The main thing that is significant is the date of November 6, 1943 - the liberation of Kyiv. On this day, an event occurred that the inhabitants of this ancient city were waiting for with bated breath. Today, when one's own history is being rewritten and a new look at it is being actively introduced, it is especially important to know the truth about the events of those years. In particular, anyone who questions the feat of those who helped liberate Kyiv (1943) should be reminded of the crimes of the Nazis.
It's even hard to imagine what the consequences of a longer presence of the troops of the Third Reich in the city could be, if in just two years of occupation in Babi Yar about 100 thousand civilians were shot, the population decreased to 180 thousand people, and 150 thousands of residents of Soviet Ukraine were against their will sent to work in Germany.
The situation at the front in early November 1943
August 26 began the battle for the Dnieper, which followed one of the most famous operations in the history of wars - the Battle of Kursk. The Soviet troops had to force a formidable water barrier, the western bank of which was turned by the Wehrmacht troops into a powerful defensive line, called the "Eastern Wall". At the same time, the Germans expected that the Soviet troops would launch an offensive in the winter and cross the Dnieper after the ice had settled on it.
As a result of the success of the offensive, units of the Red Army captured bridgeheads on the right bank of the Dnieper and reached the river north and south of Kyiv. Thus, the prerequisites for a powerful autumn offensive were created.
Liberation of Kyiv from fascist invaders: preparation for the operation
Initially, the command of the First Ukrainian (former Voronezh) Front intended to deliver two strikes at once. The main one was to be carried out from the side of the Bukrinsky bridgehead, located 80 km south of the city of Kyiv, and the auxiliary one - from the north. In accordance with this plan, two offensive attempts were made during October. However, both times the attacks from the Burkinsky direction were unsuccessful, but the bridgehead was expanded, which was located in the Lyutezh region north of Kyiv. It was decided to use it for a decisive assault, the purpose of which was to be the liberation of Kyiv. At the same time, the troops on the Burkinsky bridgehead were instructed to “tie up” as many Wehrmacht forces as possible there, and if favorable conditions were created, break through the front and start moving forward. For these purposes, military cunning was used. In particular, so that the enemy did not notice the transfer of the 3rd Guards Tank Army, armored vehicles were replaced at the Bukrinsky bridgeheadlayouts that were supposed to mislead enemy pilots making reconnaissance sorties.
The forces of the opponents before the battle for Kyiv
By the beginning of November, the Red Army in the Kiev direction was armed with about 7 thousand guns and mortars, 700 aircraft and 675 tanks and self-propelled guns. The enemy had the same number of fighters and bombers. However, in terms of the number of guns and artillery mounts, as well as tanks, the Red Army had a slight advantage. At the same time, to cover the city from the north, the German command ordered the construction of 3 fortified defensive lines, the presence of which should have significantly impeded the movement of our troops.
Liberation of Kyiv (1943): the first stage of the operation
The offensive was launched on the morning of November 3rd. First, a powerful artillery preparation was carried out, followed by a blow from the west, bypassing Kyiv. It was carried out by the 60th and 38th armies with the support of the forces of the Fifth Guards Tank Corps. A real air battle ensued, during which 31 enemy aircraft were shot down, and in total the Soviet aces made 1150 sorties. Fierce battles were also on the ground. As a result, at the end of that day, it turned out that our strike force had advanced along the entire length of the front to a distance of 5 to 12 km.
Events of November 4, 1943
The liberation of Kyiv was somewhat delayed due to adverse weather conditions. The fact is that throughout the day on November 4 it was drizzling. To increase the pressure of the attacking Soviet troops, the Firstguards cavalry corps and reserves, including the First Czechoslovak brigade, under the command of L. Svoboda. In addition, from the evening in the offensive, which continued into the night, units of the Third Guards Tank Army took part, speaking under the light of searchlights, which sowed panic among German soldiers.
