and at 5-30 go on the offensive. The Battle of Kursk has begun.

The beginning of the battle

Of course, our generals could not predict everything. In particular, both the General Staff and the Headquarters expected the main blow from the Nazis in the southern direction, to the city of Orel (which was defended by the Central Front, the commander was General Vatutin N.F.). In reality, the battle on the Kursk Bulge from the German troops was focused on the Voronezh front, from the north. Two battalions moved against the troops of Nikolai Fedorovich heavy tanks, eight tank divisions, an assault gun division, one motorized division. In the first phase of the battle, the first hot spot was the village of Cherkasskoye (virtually wiped off the face of the earth), where two Soviet rifle divisions held back the advance of five enemy divisions for a day.

German offensive tactics

This martial art is glorious Great War. The Kursk Bulge fully demonstrated the confrontation between the two strategies. What did the German offensive look like? Heavy equipment was moving ahead along the attack front: 15-20 Tiger tanks and Ferdinand self-propelled guns. They were followed by from fifty to a hundred Panther medium tanks, accompanied by infantry. Driven back, they regrouped and repeated the attack. The attacks were like the ebb and flow of the sea, following each other.

Let's follow the advice of the famous military historian, Marshal of the Soviet Union, Professor Zakharov Matvey Vasilievich, we will not idealize our defense of the 1943 model, we will present it objectively.

We have to talk about German tactics tank battle. The Kursk Bulge (this should be admitted) demonstrated the art of Colonel-General Herman Goth, he "jewellery", so to speak about tanks, brought his 4th Army into battle. At the same time, our 40th Army with 237 tanks, the most equipped with artillery (35.4 units per 1 km), under the command of General Kirill Semenovich Moskalenko, turned out to be much to the left, i.e. out of business. The opposing 6th Guards Army (commander I. M. Chistyakov) had a density of guns per 1 km - 24.4 with 135 tanks. Mainly on the 6th Army, far from the most powerful, came the blow of Army Group South, commanded by the most gifted strategist of the Wehrmacht, Erich von Manstein. (By the way, this man was one of the few who constantly argued on issues of strategy and tactics with Adolf Hitler, for which in 1944, in fact, he was dismissed).

Tank battle near Prokhorovka

In the current difficult situation, in order to eliminate the breakthrough, the Red Army brought into battle strategic reserves: the 5th Guards Tank Army (Commander Rotmistrov P.A.) and the 5th Guards Army (Commander Zhadov A.S.)

The possibility of a flank attack by the Soviet tank army in the area of ​​​​the village of Prokhorovka was previously considered by the German General Staff. Therefore, the divisions "Dead Head" and "Leibstandarte" the direction of the strike was changed to 90 0 - for a head-on collision with the army of General Pavel Alekseevich Rotmistrov.

Tanks on the Kursk Bulge: 700 combat vehicles went into battle from the German side, 850 from ours. An impressive and terrible picture. As eyewitnesses recall, the roar was such that blood flowed from the ears. They had to shoot point-blank, from which the towers turned off. Coming to the enemy from the rear, they tried to fire on the tanks, from which the tanks flared with torches. The tankers were, as it were, in prostration - while he was alive, he had to fight. It was impossible to retreat, to hide.

Of course, it was unreasonable to attack the enemy in the first phase of the operation (if during the defense we suffered losses one to five, what would they be like during the offensive?!). At the same time, real heroism was shown by Soviet soldiers on this battlefield. 100,000 people were awarded orders and medals, and 180 of them were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

In our time, the day of its end - August 23 - is annually met by residents of the country as Russia.

The Battle of Kursk - military operations during the Great Patriotic War in the area of ​​the Kursk ledge in the summer of 1943. It was a key element of the summer 1943 campaign of the Red Army, during which a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War ended, which began with the victory at Stalingrad.

Chronological framework

In Russian historiography, the point of view was established that the Battle of Kursk took place from July 5 to August 23, 1943. Two periods are distinguished in it: the defensive stage and the counteroffensive of the Red Army.

At the first stage, the Kursk strategic defensive operation was carried out by the forces of two fronts of the Central (July 5-12, 1943) and Voronezh (July 5-23, 1943) with the involvement of the strategic reserves of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (Steppe Front), the purpose of which was to disrupt the Citadel plan ".

Background and plans of the parties

After the defeat at Stalingrad, the leadership of Germany faced two key problems: how to hold the eastern front under the increasing blows of the growing power of the Red Army, and how to keep the allies in their orbit, who had already begun to look for ways out of the war. Hitler believed that an offensive without such a deep breakthrough, as it was in 1942, should not only help solve these problems, but also raise the morale of the troops.

