Salutes of the wwii. "Soviet Russia" - an independent people's newspaper __________. Oryol strategic offensive operation "Kutuzov"

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, Channel One continues its story about the hero cities and cities of military glory. Today - Eagle. It was almost completely destroyed. Most of its population was either sent to concentration camps by the Germans or killed for resistance.

“They dug a hole here and buried him. It was our prisoner,” says Lyubov Balashova, a resident of Orel. She was 11 years old. Lyubov Balashova remembered that day forever. Eagle was captured by the Nazis, the wounded did not have time to evacuate. The Germans executed everyone. Whoever they could, they hid locals in the basements.

"A German walks in - is there a pan? Mom says no, and we will quietly quickly. He climbs, but it seems to me, slowly climbs, I put the board on my head and push quickly, my hands are shaking, because at any moment the Germans could go in, "she recalls.

Taking Oryol, an armada of fascist tanks rushed to Moscow. But they managed to prepare the capital for defense largely thanks to the battles at Orel. For more than a week, a brigade of tankers repulsed the attacks of an entire division. Private, former tractor driver Ivan Lyubushkin destroyed nine tanks in one battle.

"On October 6, he destroyed nine tanks, and on October 10, he was awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union... A unique case, and without the presentation of documents, only by phone call ", - says historian Yegor Schekotikhin.

Oryol lived under the heel of the fascist army for 1 year and 10 months. 70% of the population were either killed or sent to concentration camps. Many went to the forests, to the partisans. After the liberation of Orel, the first partisan parade took place here.

"They came directly with principals, teachers, entire schools and fought no worse than adults. Everyone trusted them, they knew a lot how to approach railroad, knew where to hide, "- says the veteran of the Great Patriotic War Mikhail Danchenkov.

During the occupation, Oryol was almost completely destroyed. But the building, on which the red flag was hoisted for the first time after liberation, survived. On August 5, 1943, explosions were still thundering in the city, and they were already walking along the street Soviet tanks, and so that everyone knew about our offensive, from the speakers on the combat vehicles such a familiar and beloved song by the soldiers - "The Blue Handkerchief" was played.

Until that day, the Soviet army had tried to free Orel six times. In the winter of 1943, the seamen of the Pacific Fleet were thrown into the assault on the German fortifications. On skis with a machine gun on their backs, they marched against artillery and tanks.

"They fight like this: they throw their greatcoats over the slits and sights, climb in from behind and start hand-to-hand combat with the crew," says historian Yegor Schekotikhin.

Professor Yegor Schekotikhin created this museum himself. He knows the history of each of those in the photo. For example, Anatoly Apisov. His mother's funeral came three times, but he survived. Nurse Valentina Yevsukova herself told how, after the battle at Oryol, she tried to clean up the traces of blood of wounded soldiers whom she carried from the battlefield - she washed her greatcoat eight times, and the water remained red with blood all the time.

The February operation paved the way for a large-scale summer offensive. Eagle was released on the same day as Belgorod, after the well-known Kursk battle. In honor of the liberation of the two cities, the first festive fireworks were given in Moscow.