November 5
Early in the morning, Soviet tanks reached Svyatoshino and blocked the highway connecting Kyiv with Zhytomyr, thereby cutting off the Kyiv group from the rest of the Nazi forces. All day there were battles with the participation of infantry, artillery, aviation and armored vehicles, during which the enemy suffered huge losses and was forced to retreat.
November 6
Finally, late at night, Soviet soldiers entered Kyiv. The liberation of the city happened quite quickly, since the Red Banner was raised over it at 00:30, and by 4:00 in the morning the cannonade in the city finally subsided.
Then it was calculated that the troops of the First Ukrainian Front defeated 2 tank, 9 infantry and one motorized divisions.
The final stage of the operation
Since in early November the command of the German Army Group South planned a counterattack in the area of Krivoy Rog, Nikopol and Apostolovo, it could not use its reserves, represented by tank and motorized divisions, to hold the capital of Soviet Ukraine. This circumstance accelerated the liberation of Kyiv from the Nazis, and during November 7The troops of the First Ukrainian Front also managed to liberate the city of Fastov. However, by November 10-11, the reserve German units arrived in time to help the retreating Wehrmacht troops, and the first serious German counterattacks began. However, a week later (November 13) Zhytomyr was liberated. The offensive was so powerful that parts of the Seventh Army Corps of the Wehrmacht stopped retreating only when they reached 50 km south of Kyiv. At the same time, by the end of November, the 13th and 60th armies reached the line east of Korosten and north of Narovlya, Ovruch and Yelsk.
How the country celebrated this victory
The liberation of Kyiv from the Nazis (date: November 6, 1943) was greeted by the Soviet people with a feeling of great joy. On this occasion, 24 salutes were fired in Moscow. A record number of guns took part in it.
For the exceptional courage and heroism shown in the battles, which resulted in the liberation of Kyiv, 17,500 people were awarded orders and medals. Among them were the commander and 139 soldiers of the First Czechoslovak Brigade. As for this military unit itself, the Order of Suvorov of the Second Class was attached to its banner. In addition, 65 Soviet units and formations were awarded the honorary title of Kyiv. Among them are troops under the command of Colonel General K. Moskalenko, Lieutenant Generals I. Chernyakhovsky, P. Rybalko, S. Krasovsky and Major General P. Korolkov.
Results
Liberation of Kyiv (date: 6November 1943) was of strategic importance for the situation on the fronts of the Second World War. During this operation, the troops of the Soviet Union defeated nine infantry, one motorized and two tank divisions of the Wehrmacht, captured and destroyed 600 tanks, 1200 guns and mortars, as well as 90 aircraft. An important bridgehead was created along the banks of the Dnieper with a length of 230 km and up to 145 km in depth, which later played a significant role in the battles for the liberation of the territory of the Right-Bank Ukraine. In addition, the Soviet command managed to thwart the counteroffensive that was being prepared by the German generals in the direction of Kirovograd.
Mistakes
Soviet military leaders who planned and carried out the operation, which resulted in the liberation of Kyiv, made some mistakes. In particular, since the advancing units of the Red Army failed to destroy the main enemy forces, after November 15, he was able to go on the counteroffensive and until December 22, our troops could not achieve a noticeable advance on this sector of the front.
Manpower losses
The death toll on both warring sides reached several thousand. In particular, in Soviet historiography, the following figures are given to indicate the losses of the Red Army: 6491 people were killed, 24,078 were wounded. As for the Wehrmacht troops, 389 servicemen were killed and 3018 wounded.
Reaction in the press
The liberation of Kyiv and the successes of the Soviet troops on the territory of the Right-Bank Ukraine caused a wide resonance. The articles inEnglish and American press, which regarded this event as a major defeat for the Third Reich. For example, in a message from the famous London radio, it was noted that when the Wehrmacht troops occupied Kyiv, the Nazis boasted that the complete defeat of the Red Army in the entire southeast was not far off, and after the liberation of the capital of Ukraine, Germany itself began to hear the ringing of a funeral bell.
Now you know how the liberation of Kyiv took place, as well as what were the losses of the warring parties, and how the results of this operation influenced the further course of the Great Patriotic War.
