From the time of the Khrushchev "thaw", some historians have carefully raised and "cultivated" to this day one "terrible and terrible" myth. This is a tale of how a barrage squad, originally created with a well-defined, reasonable and decent purpose, has now turned into a horror movie.
What it is?
The very concept of this military formation is very vague, it says, in particular, about the "fulfillment of certain tasks on a certain sector of the front." By this we can even understand the formation of a separate platoon for special purposes. Both the composition and the number and tasks of the barrage units throughout the war repeatedly changed. When did the first barrage squad appear?
History of occurrence
It should be remembered that in 1941 the legendary NKVD was divided into two diverse objects: the Internal Affairs Committee and the State Security Department (NKGB). Counterintelligence, from which the detachments went, was isolated from the People’s Commissariat of Internal Affairs. At the end of July 1941, a special directive on wartime work was issued, after which the formation of special units began.
It was then that the very first barrage detachment was created, the task of which was to detain deserters and “suspicious elements” in the front line. These groups did not have any “firing rights”; they could only delay the “element” and then escort him to the authorities.
Again, when the two divisions were united again, the detachment detachment came under the jurisdiction of the NKVD. But even then no special “concessions” were made: members of the formations could arrest deserters. In special cases, which included only episodes of armed resistance, they had the right to be shot. In addition, special units had to fight with traitors, cowards, alarmists. The NKVD order No. 00941 of 07/19/1941 is known. It was then that special companies and battalions were created, staffed by the NKVD troops.
What function did they perform?
It was these barrage detachments in the Second World War that played the most significant role. Again, there were no "mass executions" in their jurisdiction: these units were supposed to create defensive lines to defend against German counterattacks and detain (!) Deserters with their transfer to the investigating authorities over the next 12 hours.
If a person simply lagged behind his unit (which was normal in 1941), again, no one shot him. In this case, there were two options: either the soldier was sent to the same unit, or (more often) they were strengthened by the nearest military unit.
In addition, the barrage detachments in the Second World War played the role of a “filter” through which people who had escaped from German captivity and those individuals in the front line who were questionable were passed through. A case is known when such a detachment caught a group of German spies ... by staples! The commandants noticed that the “seconded Soviet military personnel” on the documents (ideal, by the way) had brand new stainless steel clips! So you do not need to consider the soldiers of the internal troops killers and sadists. But this is exactly how many modern sources depict them ...
The fight against banditry and the role of the 33rd detachment
One of the tasks that some categories of historians “forget” for some reason was the fight against banditry, which in some regions was taking on an openly threatening scale. So, for example, 33 barrage detachment (North-Western Front) proved itself.
Especially a company isolated from the Baltic Fleet. Even several armored cars were “attached” to it. This detachment operated in Estonian forests. The situation in those parts was serious: there was practically no desertion in the local parts, but the local Nazi units were in the way. Small gangs constantly attacked small groups of military personnel and civilians.
Estonian events
As soon as the "narrow specialists" from the NKVD entered the game, the fervent mood of the bandits quickly faded. In July 1941, it was the barrage detachments that participated in the sweeping of the Virtsu island, which was recaptured as a result of the counterattack of the Red Army. Also on the way, the discovered German outpost was completely destroyed. Many bandits were neutralized, the pro-fascist organization was defeated in Tallinn. Barrage detachments also participated in intelligence activities. The formation already mentioned by us, acting “on behalf of” the Baltic Fleet, brought its own aviation to the discovered positions of the Germans.
During the battle for Tallinn, the same detachment participated in a difficult battle, covering (and not shooting) the retreating soldiers and repulsing the Germans' counterattacks. August 27 was a terrible battle, during which our people repeatedly threw back the stubborn enemy. Only due to their heroism did organized retreat become possible.
During these battles, more than 60% of the entire personnel of the guard squad, including commanders, died. Agree, this is not very similar to the image of a "cowardly commandant" hiding behind the backs of its soldiers. Subsequently, the same formation participated in the fight against the bandits of Kronstadt.
Commander-in-Chief Directive of September 1941
Why did such a notoriety appear among the barrage units? The thing is that September 1941 was marked by an extremely difficult situation at the front. It was allowed the formation of special units in those units that managed to establish themselves as "unstable." Just a week later, this practice spread to the entire front. And what, there, the NKVD barrage detachments shot thousands of innocent soldiers? Of course not!