In the late evening of August 5, 1943, the voice of the announcer sounded on all radio stations in the country, reading the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. In the concluding part it was noted: "Today, on August 5, at 24 o'clock, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, will salute our valiant troops that liberated Oryol and Belgorod with twelve artillery volleys from 124 guns."
Exactly at midnight from 5 to 6 August 1943, an artillery thunder struck in the sky of Moscow - the first fireworks in the Great Patriotic War - in honor of the end of the Battle of Kursk, one of the most outstanding events in the history of the Great Patriotic War, since more forces participated in the battles on the Fire Arc than in the Moscow and Stalingrad battles put together.
When the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Stalin gathered members of the Headquarters and the General Staff, he addressed them with the following words:
“... Even in ancient times, when the troops were victorious, all the bells were buzzing in honor of the commanders and their troops. And it would be nice for us to somehow celebrate victories more tangibly, and not only with congratulatory orders. We think - he nodded his head at those sitting at the table - to give artillery salutes in honor of the distinguished troops and the commanders who lead them. And to create some kind of illumination ... ".
The commander of the Moscow Air Defense Front, General D.A.ZHURAVLYOV, was urgently summoned to the State Defense Committee (GKO) and informed the order of the Headquarters: to solemnly celebrate the liberation Soviet cities Oryol and Belgorod fireworks.
Zhuravlev immediately had a question: where to get the guns and blank shells. He turned to the commandant of the Kremlin. He had only 24 mountain guns. Another 100 guns were recruited from various air defense artillery batteries in such a way as not to violate Moscow's air defense. It turned out to be more difficult to find blank shells, which were found a little over a thousand pieces. And then it was reported to the State Defense Committee that the salute would be fired by 12 artillery volleys from 124 guns. Thus, the number of volleys was borrowed from old Russian traditions, but 124 guns could then be distinguished so as not to disrupt the air defense of the capital.
Two days after the first fireworks, "Pravda" published poems dedicated to him by Alexander TWARDOVSKY.
Soon it was decided to salute all the victorious military operations of the Soviet army on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. In total, before the end of the war, 355 salutes were fired in Moscow, but on May 9, 1945, the most exultant salute sounded - 30 artillery volleys from 1000 guns.
After the first victorious salute with 12 volleys from 124 guns, the artillery victorious salutes were divided into three categories. The first - 24 salvoes from 324 guns (the number of guns of the first salute plus 200). This salute marked the victories Soviet army for the liberation of the capitals of the Union republics, the capitals of other states, as well as for the successful completion of especially important military operations on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. Such a salute was first produced in November 1943 - in honor of the liberation of the capital of Ukraine, Kiev. During the years of the Great Patriotic War, 23 salutes of the first category were produced. The second category of salutes - 20 salvoes from 224 guns (the number of guns of the first salute plus 100). The first salute of the second category was fired for the first time in Moscow on 23 August 1943 in honor of the liberators of the city of Kharkov. The third category of salutes - 12 volleys from 124 guns ...

TASS-DOSSIER. Tradition to celebrate major victories Soviet army artillery salutes appeared in 1943. According to the testimony of Marshal of the Soviet Union Andrei Eremenko, the author of this idea was the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Joseph Stalin.

The first artillery salute took place in Moscow on August 5, 1943 in honor of the liberation Soviet troops the cities of Oryol and Belgorod. According to the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Joseph Stalin, 12 artillery volleys from 124 guns were fired in the capital at intervals of 30 seconds. Blank charges were fired by 100 anti-aircraft guns and 24 mountain guns of the Kremlin battalion.

Three categories of fireworks

Later in 1943, three categories of fireworks were established - depending on the scale of military achievements. 1st degree (24 volleys from 324 guns) - in commemoration of particularly outstanding events: the liberation of the capitals of the republics of the USSR and foreign states, the achievement of the state border by Soviet troops, the end of the war with the allies of Germany. The first such fireworks took place on November 6, 1943, on the day of the liberation of Kiev, and the last on September 3, 1945, in honor of the victory over Japan. In total in 1943-1945. 26 1st degree fireworks were produced.

2nd degree (20 salvoes from 224 guns) - in honor of the liberation major cities, completing important operations, crossing large rivers. During the years of the Great Patriotic War, 206 such fireworks took place. The first of them was given on August 23, 1943 in honor of the liberation of Kharkov, the last - on May 8, 1945 c. honor of the capture of the cities of Jaromerice and Znojmo in Czechoslovakia and Gollabrunn and Stockerau in Austria.

3rd degree (12 salvoes from 124 guns) - about "important military-operational achievements": the capture of important railway, sea and highway points and road junctions, the encirclement of large enemy groups. During the war, 122 3rd degree salutes were fired: the first was given on August 30, 1943 in honor of the liberation of Taganrog, the last - on May 8, 1945, in honor of the capture of the city of Olomouc in Czechoslovakia by Soviet troops.