In April, a plan for Operation Citadel was developed, according to which two groups would strike in converging directions and encircle the Central and Voronezh fronts in the Kursk salient. According to Berlin's calculations, their defeat made it possible to inflict huge losses on the Soviet side, and to reduce the front line to 245 km, and to form reserves from the released forces. Two armies and one army group were allocated for the operation. South of Orel, Army Group (GA) "Center" deployed the 9th Army (A) of Colonel General V. Model. After several revisions of the plan, she received the task of breaking through the defenses of the Central Front and, having traveled about 75 km, to unite in the Kursk region with the troops of the GA "Yu" - the 4th Panzer Army (TA) Colonel General G. Goth. The latter was concentrated north of Belgorod and was considered the main force of the offensive. After breaking through the line of the Voronezh Front, she had to go to the meeting point for more than 140 km. The outer front of the encirclement was to be created by 23 ak 9A and the army group (AG) "Kempf" from the GA "South". It was planned to deploy active hostilities in a section of about 150 km.

For the "Citadel" GA "Center" allocated V. Model, whom Berlin appointed in charge of the operation, 3 tank (41.46 and 47) and one army (23) corps, a total of 14 divisions, of which 6 tank, and GA "South" - 4 TA and AG "Kempf" 5 corps - three tank (3, 48 and 2 shopping malls SS) and two army (52 ak and ak "Raus"), consisting of 17 divisions, including 9 tank and motorized.

The headquarters of the Supreme High Command (VGK) received the first information about Berlin's planning for a major offensive operation near Kursk in mid-March 1943. And on April 12, 1943, at a meeting with I.V. Stalin, a preliminary decision was already made on the transition to strategic defense. The Central Front of Army General K.K. Rokossovsky received the task of defending northern part Kursk Bulge, repel a possible strike, and then, together with the Western and Bryansk fronts, going on the counteroffensive and defeat the German grouping in the Orel region.

The Voronezh Front of Army General N.F. Vatutin was supposed to defend the southern part of the Kursk salient, bleed the enemy in the upcoming defensive battles, then go on the counteroffensive and, in cooperation with the Southwestern Front and the Steppe Fronts, complete its defeat in the Bel -city and Kharkov.

The Kursk defensive operation was considered as the most important element of the entire summer campaign of 1943. It was planned that after the expected enemy offensive in the zone of the Central and Voronezh fronts was stopped, conditions would arise for completing its defeat and switching to a general offensive from Smolensk to Taganrog. The Bryansk and Western fronts will immediately begin the Oryol offensive operation, which will help the Central Front finally thwart the plans of the enemy. In parallel with it, the Steppe Front should approach the south of the Kursk ledge, and after its concentration it was planned to launch the Belgorod-Kharkov offensive operation, which was to be carried out in parallel with the Donbass offensive operation of the Southern Fronts and the South-Western Front.

On July 1, 1943, the Central Front had 711,575 people, including 467,179 combat personnel, 10,725 guns and mortars, 1,607 tanks and self-propelled guns, and the Voronezh Front had 625,590 military personnel, of which 417,451 combat personnel, 8,583 guns and mortars, 1,700 units armored vehicles.

Kursk defensive operation. Combat operations in the north of the Kursk Bulge, July 5-12, 1943

During April - June, the start of the "Citadel" was postponed several times. The last date was the dawn of July 5, 1943. On the Central Front, fierce battles unfolded over a 40 km section. 9 And with a small interval attacked in three directions. The main blow was inflicted on 13A by Lieutenant General N.P. Pukhov with the forces of 47 tk - on Olkhovatka, the second, auxiliary, 41 tk and 23 ak - on Malo-Arkhangelsk, on the right wing 13 A and the left 48A of Lieutenant General P.L .Romanenko and the third - 46 shopping mall - to Gnilets on the right flank 70A of Lieutenant General I.V. Galanin. Heavy and bloody battles ensued.

On the Olkhovatsko-Ponyrovsky direction, Model threw more than 500 armored units into the attack at once, and groups of bombers marched in the air in waves, but a powerful defense system did not allow the enemy to break the lines of the Soviet troops on the move.

In the second half of July 5, N.P. Pukhov moved part of the mobile reserves to the main strip, and K.K. Rokossovsky sent a howitzer and mortar brigades to the Olkhovatka area. Counterattacks by tanks and infantry, supported by artillery, halted the enemy advance. By the end of the day, a small “dent” had formed in the center of 13A, but the defense had not been broken through anywhere. The troops of 48A and the left flank of 13A completely held their positions. at the cost big losses 47th and 46th TCs managed to advance 6-8 km in the Olkhovat direction, while 70A troops retreated only 5 km.

