The Great Patriotic War claimed millions of lives. People stood for their country and fought for the freedom of future generations. Each country of the former Soviet Union keeps its story about significant battles and about the day when the Nazis were expelled from its territory.
Today, the liberation of Ukraine from Nazi invaders is celebrated on October 28.
Cruel beginning
The liberation of Ukraine 1943-1944 demanded real heroism, dedication and patriotism from the soldiers and the whole people. First, remember how it all began, and then back to the victories and the last battles for the homeland.
In 1940, Hitler signed a plan of attack on the USSR. He had the big name "Barbarossa". The Germans were to strike at three main strategic targets of an indestructible alliance: Leningrad, Smolensk and Ukraine. According to the plan of the leader of the fascist invaders, the territory of Ukraine was to become a huge field for agriculture. It was these lands that would feed the Reich.
On the night of June 22, 1941, the Ukrainian SSR fell under the bombardment of German aviation forces. Sevastopol, Zhytomyr, Kiev and Izmail received the first blows. Following the air attacks , German troops broke into the cities.
A long bloody war began. The liberation of Ukraine from the Nazis will happen only after three years. These years will be marked by troubles, famine and washed with bitter tears of the entire Ukrainian people.
First victories
The Second World War continues. The liberation of Ukraine was carried out not only by the forces of the Soviet Army. In June 1942, the Ukrainian headquarters of the partisan movement was created, which inflicted many defeats on the enemy. Railways were blown up, headquarters were destroyed, various sabotage was carried out. This rendered serious assistance to the active forces.
The liberation of Ukraine from the Nazi invaders was marked by the first victory in the winter of 1942. The settlement in Ukraine - the village of Pivnevka in the Luhansk region - was liberated by the Soviet soldiers from the Germans on December 18, 1942.
02/14/1943 the Nazis were expelled from Lugansk. During the operation, more than 10 thousand Soviet soldiers died.
The turning point of the war - Battle of Kursk
It is believed that the main battles for the liberation of Ukraine from the German invaders began at a turning point during the famous Kursk battle, which lasted from 05.07 to 08.23.08 1943. By its scale, this was one of the most important battles of the Second World War. The battle lasted a heavy 49 days. It was then that our soldiers significantly crippled the power and spirit of German soldiers. The Nazis urgently reviewed the military plans.
After a fierce battle, the enemy battalions moved into a defensive position throughout the Soviet-German front. They not only had to discard our soldiers, but also had to defend all the significant economic centers that had recently been won by them with great fanfare.
The importance of Left-Bank Ukraine for the Nazis
One of these strategically important areas focused on Left-Bank Ukraine. Of particular value were industrial coal enterprises located in the basin of Donetsk, which is significant from the point of view of the raw material base. Our soldiers needed to defeat a significant enemy army, which numbered 700,000 people. They had at their disposal powerful military equipment in the amount of 7200 mortars and guns, 900 military aircraft, 1200 tank attack aircraft. After the regrouping of troops, the Soviet government ordered the liberation of Ukrainian territory.
The beginning of the liberation of the Left-Bank Ukraine
The High Command clearly understood that Hitler would not give up significant milestones just like that. The enemy units could not be given time to recover, they had to urgently move south until the Nazis came to their senses and gathered new strength after the defeat during the fighting on the Kursk Bulge. Everyone knew that the liberation of this territory of the USSR would have a protracted character. Left-bank Ukraine was ordered to liberate the most powerful fronts: the South-Western, Steppe, Central and Voronezh. The task set included not just liberation, but also the forcing of the Dnieper in numerous territories. It was necessary to make the Nazis break up their troops and stretch out over large territories, so defeating the enemy would be much easier. Three fronts united 1,500,000 people who were determined only to win. Our troops were armed with 30,000 artillery pieces, 1,700 military aircraft and 1,180 tanks.
08/23/43 - Kharkov was liberated by the forces of our soldiers .
08.30.43 years - Taganrog received freedom.
The liberation of Donbass
During the approach to the Donbass, Russian troops consisted of two considerable fronts: the South-West and the South. There were about 1,100 thousand people, 1,500 aircraft, 1,500 tanks. The detachments of Soviet troops turned towards the west.
09/08/1943 - The South-Western Front, led by Malinovsky, liberated Donetsk.
09/10/1943 - Mariupol received freedom. The liberation of Ukraine 1943-1944 was in full swing.
09/22/43 - our soldiers drove the Nazis over the Dnieper in the Dnepropetrovsk-Zaporozhye section. This date is considered the day of the liberation of Donbass.
During the bloody fierce battles, the 34th Guards Division was especially noted for its actions. Sixteen of her soldiers were awarded the title of Heroes of the USSR. The 126th Gorlovskaya Rifle Division also distinguished itself - seventeen of its soldiers received Heroes. In addition to them, the title of Heroes was received by another 80 soldiers and commanders of various fronts for mass heroism during the liberation of Donbass. Pilots DB Glinka and O.I. Pokryshkin, also Heroes of the USSR, received the second Golden Star medal for the battle of Donbass.
Retreating, the Germans destroyed without pity and regret everything in their path: they burned houses and factories, poisoned water in wells, and finished off prisoners.