Fireworks in honor of lifting the Siege of Leningrad

The salutes were appointed by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and took place in Moscow. The only exception was the 1st degree fireworks in Leningrad on January 27, 1944 in honor of the complete lifting of the blockade of the city. Unlike the others, the order to carry it out was signed by the commander of the Leningrad Front, General of the Army Leonid Govorov, on behalf of Joseph Stalin.

Sometimes salutes in honor of the victories of the Soviet troops were given several times during the evening. So, five salutes of the 2nd degree were fired on July 27, 1944 / for the mastery of years. Stanislav, Lvov, Bialystok in Poland; Siauliai, Daugavpils in Lithuania and Rezekne in Latvia / and January 22, 1945 / for the capture of years. Insterburg, Hohensalz, Allenstein, Gneusen, Osterode, Deutsch Aylau in East Prussia/. Two 1st degree and three 2nd degree fireworks at once took place on January 19, 1945 in connection with the liberation of the Polish years. Krakow, Lodz, Kutno, Tomaszów, Gostynin, ęczyca and a number of others. In total, 355 fireworks were fired during the Great Patriotic War, accompanied by fireworks of multicolored signal flares and illumination of anti-aircraft searchlights.

Salute of Victory

On May 9, 1945, in commemoration of the victory over Germany, a salute of 30 artillery salvos of 1,000 guns was given in Moscow. It was accompanied by cross-beams from 160 searchlights and the launch of multi-colored rockets.

V post-war years in the USSR, annually on May 9 at 21 o'clock local time (later at 22 o'clock), a salute of 30 (in 1956-1964 - 20 artillery volleys) was fired. 40 volleys The list of cities where fireworks were given was published in the order of the USSR Minister of Defense, including Moscow and Leningrad, the capitals of the Union republics, and since the 1960s, hero cities and centers of military districts, fleets and flotillas.

In 1967, a special platoon of salute installations was formed in the Taman division to conduct a salute in Moscow. Now it bears the name of the 449th separate salute division.

In 1995, the provision that May 9 Victory Day "is annually celebrated with a military parade and artillery salute" was included in the law "On the perpetuation of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" signed by Russian President Boris Yeltsin. The procedure for the production of artillery salutes today is regulated by the order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Anatoly Serdyukov dated July 13, 2012. According to the document, salutes are given "in hero cities, as well as in cities where the headquarters of military districts, fleets, combined arms armies and the Caspian flotilla are deployed, with thirty blank volleys of artillery pieces and fireworks launches of fireworks installations." In Moscow, festive fireworks are made from ZIS-3 cannons and 2A85 salute installations based on the KamAZ vehicle.

Orlovskaya offensive"Kutuzov" was strategically important and became one of the key to the victory over the Wehrmacht troops. This large-scale operation was prepared by the best tacticians and strategists who served in the Red Army. The history, chronology, conduct and results are described in this article.

General information

The operation to liberate Orel and Belgorod was offensive in nature. It began on July 12, 1943 and lasted until August 18 of the same year. This large-scale operation also included the Battle of Kursk, which ended with the destruction of a group of fascists near Orel.

The Western Front was commanded by Colonel-General V.D.Sokolovsky, and the Bryansk Front was commanded by Colonel-General M.M. Popov. The troops under their command began an offensive towards the city of Orel.

On July 15, in order to reach the lines of German troops, as well as to launch a counteroffensive, the Central Front was connected to the attack. As a result, on July 19, the troops of the Red Army of the Central Front launched a strategic counteroffensive in the direction of Kursk-Kromsk. Soon they joined Bryanskaya and for the further liberation of Orel and Belgorod.

Enemy forces

The forces of the Nazis in the Oryol direction were about 37 divisions. These included two motorized and eight tank. The total number of soldiers was about 1 million, in service there were more than 1,800 tanks, about 1,500 aircraft and more than 7,000 anti-tank and field guns.