To restore the lost position at the junction of 13 and 70A, K.K. Rokossovsky in the second half of July 5 decided to conduct a counterattack on the morning of July 6 by 2 TA Lieutenant General A.G. Rodin and 19 TC in cooperation with the second echelon 13 A - 17 Guards . rifle corps(sk). He was unable to complete the task. After two days of fruitless attempts to implement the Citadel plan, 9A got bogged down in the defense of the Central Front. From July 7 to 11, the Ponyri station and the area of ​​​​the villages of Olkhovatka - Samodurovka - Gnilets, where two powerful centers of resistance were created, blocking the path to Kursk, became the epicenter of the battles in the strip 13 and 70A. By the end of July 9, the offensive of the main forces of 9A was stopped, and on July 11, she made the last unsuccessful attempt to break through the defenses of the Central Front.

On July 12, 1943, a turning point occurred in the fighting in this area. The Western and Bryansk fronts went on the offensive in the Oryol direction. V. Model, who was appointed responsible for the defense of the entire Oryol arc, began hastily transferring troops to Kursk near Orel. And on July 13, Hitler officially ended the Citadel. The depth of advance of 9A was 12-15 km at the front up to 40 km. No operational, let alone strategic, results have been achieved. Moreover, she did not hold on to the already occupied positions. On July 15, the Central Front went over to the counteroffensive and two days later basically restored its position until July 5, 1943.

At dawn on July 5, 1943, the troops of the GA "South" went on the offensive. The main blow was inflicted in the zone of the 6th Guards. And Lieutenant General I.M. Chistyakov in the direction of Oboyan by forces of 4TA. More than 1168 armored units were involved here by the German side. In the auxiliary, Korochansky direction (east and northeast of Belgorod), the positions of the 7th Guards. And Lieutenant General M.S. Shumilov was attacked by 3 TK and "Raus" AG "Kempf", which had 419 tanks and assault guns. However, thanks to the resilience of the fighters and commanders of the 6th Guards. And, already in the first two days, the offensive schedule of the GA "South" was disrupted, and its divisions suffered great damage. And most importantly, the shock group GA "South" was split. 4TA and AG "Kempf" failed to create a continuous breakthrough front, because. AG "Kempf" was unable to cover the right wing of the 4TA and their troops began to move in divergent directions. Therefore, 4TA was forced to weaken the shock wedge and direct large forces to strengthen the right wing. However, a wider offensive front (up to 130 km) than in the north of the Kursk Bulge and more significant forces allowed the enemy to break through the line of the Voronezh Front in a zone up to 100 km by the end of the fifth day and enter the defense in the main direction up to 28 km, while in its hulls, 66% of armored vehicles failed.

On July 10, the second stage of the Kursk defensive operation of the Voronezh Front began, the epicenter of the fighting shifted to Prokhorovka station. The battle for this center of resistance lasted from July 10 to July 16, 1943. On July 12, a frontal counterattack was carried out. For 10-12 hours, about 1,100 armored units of the opposing sides acted at different times in the station area on a 40 km section. However, it did not bring the expected results. Although the troops of the GA "South" managed to be kept in the army defense system, all formations of the 4th TA and AG "Kempf" retain their combat capability. In the next four days, the most intense fighting took place south of the station in the interfluve of the Seversky and Lipovoy Donets, which was convenient for striking both the deep right flank of the 4TA and the left wing of the Kempf AG. However, the area was not protected. On the night of July 15, 1943, 2nd SS TC and 3rd TC surrounded four 69A divisions south of the station, but they managed to break out of the "ring", albeit with heavy losses

On the night of July 16-17, the troops of the GA "South" began to withdraw in the direction of Belgorod, and by the end of July 23, 1943, the Voronezh Front pushed the GA "South" back approximately to the positions from which it launched the offensive. The goal set for the Soviet troops during the Kursk defensive operation was fully achieved.

Oryol offensive operation

After two weeks of bloody battles, the last strategic offensive of the Wehrmacht was stopped, but this was only part of the plan of the Soviet command for the summer campaign of 1943. Now, it was important to finally take the initiative into our own hands and turn the tide of the war.

The plan for the destruction of German troops in the Orel region, which received the code name Operation Kutuzov, was developed even before the Battle of Kursk. The troops of the Western, Bryansk and Central fronts, bordering the Oryol arc, were supposed to strike in the general direction on Orel, cut 2 TA and 9A GA "Center" into three separate groups, surround them in the areas of Bolkhov, Mtsensk, Orel and destroy.

