The Oryol offensive operation "Kutuzov" was strategically important and became one of the key to victory over the troops of the Wehrmacht. This large-scale operation was prepared by the best tactics 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. It began on July 12, 1943 and lasted until August 18 of the same year. The Battle of Kursk also entered this large-scale operation, which ended with the destruction of the Nazi group near Orel.
The Western Front was commanded by Colonel General V. Sokolovsky, and Bryansky - Colonel General Popov M. M. The troops under their command launched an offensive towards the city of Oryol.
July 15, with the aim of reaching the frontiers of German troops, as well as going over to the counter-offensive, the Central Front was connected to the attack. As a result of this, on July 19, the troops of the Red Army of the Central Front launched a strategic counterattack in the direction of Kursk-Kromsk. Soon they joined the Bryansk and Western Group of Forces 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 were more than 1800 tanks, about 1500 aircraft and more than 7000 anti-tank and field guns.
The main strip of the Nazis was equipped and fortified to a depth of five to seven kilometers. The Nazis converted absolutely all large settlements into well-fortified fortifications. Best of all, the Nazis prepared the cities of Bolkhov, Oryol, Karachev and Mtsensk for an attack by the Red Army.
The approximate date of the liberation of Oryol and Belgorod was determined, and the troops of the Bryansk and Western fronts began their offensive.
Eagle Liberation
Already on August 3, 1943, fighters of the Red Army took the Eagle in a half ring. From the north-east direction, the 17th Guards Tank Group and the 308th Motor Rifle Division approached the city. Tankers with battles broke 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 in order to blow up and set fire to buildings in the city to complicate the advance of the Red Army. Fierce battles with the Nazi invaders after ousting them from the outskirts continued in the city itself. The fighting on the streets of Orel was very fierce and lasted more than 40 hours. The fighters of the Red Army were greatly helped by local residents who warned of minefields, ambushes and the location of Hitler troops. They also showed various detours that helped to enter the enemy rear.
Early in the morning of August 5, 1943, Red Army troops 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. It was the very first salute dedicated to the victory over the Nazis.
The liberation of Belgorod
Beyond Belgorod, the battles began in the early morning of the fifth of August. This city, like the whole 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 from mortars and tanks, aviation constantly bombed parts of the Nazis. Not holding back the rapid attack of the Red Army, the Nazis began to retreat to the city center.
Having pushed aside the enemy, the soldiers of the 69th Army continued the offensive along with the troops of the Seventh Guard Army. Heavy attacks by Soviet soldiers crushed the Nazi defenses in the eastern, western and northern regions of Belgorod.
The first to break into the city center were the soldiers of the 270th Guards Rifle 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, throwing the wounded and military equipment. A red banner of winners appeared over the city. The liberation of Orel and Belgorod happened on the same day. The result of the operation was successful, but at the cost of heavy losses.
Loss of parties
Both in Belgorod and in Orel, fierce battles took place in urban conditions. And this is fraught with heavy losses due to the locality of the battles. Despite the help of artillery, aviation and tanks, the final result was achieved due to automatic (machine-gun) and grenade battles on the streets and inside houses.
The liberation of Belgorod and Orel from the Nazis came at a great price. Of the entire group of the Red Army, numbering 1,287,600 people participating in Operation Kutuzov, irretrievable losses amounted to 112,529 killed (died from wounds in the hospital), as well as 317,361 wounded. The total number of losses amounted to 429,890 people. Loss of military equipment amounted to: 2 586 tanks and self-propelled guns (self-propelled artillery), 892 mortars and guns, as well as 1014 aircraft (attack aircraft, fighters, bombers).
On the part of fascist Germany, losses amounted to 18,912 killed and 85,233 wounded. Also during this operation, 15 859 Nazis disappeared. About the losses of military equipment of the Nazis, the data are very contradictory, but there is an opinion that they accounted for 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 a crucial strategic advantage. These victories are as important as the Battle of Stalingrad and the Kursk Bulge.
Thanks to these victories, it was possible to turn the tide of the war and force the fascist troops to retreat. A year later, the American and British governments decided to open a second front, which Stalin spoke of in 1941. The victory of the USSR over Hitler Germany became apparent to them, and they hastened to join the winner. The fifth of August is the date of the liberation of Orel and Belgorod from the Nazi occupiers, the day that turned the tide of the Great Patriotic War.