The main strip of the Nazis was equipped and fortified to a depth of five to seven kilometers. All major settlements the Nazis converted them into well-fortified fortifications. Best of all, the Nazis prepared the cities of Bolkhov, Oryol, Karachev and Mtsensk for the attack of the Red Army.

The approximate date for the liberation of Orel and Belgorod was determined, and the troops of Bryansk and Western fronts began their offensive.

Liberation of the Eagle

Already on August 3, 1943, the soldiers of the Red Army took the Eagle in a semicircle. From the northeastern direction, the 17th Guards Tank Group and the 308th Motorized Rifle Division approached the city. Tankers fought their way into some streets of the city, and for the first time during the occupation, a red flag appeared on one of the buildings.

With artillery support from tanks and mortars on August 4, units of the 63rd and 3rd armies approached the outskirts of the city from the other side. The Nazis created special units to blow up and set fire to buildings in the city to complicate the Red Army's offensive. Fierce battles with fascist invaders after they were driven out of the outskirts, they continued in the city itself. The fighting in the streets of Oryol was very fierce and lasted more than 40 hours. The fighters of the Red Army were greatly helped by local residents, who warned about minefields, ambushes and the presence of Nazi troops. They also showed various workarounds that helped to enter the enemy's rear.

Early in the morning of August 5, 1943, the Red Army completely liberated the city. And a few hours later, at midnight, fireworks thundered in the capital in honor of the liberation of Orel and Belgorod, which was taken on the same day. This was the very first fireworks dedicated to victory over the fascists.

Liberation of Belgorod

For Belgorod, battles began in the early morning of August 5. This city, like the entire Oryol-Belgorod direction, was very well fortified by the Nazis. The offensive was complicated by numerous minefields. The Red Army conducted artillery preparation, enemy troops were fired upon from mortars and tanks, aviation constantly bombed Nazi units. Not holding back the swift attack of the Red Army, the Nazis began to retreat to the city center.

Pushing back the enemy, the soldiers of the 69th Army continued their offensive along with the troops of the 7th guards army... Heavy blows Soviet soldiers crushed the defenses of the fascists in the eastern, western and northern regions of Belgorod.

The fighters of the 270th Guards were the first to break through to the city center. infantry regiment, and then the 111th and 305th divisions. By six o'clock in the evening on August 5, the city was completely liberated from the Nazis. The enemy fled, abandoning the wounded and military equipment. The red banner of the victors appeared over the city. The liberation of Orel and Belgorod took place on the same day. The result of the operation was successful, but at the cost of heavy losses.

Losses of the parties

Both in Belgorod and in Orel, fierce battles took place in urban conditions. And this is fraught with large losses due to the locality of the battles. Despite the help of artillery, aviation and tanks, the end result was achieved through automatic (machine-gun) and grenade battles in the streets and inside houses.

The liberation of Belgorod and Orel from the Nazis came at a great price. Of the entire grouping of the Red Army, numbering 1,287,600 people who participated in Operation Kutuzov, irrecoverable losses amounted to 112,529 killed (died of wounds in the hospital), as well as 317,361 wounded. Total number losses amounted to 429,890 people. Losses of military equipment were: 2,586 tanks and self-propelled artillery mounts, 892 mortars and guns, as well as 1,014 aircraft (attack aircraft, fighters, bombers).

From the side of Nazi Germany, losses amounted to 18,912 killed and 85,233 wounded. Also in the course of this operation, 15 859 Nazis were missing. About losses military equipment Nazis data are very contradictory, but there is an opinion that they made up more than half of those who initially participated in the battles.

The results of the liberation of Orel and Belgorod

According to the results of the liberation operation of the Red Army from the fascists of cities that were of key strategic importance, several factors can be noted. In addition to the high price paid by the Soviet troops for this victory, the Red Army received an important strategic advantage. These victories are as important as the Kursk Bulge.