These units obeyed the division commanders, were armed with vehicles and heavy equipment. The main task is to maintain order, help the command of the units. The members of the barrage detachments had the right to use military weapons in those cases when it was urgent to stop the retreat or to liquidate the most malicious alarmists. But this rarely happened.
Varieties
Thus, there were two categories of detachment detachments: one consisted of fighters of the NKVD and caught deserters, and the second prevented the willful abandonment of positions. The latter had a significantly larger staff, as they consisted of Red Army soldiers, and not fighters of internal troops. And even in this case, their members had the right only to shoot individual alarmists! No one has ever massively shot his soldiers! Moreover, if there was a counterattack, it was the “animals from the barrage squads” that took the whole blow, allowing the fighters to retreat in an organized manner.
Work Summary
Judging by 1941, about 657,364 people were detained by these units (33 detachment detachments were especially distinguished). Officially arrested 25,878 people. 10 201 people were shot by a military court. All the others were again sent to the front.
Barrage detachments played a significant role in the defense of Moscow. Since there were simply catastrophically lacking combat-ready units to defend the city itself, the NKVD personnel were literally worth their weight in gold, they organized competent defensive lines. In some cases, barrage units were created at the local initiative of the authorities and internal affairs bodies.
On July 28, 1942, the Headquarters issued the notorious order No. 227 of NPOs. He prescribed the creation of separate units in the rear of unstable units. As in the past case, the fighters had the right to shoot only certain alarmists and cowards who left their positions in battle without permission. The detachments were provided with all the necessary transport, and the most capable commanders were placed at their head. There were also separate barrage battalions at the level of divisions.
The results of the fighting of the 63rd detachment
By mid-October 1942, they managed to create 193 army detachments. By this time, they managed to detain 140,755 Red Army men. 3980 of them were arrested, 1189 servicemen were shot. All the rest were sent to the penal unit. Don and Stalingrad directions were the most difficult, an increased number of arrests and detentions was recorded here. But these are “trifles”. More importantly, such units provided real assistance to their colleagues in the most critical moments of the battle.
Thus, 63 detachment detachment (53 army) proved itself, having come to the aid of its unit, to which it was “seconded”. He forced the Germans to stop the counterattack. What conclusions follow from this? Simple enough.
The role of these formations in restoring order was very great, but they managed to return a considerable number of military personnel back to the front. So, once the 29th infantry division, on the flank of which the advancing German tanks managed to break through, began to retreat in panic. The NKVD lieutenant, Filatov, at the head of his squad, stopped the fleeing men, and went into combat positions with them.
In an even more difficult situation, the barrage unit under the command of the same Filatov made it possible for the soldiers of the badly battered rifle division to retreat, and she herself began the battle with the erupting enemy, forcing him to retreat.
Who were they?
In critical situations, the soldiers did not shoot their own, but competently organized the defense and led the offensive themselves. So, the case is known when the 112th Infantry Division, having lost almost 70% (!) Of its personnel in the most difficult battles, received an order to retreat. Instead, the detachment detachment of Lieutenant Khlystov took up the position, who held the position for four days, doing so until the reinforcements approach.
A similar case is the defense by the “NKVD dogs” of the Stalingrad station. Despite their strength, which was significantly inferior to the German one, they held their positions for several days and waited for the approach of the 10th Infantry Division.
Thus, barrage units are units of the "last chance". If the soldiers of the line unit unmotivated leave their positions, the members of the barrage battalion will stop them. If a military unit suffers the heaviest losses in a battle with an enemy superior in strength, the "barriers" give them the opportunity to retreat and continue the battle themselves. Simply put, barrage detachments are military units of the USSR, during the battle playing the role of defensive “bastions”. Parts composed of the NKVD troops, among other things, could deal with the identification of German agents and the capture of deserters. When was their work completed?
End of work
By order of October 29, 1944, the detachments in the Red Army were disbanded. If the personnel were recruited from ordinary linear units, similar compounds were formed from them. The NKVD fighters were sent to special "flying squads", whose activities consisted in the targeted capture of bandits. There were practically no deserters by that time. Since the personnel of many detachments was recruited from the best (!) Fighters of their units, these people were also often sent for further study, forming the new backbone of the Soviet Army.
Thus, the “bloodthirstiness” of such units is nothing more than a stupid and dangerous myth that offends the memory of people who liberated the countries captured by the fascist troops.