Part of the forces of the Western (commanded by Colonel General V.D. Sokolovsky), the entire Bryansk (Colonel General M.M. Popov) and the Central Fronts were involved in the operation. A breakthrough of the enemy defense was envisaged in five sectors. The Western Front was to strike the main blow with the troops of the left wing - 11 Guards A, Lieutenant General I.Kh. Bagramyan - on Khotynets and auxiliary - on Zhizdra, and the Bryansk Front - on Oryol (main attack) and Bolkhov (auxiliary). The Central Front, after completely stopping the 9A offensive, was to concentrate the main efforts of 70,13, 48A and 2 TA on the Kromsky direction. The start of the offensive was tightly linked to the moment when it became clear that the 9A strike force was exhausted and tied up in battles on the lines of the Central Front. According to the Headquarters, such a moment came on July 12, 1943.

A day before the offensive, Lieutenant General I.Kh. Bagramyan conducted reconnaissance in combat on the left flank of 2 TA. As a result, not only was the outline of the front edge of the enemy and his system of fire clarified, but in some areas the German infantry was knocked out of the first trench. THEM. Baghramyan gave the order for the immediate start of a general offensive. Introduced on July 13, 1 mk completed the breakthrough of the second band. After that, the 5th shopping mall began to develop an offensive around Bolkhov, and the 1st shopping mall began to attack Khotynets.

The first day of the offensive on the Bryansk Front did not bring tangible results. Operating in the main, Oryol direction, 3A Lieutenant General A.V. Gorbatov and 63A Lieutenant General V.Ya. Kolpakchi by the end of July 13 broke through 14 km, and 61A of Lieutenant General P.A. Belova in the Bolkhov direction wedged into the enemy defenses only 7 km. The offensive of the Central Front, which began on July 15, did not change the situation either. His troops, by the end of July 17, threw back 9A only to the positions that she occupied by the beginning of the Battle of Kursk.

Nevertheless, already on July 19, the threat of encirclement loomed over the Bolkhov group, because. 11 Guards A broke through to the south for 70 km, stubbornly moved towards Bolkhov and 61A. This city was the "key" to Orel, so the warring parties began to build up their forces here. On the direction of the main attack of the Bryansk Front on July 19, the 3rd Guards TA, Lieutenant General P.S. Rybalko, is advanced. Having repulsed the enemy counterattacks, by the end of the day she broke through the second line of defense on the Oleshnya River. The grouping of the Western Front also hastily increased. A significant preponderance of forces, although not quickly, but gave its fruits. On August 5, 1943, one of the largest regional centers of the European part of the USSR, the city of Orel was liberated by the troops of the Bryansk Front.

After the destruction of the grouping in the area of ​​​​Bolkhov and Orel, the most intense hostilities unfolded on the Hotynets-Kromy front, and at the final stage of the Kutuzov operation, the most difficult battles flared up for the city of Karachev, which covered the approaches to Bryansk, which was liberated on August 15, 1943.

On August 18, 1943, Soviet troops reached the German defensive line "Hagen", east of Bryansk. This operation "Kutuzov" ended. In 37 days, the Red Army advanced 150 km, a fortified bridgehead and a large enemy grouping were eliminated in a strategically important direction, favorable conditions were created for an attack on Bryansk and further to Belarus.

Belgorod - Kharkov offensive operation

It received the code name "Commander Rumyantsev", was carried out from August 3 to August 23, 1943 by the Voronezh (Army General N.F. Vatutin) and Steppe (Colonel General I.S. Konev) fronts and was the final stage of the Battle of Kursk. The operation was supposed to be carried out in two stages: at the first, to defeat the troops of the left wing of the GA "South" in the area of ​​Belgorod and Tomarovka, and then to liberate Kharkov. The steppe front was supposed to liberate Belgorod and Kharkov, and the Voronezh front was to bypass them from the north-west, to develop success on Poltava. It was planned to deliver the main blow by the armies of the adjacent flanks of the Voronezh and Steppe fronts from the area northwest of Belgorod in the direction of Bogodukhov and Valki, at the junction of 4 TA and AG Kempf, crush them and cut off their path to retreat to the west and southwest. Apply an auxiliary blow to Akhtyrka, with forces 27 and 40A, in order to block the pulling up of reserves to Kharkov. At the same time, the city was to be bypassed from the south by 57A of the South-Western Front. The operation was planned on a front of 200 km and a depth of up to 120 km.