Battle of the Dnieper. Chernihiv-Poltava battles
Battle of the Dnieper - interconnected operations during the Second World War, carried out along the Dnieper. Movement began in the autumn of 1943 and lasted a long 4 months.
The first stage was the battles along the Chernihiv-Poltava line on 08/26/30/09/1943, in which 2 tank armies, the Voronezh, Central and Steppe fronts, took part.
August 27, 43 - the expulsion of the Nazis from the city of Sevsk.
09/03/1943 - the capture of Konotop, the cleansing of the Seym river from the Nazis.
09/02/1943 - the liberation of Sumy.
09/04/1943 - the capture of the city of Meref.
09/15/1943 - the city of Nezhinsk was liberated.
09/16/1943 - Germans expelled from Novgorod-Seversk.
09/21/1943 - our soldiers entered Chernihiv.
09/23/1943 - after a successful assault, Poltava was captured.
During the first battles on the Dnieper, more than 100 thousand Soviet soldiers died, hundreds were awarded the title Heroes of the Soviet Union for their courage and dedication.
Lower Dnieper operation
The next stage of the battle for the main river of Ukraine is fighting in the lower reaches from 09/26/1943 to 12/20/1943. Conducted by the forces of the South, Southwest and Steppe fronts.
10/14/1943 - the liberation of Zaporozhye.
10.23.1943 - a successful battle for Melitopol.
10/25/1943 - Soviet troops entered Dnepropetrovsk and Dneprodzerzhinsk.
10/30/1943 - Genichesk was released.
In total, more than 170 thousand soldiers of the Soviet army were killed during the Lower Dnieper operation. Success in the battle of the Dnieper created the conditions for the liberation of Kiev.
The liberation of Kiev
The Red Army was rapidly advancing. The 1st Ukrainian Front (formerly called Voronezh) concentrated the main strike forces on the approaches to Kiev. The troops were given the difficult task of clearing the city of German invaders by the anniversary of the 1917 revolution. At that time, the 1st Ukrainian Front consisted of about 665 thousand soldiers, up to 7 thousand mortars and guns, 675 tanks and gun mounts, 700 combat aircraft.
In order to distract the enemy on November 1, the Red Army launched a fictitious offensive from the Bukrinsky bridgehead. The real offensive began on November 3, 433 from the Lutezh bridgehead and lasted 10 days. Czechoslovak warriors fought bravely together with Soviet soldiers. In the battle for Kiev, courage and heroism were shown not only by the active forces of the Red Army, but also by local underground and partisans who conducted dangerous reconnaissance operations and supplied the army with valuable information about the deployment of enemy troops. Great support was from local residents. They helped our soldiers cross the Dnieper, showed them workarounds.
11/06/43 Kiev was taken. A firework was organized in Moscow in honor of the liberation of this city. The courage of hundreds of soldiers was marked by medals and orders.
11/07/1943 - the release of Fastov.
11/13/43 - Zhytomyr was released.
During the Kiev operation, the forces of the Red Army were greatly depleted, winter was approaching, and supplies were significantly worsened due to the length of the front line. Therefore, during the renewal of troops and rearmament from 13.11 to 12.22.43, the so-called Kiev defensive operation was carried out. Its main task was to maintain a position in Kiev. Unfortunately, several strong points, including Zhytomyr, were re-captured by the Nazis. Nevertheless, Kiev managed to keep.
How Right Bank Ukraine was conquered
Right-Bank Ukraine was liberated during the Dnieper-Carpathian operation from 12.24.43 to 04.17.44. It was carried out in several stages. The first stage is the Zhytomyro-Berdychiv operation (12.24.43-14.01.44) and the Kirovograd offensive (05-16-16.1944) by forces of the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian fronts. In their course, the Bila Tserkva, Berdichev, Novograd-Volynsky, Radomyshl were liberated.
12/31/1943 - Zhytomyr was re-released. This date has become memorable for the city. In honor of the liberation of Zhytomyr, 224 guns were saluted in Moscow.
01/08/1944 - the date of the liberation of Kirovograd.
By January 11, 1944, our army advanced significantly along the front line and went to Vinnitsa, Zhmerinka, Zhashkov, and Uman.
For a respite, the troops were ordered to end the attack and hold defensive positions until January 16.
Korsun-Shevchenkovskaya operation
This operation was the next stage of the Dnieper-Carpathian operation. It was held from January 24 to February 17, 1944. The forces of the 1st and 2nd fronts took part in the battles. Chronology of the liberation of settlements from the Nazis:
01/26/1944 - Kapitonovka, Rossokhovatna,
January 27 - Shpola, Vodyanoye, Lipyanka, Mezhyhirya,
January 28 - Zvenigorodka, Steblev,
January 30 - Quotes,
February 06 - Olshak,
February 09 - Settlement,
February 14 - Korsun-Shevchenkovskoe.
The battles were very heavy. The Germans fiercely resisted, so luck was replaced by defeat. According to the stake, the operation was delayed, so the commander of the 1st Front troops Vatutin was removed, and General Konev was appointed in his place by order.