Thanks to these victories, it was possible to turn the whole course of the war and force the fascist troops to retreat. A year later, the American and British governments decided to open a second front, about which Stalin spoke back in 1941. The victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany became obvious to them, and they hurried to join the winner. The fifth of August is the date of the liberation of Orel and Belgorod from the fascist invaders, the day that turned the tide of the Great Patriotic War.

The relay is aimed at promoting the feat of the Soviet people and the Communist Party in the Great Patriotic War.

The rally on Victory Square was opened and chaired by Marina Vasilyevna Kostina, First Secretary of the Kaluga City Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Kaluga Region.

Dear front-line soldiers, veterans, home front workers and "children of war"! The Kaluga city committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation cordially congratulates you on the day of the liberation of Kaluga from the Nazi invaders. Please accept our gratitude and respect for perseverance and courage, for the wise lessons of the unique life experience which you pass on to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the younger generation! Low bows for the feat of arms you performed in the name of defending the Motherland, for your honest work and devotion to your native Fatherland. We sincerely wish you good health, inexhaustible energy, optimism, long life, love and care of your loved ones! Happy New Year!

At the beginning of the rally, a participant of the Great Patriotic War, a veteran of the party Pyotr Stepanovich Zharkov presented party cards in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Great October Revolution to his mother and daughter - Troshina Antonina Stepanovna and Troshina Svetlana Alekseevna. For successes in professional and social activities aimed at preserving the humanistic potential of Soviet culture, the historical truth about the Soviet era, the values ​​of justice and progress in social and political life, commemorative medals of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation "100 years of Great October" were awarded to a number of comrades.

Marina Kostina, a delegate to the 17th Congress of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, told the rally participants about the decision of the Congress to be nominated as a candidate for the presidency Russian Federation from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Pavel Nikolaevich Grudinin. The Supreme Council of People's Patriotic Forces was headed by the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, head of the Communist Party faction in the State Duma of the Russian Federation G.A. Zyuganov. Elections in two months, it is necessary to unite and concentrate all left-wing patriotic forces to win the elections.

Each participant of the event received a set of a special edition of the newspaper of the Kaluga city branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation "Kommunist Kaluga" with information about the decisions of the 17th party congress on the presidential elections in the Russian Federation. Greeting cards "Happy New Year!", Signed by the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation G.A. Zyuganov. The main party newspaper is Pravda.

Under the friendly applause of the event participants, the commemorative medal "100 years of the Red Army" No. 1 was awarded to the veteran of the party, participant of the Great Patriotic War, retired colonel Pyotr Stepanovich Zharkov.

After the awarding, communists and Komsomol members laid a garland of glory and flowers at the Eternal Flame and the monument to Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov.

Under the red banners, the convoy started from Victory Square. Soviet patriotic songs are heard from the loudspeakers of the car: “My native country is wide”, “And the battle continues again”, “Holy war”, “We need one victory” ...

During the movement of the convoy and stops, residents smiled and waved their hands towards the convoy, the drivers honked, passers-by took pictures of the convoy, and enjoyed the holiday together with everyone.

During the years of the Great Patriotic War, 175,464 people were drafted from the Kaluga Territory. During the war, 80,100 Kaluga soldiers were killed and 56,000 were missing. More than 150 natives of the Kaluga land were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for their heroic deeds. Tens of thousands of Kaluga residents received orders and medals.

Relay route: Victory Square, a monument to Victory Marshal, four times Hero of the Soviet Union Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov, a memorial complex in honor of Kaluga residents, heroes of the Soviet Union, a monument to soldiers-liberators with a tank of the Great Patriotic War T-34 on Moscow Square, a park of a general, a hero of the Soviet Union Ivan Vasilyevich Boldin, commander of the 50th Army, which liberated Kaluga during the Great Patriotic War.

We are proud of the glorious feat of our grandfathers and fathers. We honor the memory of the days of heroic battles and heroic deeds in the rear!

Years pass, eyewitnesses of events pass away, but people who have accomplished feats live forever.

Photo by Alexander Gushchin and Anna Shevchenko.