On August 3, 1943, after a powerful artillery preparation, the first echelon of the Voronezh Front - 6 Guards A, Lieutenant General I.M. Chistyakov and 5 Guards A, Lieutenant General A.S. Zhadov crossed the Vorskla River, punched a 5 km gap on the front between Belgorod and Tomarovka, through which the main forces entered - 1TA Lieutenant General M.E. Katukov and 5th Guards TA Lieutenant General P.A. Rotmistrov. Having passed the "corridor" of the breakthrough and deployed in battle formation, their troops dealt a strong blow to Zolochev. By the end of the day, the 5th Guards TA, having penetrated 26 km into the enemy’s defenses, cut off the Belgorod grouping from the Tomarovsky one, and reached the line with. Good Will, and in the morning of the next day broke through to Bessonovka and Orlovka. And the 6th Guards. On the evening of August 3, they broke through to Tomarovka. 4TA put up stubborn resistance. From August 4, 5 Guards. TA for two days was pinned down by enemy counterattacks, although according to the calculations of the Soviet side, already on August 5, its brigades were supposed to go west of Kharkov and capture the city of Lyubotin. This delay changed the plan of the entire operation to quickly split the enemy grouping.

After two days of heavy fighting on the outskirts of Belgorod, on August 5, 1943, the 69th and 7th Guards A of the Steppe Front pushed the troops of the Kempf AG to the outskirts and began its assault, which ended in the evening with the clearing of its main part from the invaders. On the evening of August 5, 1943, in honor of the liberation of Orel and Belgorod, for the first time during the war years, a salute was given in Moscow.

On this day, a turning point occurred and in the strip of the Voronezh Front, in the auxiliary direction, the 40A of Lieutenant General K.S. went on the offensive. Moskalenko, in the direction of Boroml and 27A Lieutenant General S.G. Trofimenko, who by the end of August 7 released Grayvoron and advanced to Akhtyrka.

After the liberation of Belgorod, the onslaught of the Steppe Front also intensified. On August 8, 57A of Lieutenant General N.A. was transferred to him. Hagen. Trying to prevent the encirclement of his troops, on August 11, E. von Manstein launched counterattacks on 1TA and 6 Guards A south of Bogodukhov with the forces of 3 TC Kempf AG, which slowed down the pace of the offensive not only of the Voronezh, but also of the Steppe Front. Despite the stubborn resistance of the Kempf AG, Konev's troops continued to persistently move towards Kharkov. On August 17, they started fighting on its outskirts.

On August 18, GA "South" made a second attempt to stop the advance of two fronts with a counterattack, now on the stretched right flank of 27A. To repel it, N.F. Vatutin brought into battle the 4th Guards A, Lieutenant General G.I. Kulik. But the situation was not quickly reversed. The destruction of the Akhtyrskaya group dragged on until August 25th.

On August 18, the 57A offensive resumed, which, bypassing Kharkov from the southeast, was moving towards Merefa. In this environment importance On August 20, units of 53A of Lieutenant General I.M. Managarov captured a resistance center in the forest northeast of Kharkov. Using this success, Lieutenant-General VD Kryuchenkona's 69th Army began to bypass the city from the northwest and west. During August 21, the corps of the 5th Guards TA concentrated in the strip 53A, which significantly strengthened the right wing of the Steppe Front. A day later, the Kharkov-Zolochev, Kharkov-Lyubotin-Poltava and Kharkov-Lyubotin highways were cut, and on August 22, 57A went south of Kharkov to the area of ​​​​the villages of Bezlyudovka and Konstantinovka. Thus, most of the enemy's retreat routes were cut off, so the German command was forced to begin a hasty withdrawal of all troops from the city.

On August 23, 1943, Moscow saluted the liberators of Kharkov. This event marked the victorious completion of the Battle of Kursk by the Red Army.

Results, meaning

About 4,000,000 people, over 69,000 guns and mortars, more than 13,000 tanks and self-propelled (assault) guns, up to 12,000 aircraft took part in the Battle of Kursk, which lasted 49 days. It became one of the most large-scale events of the Great Patriotic War, its significance goes far beyond the Soviet-German front. “A major defeat on the Kursk Bulge was the beginning of a deadly crisis for the German army,” wrote the outstanding commander Marshal of the Soviet Union A.M. Vasilevsky. - Moscow, Stalingrad and Kursk became three important stages in the fight against the enemy, three historical milestones on the way to victory over Nazi Germany. The initiative for action on the Soviet-German front - the main and decisive front of the entire Second World War - was firmly entrenched in the hands of the Red Army.