During the Korsun-Shevchenkovsky operation, 47 thousand German soldiers were surrounded. On February 17, the enemy began a breakthrough from the Cauldron. Although a small part of the Germans still escaped, the main forces were defeated. In total, 80,000 Soviet soldiers died during this operation. For the successful completion of the operation, Konev was awarded the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union.
The offensive of the Red Army in February-April 1944
The liberation of Ukraine from the Nazi invaders continued. From the beginning of February to the middle of April, the USSR army carried out a series of successful offensives, as a result of which almost the entire Right-Bank Ukraine was cleared of German invaders.
Rivne-Lutsk operation was carried out by the forces of the 1st Front from 01/27 to 02/11/44. As a result of long battles on February 2, Lutsk and Rivne were cleared of the Germans, and Shepetovka, an important strategic point, was cleared on 02.02.
01.30-29.02.44 - Nikopol-Kryvyi Rih offensive, the 3rd and 4th Ukrainian fronts took part. They fought for Kryvyi Rih and Nikopol bridgeheads. These areas were very important for fascist Germany, since iron and manganese ore was mined here. Nikopol was released on February 08, and Krivoy Rog - on the 22nd.
03.03-17.04 and 05.03-17.04.44, 2 parallel operations were carried out: Proskurovo-Chernivtsi and Umansko-Botoshanskaya. The troops of the 1st and 2nd fronts of Ukraine were involved in them. Were released: 10.03 - Uman, 15.03 - Dubno, 18.03 - Zhmerynka, 03.03 - Mogilev-Podolsky, 20.03 - Vinnitsa, 21.03 - Khmelnik, 23.03 - Chortkov, 26.03 - Balti, 29.03 - Chernivtsi. Our soldiers swiftly took the Prut River and crossed the borders of Romania. The right flank 2 of the Ukrainian front came close to the foothills of the Carpathians.
At the same time, fights were fought in the south. From March 6 to March 18, troops of the 3 Ukrainian Front carried out the Bereznegovato-Snigirevskaya operation, as a result of which the enemy was defeated in the interfluve of the Southern Bug and Ingulets, a number of settlements were liberated from the Nazis. 03/18/44, our soldiers went to Nikolaev, who was released on March 28. 04/10/44, as a result of the Odessa operation, the large Black Sea port - Odessa was liberated. The day of liberation of Ukraine was approaching.
Heading west
From 13.07 to 08.29.44 hot fights were held with the participation of soldiers of the 1st and 4th fronts of Ukraine for the liberation of Western Ukraine. The city of Galich was liberated on July 24. With the support of Polish partisans, on July 27, Soviet troops occupied Stanislav, Lvov and Przemysl. The first stage of the offensive is over.
The second stage began on the night of July 28 with the offensive movement of Soviet soldiers along the Vistula River. The battles were difficult, soldiers fought fiercely for each city and village, the Headquarters engaged all reserve forces in the operation. As a result, on August 29, an extensive Sandomierz bridgehead was created . Both day and night, our troops fought to keep the frontiers and further expand the bridgehead.
The final stage in the liberation of Ukraine
To liberate the Carpathians and Transcarpathian Ukraine, the 4th Ukrainian Front was involved. Together with units of the 1st Ukrainian Front, he went on the offensive in the Carpathian direction. Moving forward significantly slowed down the stubborn resistance of the Hungarian army. In the course of stubborn battles on 05.08.44, the city of Stry was liberated, on August 06 - Drohobych.
It was difficult to fight in the mountainous and wooded area of the Carpathians, the forces of the soldiers were exhausted, and there was not enough weapons. Under these conditions, the Headquarters issued an order from August 15 to the soldiers of the 4th Front of Ukraine to take a defensive position. In the main headquarters, meanwhile, a decisive offensive operation was being developed.
During the Eastern Carpathian operation from 08.09 to 10.28.44, all of Western Ukraine was cleared of invaders. Now the whole Ukrainian SSR turned out to be free. In this operation, the Soviet Army lost about 300 thousand soldiers, about 2 thousand guns, more than 1000 tanks and about 300 aircraft.
10.28.1944 - the date of the liberation of Ukraine from the Nazis.
Peace again
On October 28, the liberation of Ukraine in 1944 took place. People gladly met the liberators. Ukrainian territories were destroyed by 2/3, industry and agriculture needed to be raised from almost zero level. The re-evacuation was delayed, the government in the Kremlin did not want to return industrial capacities that had settled perfectly in the east of the USSR. Only Donbass received the financial base for the reconstruction of its plants. The war was still ongoing, so steel and coal were a strategically important resource for the front. Most able-bodied men were in the war, so women and teenagers worked mainly. At first, by their forces, and later with the help of soldiers who returned from the war, Ukraine literally rose from the ashes.
In 2014, the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Ukraine from the German occupiers was celebrated. Veterans honored, laid flowers at the foot of the memorials of the dead, a minute of silence honored those who were martyred in concentration camps. The liberation of Ukraine from the Nazi invaders was not easy. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers died in battles, as many peaceful Ukrainians fell victim to German punishers. Their feat, courage, selfless love for the Fatherland and a happy day for the liberation of Ukraine should not be forgotten.