Photos WW2 Soviet Forces

Soviet soldiers are fighting, hiding behind a pile of pumpkins. Poltava region, 1943.

Soviet artillerymen write on the shells "To Hitler", "To Berlin", "Across the Reichstag." In the background is a B-4 203 mm howitzer. April 1945

Soldiers of the tank landing on the BT-7 tank in the offensive on the Southwestern Front. 1942

Were German pistols among the Americans and the British also a favorite trophy?

The Soviet tank BT-5 of the 57th Tank Brigade moves to its initial positions for the attack. Ukrainian SSR, Southwestern Front, May 12, 1942.

Trophy German armored personnel carrier with a DShK machine gun

August 22, 1945

Red Army soldier Fedorov demonstrates MG.34 to his comrades. His machine gun damaged in battle was replaced with a trophy captured at enemy positions. District of Kharkov. May 1942.

In Russia there are a lot of jokes and anecdotes that begin with a Russian, American, German and French gathering in one place, after which a humorous scene takes place. This photo looks like the beginning of a Russian joke. I wonder where and why they were going?

Gunsmiths at the SB 2M-100A bomber equip SAB-15 bombs

Dmitry Fedorovich Kositsyn, master of sports, commander of the partisan detachment of the State Order of Lenin at the Lesgaft Institute of Physical Culture. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Lenin. He and most of his group (possibly the best group of Leningrad partisans) died on July 23, 1942, when they were thrown into the rear of the enemy in search of A.A. Vlasov, the commander of the 2nd Shock Army. However, Vlasov soon found himself and not at all where the Soviet command would like...

Priest rewarding. On the question of religion in the years of Stalin.

Commander of the 5th Leningrad Partisan Brigade, Hero of the Soviet Union K.D. Karitsky attaches the medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War II degree" to the priest of the church in the Pskov village of Khokhlovy Gorki, Porkhovsky district, Fedor Puzanov (1888-1965).

During the war, Fyodor Puzanov became a scout for the 5th partisan brigade. Veteran of the First World War and a modest rural carpenter in the 30s, using the relative freedom of movement allowed by the occupiers as a priest of a rural parish, he conducted intelligence work, supplied the partisans with bread and clothing, reported data on the movements of the Germans. In addition, he conducted conversations with believers and acquainted residents with the situation in the country and at the fronts.

During the hijacking of the population of the Pskov region by the Germans in January 1944, priest Puzanov had to accompany his fellow villagers to the place of loading into the train. The column was accompanied by the Germans, but after walking 15 kilometers, the Germans turned aside, ordering the priest, on pain of death, to bring the column himself. When the Germans fled, Puzanov suggested that the villagers go to the partisans, which they did. The commander of the 5th partisan brigade K.D. Karitsky himself attached the medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War" to the hero's chest.

Soldiers of the 1st Belorussian Front inspect the Reichstag, Germany, May 1945.

A series of drawings "Storming Berlin" by the artist, war veterans, participant in the storming of Berlin Vladimir Bogatkin

Commandant of the headquarters of the 33rd Cossack Cavalry Regiment of the 15th Don Cossack Cavalry Division of the North Caucasian Front Sergeant Major Paramon Samsonovich Kurkin.

Paramon Samsonovich Kurkin (1879 - 1957) - Don Cossack, a native of the village of Nizhne-Chirskaya, a participant in the First World War, the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War. During the First World War he fought on the Romanian front, was awarded the St. George Medal of the 4th degree. During the civil war, he organized a red detachment, in 1918 he was the chief of intelligence of the 38th Morozov-Donetsk Infantry Division of the 10th Army, a participant in the defense of Tsaritsyn, was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for participation in the defense of Tsaritsyn. During the Great Patriotic War, he organized a volunteer Cossack hundred in native village and brought her to the 15th Don Cossack Cavalry Division, which then became part of the 17th Cossack Cavalry Corps. He was appointed commandant of the headquarters of the 33rd Cossack Cavalry Regiment. Petty Officer P.S. Kurkin distinguished himself in a battle with superior enemy forces on July 28-29, 1942 in the area of the Tsukerov Balka farm. The tank brigade, acting in conjunction with the Cossack division, withdrew, and Kurkin voluntarily volunteered to clarify the situation. For his distinction in this battle, he was awarded the Order of the Red Star. On August 27, 1942, the 15th Don Cossack Division was transformed into the 11th Guards Division. In February 1943, Kurkin was appointed commander of the commandant squadron of the division, he was awarded the rank of guard captain. In 1944 he was appointed commander of the saber squadron of the 39th Guards Cavalry Regiment. Participated in the Battle of Budapest. He ended the war in Austria.



The father of three soldiers: Mikhail and Vladimir served in the artillery, Boris was a pilot and died in battle. Right - the commander of the artillery battalion of the Guard Captain Mikhail Paramonovich Kurkin




Interview with front-line correspondent Simonov:

I have been the commandant of the headquarters for two months now. During the danger of a battle, I can never fall asleep. The commanders scolded me for this. Well, I can't sleep, because I feel like an old soldier. This is my third war. I constantly check our soldiers: why is the horse dirty, the saddle is not repaired, the weapon is dirty? Well guys are pulling up! At night I go and check the sentries at the posts.

I love and pity the horse very much. I can kill for a horse. I will always go and check how the soldiers keep their horses even at night. If I walk along the ledge and see that there is time, and the horse is not saddled, I will not leave it that way. It is my duty as the oldest man in the war.

Pilot Sibirin congratulates his French colleague Littolf on another victory.

Soviet pilot, commander of the 1st squadron of the 18th GvIAP, Captain Semyon Sibirin, who shot down 5 German aircraft, congratulates the French fighter pilot Captain Albert Littolf after an air battle in which he shot down a German Fw-189 aircraft. In the background is the Yak-1B fighter of the Normandy squadron.

Semyon Alekseevich Sibirin in July 1944 was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. By the end of the war, he had 16 shot down planes personally and 1 in the group. May 6, 1949 died in the line of duty.

Albert Littolf died in aerial combat a month after this photograph was taken - on July 16, 1943. By the time of his death, he had 6 personally shot down, 8 in the group (Littolf shot down 10 of these 14 aircraft while fighting against the Germans in France, North Africa and Crete) and 2 unconfirmed enemy aircraft. Posthumously awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree.