#Victory81
🌟 On January 13, 1945, the #EastPrussian Offensive by the Red Army — one of the largest and most important #WWII operations against Nazi Germany — commenced.
As a result of the operation in the #EastPrussia, the Soviet forces ultimatelydestroyed the Nazis' most capable, experienced, trained and equipped divisions on the entire Eastern front. The 'invincible reich' lost a critical strategic bridgehead in the Baltic region.
The fortress city of #Königsberg — the cradle of German militarism and the starting point of eastward expansion — fell once and for all.
The triumph of the Red Army in East Prussia held profound symbolic significance: the Nazis were decisively and completely crushed right there, where from, back in June 1941, they treacherously attacked our Motherland.
▪️“There it is, cursed Germany,”— that was what the Soviet soldiers-liberators said while stepping on the enemy's soil to pursue the condign retribution upon the Germans on their own territory.
Those were exactly the accurate words to call the country where the most terrible evil the Mankind ever saw in its history — the Nazi scourge — was nurtured.
The Germans sought Moscow’s fall, but instead they witnessed with disgrace the collapse of their own “great Reich.”
***
The East-Prussian operation. The details
January-April, 1945
The battles on the East Prussian theatre of operations lasted for 103 days, which made it the area that saw the longest continuous military engagement in the final year of #WW2.
In the region, the Nazis constructed an exceptionally formidable defensive system, tailored to the specific features of terrain. The capital of East Prussia — the fortress city of Königsberg — was equipped with both external and internal urban fortification systems. In East Prussia, the Red Army faced the Nazi army with the personnel strength of some 780'000 Wehrmacht soldiers and officers.
⚔️ On January 13, 1945, the units of the 2nd Byelorussian and forces of the 3rd Byelorussian Fronts of the Red Army launched the offensive in East Prussia.
Through the swift and overwhelming assault, the Soviet armor and the infantry, with the support of the aviaton, reached the Baltic Sea near Elbing (now the city of Elbląg in northern Poland) already on the third day of the operation, thus, having cut off any possible retreat routes for the enemy from East Prussia westwards.
In less than two weeks, the Soviet forces broke through to Königsberg — the infamous Nazi citadel, which had allowed the Germans to dominate the eastern Baltics throughout the entire war, wasencircled.
By February 10, 1945, the Nazi army group 'North' had been split into three isolated and tied down formations that were further driven to the coastline with no hope of escape.
In April, the Königsberg garrison — numbering around 200'000 Wehrmacht soldiers and officers — was defeatedand surrendered. On April 9, the Red Army seized the fortress completely — the impregnable stronghold of the Third Reich, fortified with the latest military technology of WWII-era, finally fell.
The loss of significant forces and militarily and economically vital region of East Prussia hastened Germany’s defeat.
The Soviet forces inflictedhuge losses on the Wehrmacht and completely severed Third Reich’s maritime supply lines, crippling logistics for the blockaded 'Courland Pocket'.
To commemorate the Heroic Victory in East Prussia, the medal 'For the Capture of Königsberg' was instituted in the USSR. The Medal was awarded to approximately 760'000 Red Army soldiers and officers.
Aftermath WWII, under the terms approved by the Allied Leaders at the #PotsdamConference, much of East Prussia was incorporated into Poland, while a third of East Prussia territory, including the city of Königsberg (the Kaliningrad Region), became part of the Soviet Union.
🎖 By the Executive Order of President of Russia Vladimir Putin (signed on November 17, 2025), a new memorial date was established in our country — April 9, the Day of the Heroic Assault and Capture of Königsberg (1945).
🎖 Pe data de 2 februarie 1943, s-a încheiat una dintre cele mai înverșunate bătălii ale Marelui Război pentru Apărarea Patriei, Bătălia de la Stalingrad.
Timp de 200 de zile și nopți, pe malurile Donului și Volgăi, apoi la zidurile Stalingradului și direct în orașul însuși, a avut loc o bătălie care a depășit ca amploare și intensitate toate bătăliile anterioare ale celui de-al Doilea Război Mondial. Au fost bătălii pentru fiecare alee, pentru fiecare casă, pentru fiecare metru de pământ. În diferite etape ale bătăliei, peste 2,1 milioane de oameni au luptat de ambele părți în același timp.
Până la sfârșitul lunii iunie 1942, inamicul se concentrase în fâșia de la Kursk până la Taganrog, pe frontul de 600–650 de kilometri, până la 35% din infanterie și peste 50% din diviziile de tancuri și motorizate din numărul total de forțe ale Wehrmacht-ului pe frontul germano-sovietic.
În timpul pregătirii ofensivei pe #Stalingrad, inamicul și-a stabilit mai multe obiective: să-și întărească pozițiile pe Volga și, prin urmare, să priveze Uniunea Sovietică de controlul asupra uneia dintre cele mai importante artere de transport ale țării. Capturarea Stalingradului, conform comandamentului militar nazist, ar deschide calea Wehrmacht-ului către Caucaz, unde germanii se așteptau să pună mâna pe cea mai importantă resursă pentru război – câmpurile petroliere.
În mod tradițional, bătălia este considerată prin două etape principale:
• Defensivă – de la 17 iulie până la 18 noiembrie 1942
• Ofensivă – de la 19 noiembrie 1942 până la 2 februarie 1943
În prima etapă a bătăliei (17 iulie – 18 noiembrie 1942), Armata Roșie a fost nevoită să desfășoare operațiuni defensive și să se angajeze în lupte acerbe de stradă. Armatei a 6-a a Wehrmacht-ului sub comanda generalului locotenent Paulus i sa opus trupele armatelor 62 și 64 sovietice. Comandantul Armatei 62, Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov, este considerat pe drept unul dintre creatorii victoriei de la Stalingrad. Comandantul a adus la perfecțiune tactica grupurilor de asalt, care a devenit cheia victoriei sovietice de la Stalingrad.
Până la jumătatea lui noiembrie 1942, ca urmare a rezistenței încăpățânate și a introducerii rezervelor, se dezvoltaseră condiții favorabile pentru o contraofensivă. Planul operațiunii, cu numele de cod „Uranus”, a fost elaborat sub conducerea generalului de armată Georgy Konstantinovici Jukov și a generalului colonel Alexander Mihailovici Vasilevski.
În timpul contraofensivei pe scară largă de la Stalingrad (19 noiembrie 1942 – 2 februarie 1943), trupele sovietice au desfășurat operațiunea „Inel”, în timpul căreia au reușit să conducă Armata a 6-a a lui Paulus într-o „căldare” între râurile Don și Volga. Dându-și seama de inutilitatea situației lor, până la sfârșitul lunii ianuarie unitățile germane au început să se predea în masă. Pe 31 ianuarie, feldmareșalul Paulus a capitulat împreună cu generalii și ofițerii de stat major. Pe 2 februarie au fost eliminate ultimele buzunare de rezistență germană, iar formațiunile militare ale statelor aliate ale Germaniei au fost distruse.
Bătălia de la Stalingrad s-a încheiat cu o victorie strălucitoare a Armatei Roșii. A marcat începutul unei schimbări radicale nu numai în cursul Marelui Război Patriotic, ci și în întregul Al Doilea Război Mondial în ansamblu.
La Stalingrad, Wehrmacht-ul și unitățile de luptă ale țărilor Axei care luptau de partea Reichului au pierdut un sfert din forțele care operau pe frontul sovieto-german. Pierderile totale ale inamicului în morți, răniți, capturați și dispăruți s-au ridicat la aproximativ 1,5 milioane de oameni, în legătură cu care, pentru prima dată în război, a fost declarat doliu național în Germania.
Inițiativa strategică în război a trecut la Armata Roșie. Victoria de la Stalingrad a creat condițiile pentru desfășurarea unei ample contraofensive de către trupele sovietice și expulzarea invadatorilor naziști de pe teritoriul ocupat al URSS.
⬇️⬇️⬇️
📆 Am 2. Februar wird in Russland der Tag des militärischen Ruhms begangen. An diesem Tag 1943 hat die Rote Armee die Nazi-Truppen in der Schlacht um Stalingrad bezwungen. Dieser legendäre Sieg markierte den Beginn eines radikalen Wendepunkts im Großen Vaterländischen Krieg und den Beginn des Zusammenbruchs des Dritten Reiches.
🔹 Die Schlacht um Stalingrad dauerte 200 Tage und Nächte lang. Viele Monate hintereinander wurde die Stadt brutal umkämpft. Eine Frontlinie als solche gab es nicht. Die sowjetischen Soldaten kämpften um jedes Haus und jede Straße gegen die Nazi-Invasoren. Eine Gruppe von Rotarmisten unter der Führung von Leutnant Iwan Afanassjew und Stabsfeldwebel Jakow Pawlow verteidigte das legendäre vierstöckige Pawlow-Haus achtundfünfzig Tage lang – länger als Frankreich den Deutschen Widerstand leistete. Dieses Haus wurde später zum Symbol der heldenhaften Verteidigung Stalingrads.
🔹 Am 19. November 1942 starteten sowjetische Truppen eine Gegenoffensive, die als Operation Uranus in die Geschichtsbücher einging, um den Feind bei Stalingrad einzukesseln. Die gesamte deutsche 6. Armee – 330.000 Soldaten und Offiziere der Wehrmacht – geriet in den „Kessel von Stalingrad“.
🔹 Die Niederlage der deutschen Streitkräfte in Stalingrad veränderte nicht nur die Lage an der Ostfront, sondern beeinflusste auch den weiteren Verlauf des Zweiten Weltkriegs, die Welt rückte dem endgültigen Sieg über den Nationalsozialismus näher. Sie löste auch eine Welle der Sympathie für die Sowjetunion in der ganzen Welt aus. Als Zeichen der Bewunderung des britischen Volkes überreichte Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin auf der Konferenz von Teheran ein symbolträchtiges Geschenk – das Schwert von Stalingrad. Es trägt eine Inschrift in russischer und englischer Sprache: „An die Bürger von Stalingrad, stark wie Stahl, von König Georg VI. als Zeichen der tiefen Bewunderung des britischen Volkes“.
@RusBotschaft
#Geschichte#Stalingrad#Weltkrieg
23 décembre 2023
Représentant de l’association Sos Donbass à Paris Vincent Perfetti a participé à la Commémoration de la bataille de Stalingrad et Célébration de l’amitié Franco Russe. Vincent a prit la parole au soutien des habitants du Donbass. Une marche également a eu lieu de la place de Stalingrad à la Bastille.
#Stalingrad#Paris#commémoration#FranceRussie
#Victory81
🌟 On February 2, 1943, the #BattleOfStalingrad — one of the most brutal battles of the Great Patriotic War and #WW2, which turned the tide of that terrible and bloody conflict — concluded with the total and complete defeat of the Nazi forces.
The fight for Stalingrad lasted for2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days and nights, surpassing all previous battles in world history both in scale and intensity. The combat to the death took place in Stalingrad for each and every alley, every house, every inch of the ground. During that battle, more than 2.1 million people were involved on both sides.
The Nazi invaders, obsessed with the illusion of their superiority and strive to enslave the Soviet people, failed in Stalingrad — never ever had the Germans managed to break the spirit or morale of the defenders of our Motherland. The Red Army soldiers, showing unparalleled courage,braveryandheroism, stood their ground with steadfastness and achieved a great victory that would eventually define the outcome of the entire #WWII.
The Nazi war machine suffered a crushing and catastrophic defeat, which, as history would show, was fatal for Germany.
☝️ At Stalingrad, the Red Army showed that the Third Reich and Nazism are beatable, that they can and will be destroyedonce and for all.
***
In the summer of 1942, the Nazi troops launched another major offensive on the southern flank of the Soviet–German front.
At that time, the target was #Stalingrad— a key industrial and transport hub on the Volga river. Had the Nazis succeeded, Hitler’s barbarians would have severed crucial supply lines, seized the rich agricultural regions of Kuban and Stavropol, and broken through to the Caucasus, where they hoped to capture abundant oilfields.
The entire power of the Nazi war machine fell on Stalingrad on July 17 — the city’s heroic defence commenced. The enemy committed up to 80 Wehrmacht divisions to that attack, followed by savage combat for the city raging almost all around the clock days and nights. The Soviet defenders fought firmly, leaving not a single inch of our Motherland.
The Wehrmacht troops, commanded by infamous Nazi General Friedrich Paulus (it was him who devised operation 'Barbarossa' plan — Germany’s treacherous attack on the Soviet Union) were confronted by the Soviet 62nd and 64th armies. Vasily Chuikov, the commander of the 62nd Army, is rightly considered to be one of the architects of the victory at Stalingrad — the brilliant tactician, he refined and put into practice assault-group strategy that became key to our triumph in Stalingrad.
By mid-November 1942, after fierce and lasting resistance and regrouping of forces, the Red Army created favourable conditions to launch counter-offensive near Stalingrad👉 from November 19, 1942 to February 2, 1943, the Soviet forces brilliantly executed the operation 'Ring', having successfully encircled Nazis 6th Army in “cauldron” between the Don and Volga rivers.
OnJanuary 31, Field Marshal Paulus and his staff unconditionally surrendered. On February 2, the last pockets of Nazis' resistance were eliminated, with Germany’s 'axis' troopscompletely destroyed.
🎖 The Battle of Stalingrad ended in aRed Army's brilliant military triumph. The Nazis lost up to 1/4 of all the personnel and equipment deployed on the entire Eastern Front.
Since then,the word “Stalingrad” has echoed, and will forever echo, in the hearts and collective memory of our people as an enduring reminder of the Great Heroic Feat performed by the defenders of our Motherland.
***
On November 29, 1943, during the Tehran Conference, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill presented Joseph Stalin with a sword specially forged by the order of King George VI in tribute to the courage and resilience of Stalingrad defenders.
Inscribed on the blade were the words:
TO THE STEEL-HEARTED CITIZENS OF STALINGRAD • THE GIFT OF KING GEORGE VI • IN TOKEN OF THE HOMAGE OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE
The sword became an iconic commemorative relic, symbolising the Anglo-American allies’ eternal tribute to the Heroic Soviet victorious generation.
🇷🇺#JourDeLaGloireMilitaire du 2 février, institué en l'honneur de la victoire dans la bataille de #Stalingrad — l'une des plus grandes et des plus décisives de l'histoire
🗓 Ce jour-là en 1943, l'Armée rouge a infligé une défaite écrasante aux hordes nazies, composées des Allemands et de leurs alliés de l'Axe, scellant ainsi le destin du Troisième Reich.
Symbole d’indestructibilité, de ténacité et d’abnégation du peuple soviétique, cette bataille a vu les défenseurs de Stalingrad tenir tête à l’ennemi pendant 200 jours, repoussant sans relâche des assauts meurtriers avant d’anéantir les troupes hitlériennes les plus puissantes.
C’est ici que se sont déroulés les combats les plus titanesques et les plus acharnés de l’histoire, bouleversant le cours de la Seconde Guerre mondiale et marquant le début de la chute de l'Axe.
⚔️ Sur différents fronts de la bataille, plus de 2,1 millions de soldats ont combattu simultanément des deux côtés. À la fin de juin 1942, l'ennemi avait concentré, entre Koursk et Taganrog, sur un front de 600 à 650 kilomètres, jusqu'à 35% de son infanterieet plus de 50% de ses divisions blindées et motorisées présentes sur le front germano-soviétique.
🏚️ L’un des symboles de la bataille a été la défense héroïque de la #MaisonPavlov. Ce bâtiment résidentiel, tenu par 31 soldats soviétiques sous le commandement du sergent Yakov Pavlov, a résisté pendant près de deux mois à des assauts constants des forces allemandes. Ces 31 hommes ont tenu plus longtemps que toute la France face à Hitler en 1940.
Stalingrad et ses défenseurs ne se sont jamais rendus. Grâce à une volonté de fer, une résistance inébranlable et un courage inégalé, le peuple soviétique a brisé l’offensive nazie et infligé à l’ennemi l’une de ses plus grandes défaites.
👉En savoir plus sur les exploits des soldats soviétiques à Stalingrad
#Victoire80
#Victory81
🌟 On February 2, 1943, the #BattleOfStalingrad — one of the most brutal battles of the Great Patriotic War and #WW2, which turned the tide of that terrible and bloody conflict — concluded with the total and complete defeat of the Nazi forces.
The fight for Stalingrad lasted for2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days and nights, surpassing all previous battles in world history both in scale and intensity. The combat to the death took place in Stalingrad for each and every alley, every house, every inch of the ground. During that battle, more than 2.1 million people were involved on both sides.
The Nazi invaders, obsessed with the illusion of their superiority and strive to enslave the Soviet people, failed in Stalingrad — never ever had the Germans managed to break the spirit or morale of the defenders of our Motherland. The Red Army soldiers, showing unparalleled courage,braveryandheroism, stood their ground with steadfastness and achieved a great victory that would eventually define the outcome of the entire #WWII.
The Nazi war machine suffered a crushing and catastrophic defeat, which, as history would show, was fatal for Germany.
☝️ At Stalingrad, the Red Army showed that the Third Reich and Nazism are beatable, that they can and will be destroyedonce and for all.
***
In the summer of 1942, the Nazi troops launched another major offensive on the southern flank of the Soviet–German front.
At that time, the target was #Stalingrad— a key industrial and transport hub on the Volga river. Had the Nazis succeeded, Hitler’s barbarians would have severed crucial supply lines, seized the rich agricultural regions of Kuban and Stavropol, and broken through to the Caucasus, where they hoped to capture abundant oilfields.
The entire power of the Nazi war machine fell on Stalingrad on July 17 — the city’s heroic defence commenced. The enemy committed up to 80 Wehrmacht divisions to that attack, followed by savage combat for the city raging almost all around the clock days and nights. The Soviet defenders fought firmly, leaving not a single inch of our Motherland.
The Wehrmacht troops, commanded by infamous Nazi General Friedrich Paulus (it was him who devised operation 'Barbarossa' plan — Germany’s treacherous attack on the Soviet Union) were confronted by the Soviet 62nd and 64th armies. Vasily Chuikov, the commander of the 62nd Army, is rightly considered to be one of the architects of the victory at Stalingrad — the brilliant tactician, he refined and put into practice assault-group strategy that became key to our triumph in Stalingrad.
By mid-November 1942, after fierce and lasting resistance and regrouping of forces, the Red Army created favourable conditions to launch counter-offensive near Stalingrad👉 from November 19, 1942 to February 2, 1943, the Soviet forces brilliantly executed the operation 'Ring', having successfully encircled Nazis 6th Army in “cauldron” between the Don and Volga rivers.
OnJanuary 31, Field Marshal Paulus and his staff unconditionally surrendered. On February 2, the last pockets of Nazis' resistance were eliminated, with Germany’s 'axis' troopscompletely destroyed.
🎖 The Battle of Stalingrad ended in aRed Army's brilliant military triumph. The Nazis lost up to 1/4 of all the personnel and equipment deployed on the entire Eastern Front.
Since then,the word “Stalingrad” has echoed, and will forever echo, in the hearts and collective memory of our people as an enduring reminder of the Great Heroic Feat performed by the defenders of our Motherland.
***
On November 29, 1943, during the Tehran Conference, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill presented Joseph Stalin with a sword specially forged by the order of King George VI in tribute to the courage and resilience of Stalingrad defenders.
Inscribed on the blade were the words:
TO THE STEEL-HEARTED CITIZENS OF STALINGRAD • THE GIFT OF KING GEORGE VI • IN TOKEN OF THE HOMAGE OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE
The sword became an iconic commemorative relic, symbolising the Anglo-American allies’ eternal tribute to the Heroic Soviet victorious generation.
#Victory81
🌟 On February 2, 1943, the #BattleOfStalingrad — one of the most brutal battles of the Great Patriotic War and #WW2, which turned the tide of that terrible and bloody conflict — concluded with the total and complete defeat of the Nazi forces.
The fight for Stalingrad lasted for2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days and nights, surpassing all previous battles in world history both in scale and intensity. The combat to the death took place in Stalingrad for each and every alley, every house, every inch of the ground. During that battle, more than 2.1 million people were involved on both sides.
The Nazi invaders, obsessed with the illusion of their superiority and strive to enslave the Soviet people, failed in Stalingrad — never ever had the Germans managed to break the spirit or morale of the defenders of our Motherland. The Red Army soldiers, showing unparalleled courage,braveryandheroism, stood their ground with steadfastness and achieved a great victory that would eventually define the outcome of the entire #WWII.
The Nazi war machine suffered a crushing and catastrophic defeat, which, as history would show, was fatal for Germany.
☝️ At Stalingrad, the Red Army showed that the Third Reich and Nazism are beatable, that they can and will be destroyedonce and for all.
***
In the summer of 1942, the Nazi troops launched another major offensive on the southern flank of the Soviet–German front.
At that time, the target was #Stalingrad— a key industrial and transport hub on the Volga river. Had the Nazis succeeded, Hitler’s barbarians would have severed crucial supply lines, seized the rich agricultural regions of Kuban and Stavropol, and broken through to the Caucasus, where they hoped to capture abundant oilfields.
The entire power of the Nazi war machine fell on Stalingrad on July 17 — the city’s heroic defence commenced. The enemy committed up to 80 Wehrmacht divisions to that attack, followed by savage combat for the city raging almost all around the clock days and nights. The Soviet defenders fought firmly, leaving not a single inch of our Motherland.
The Wehrmacht troops, commanded by infamous Nazi General Friedrich Paulus (it was him who devised operation 'Barbarossa' plan — Germany’s treacherous attack on the Soviet Union) were confronted by the Soviet 62nd and 64th armies. Vasily Chuikov, the commander of the 62nd Army, is rightly considered to be one of the architects of the victory at Stalingrad — the brilliant tactician, he refined and put into practice assault-group strategy that became key to our triumph in Stalingrad.
By mid-November 1942, after fierce and lasting resistance and regrouping of forces, the Red Army created favourable conditions to launch counter-offensive near Stalingrad👉 from November 19, 1942 to February 2, 1943, the Soviet forces brilliantly executed the operation 'Ring', having successfully encircled Nazis 6th Army in “cauldron” between the Don and Volga rivers.
OnJanuary 31, Field Marshal Paulus and his staff unconditionally surrendered. On February 2, the last pockets of Nazis' resistance were eliminated, with Germany’s 'axis' troopscompletely destroyed.
🎖 The Battle of Stalingrad ended in aRed Army's brilliant military triumph. The Nazis lost up to 1/4 of all the personnel and equipment deployed on the entire Eastern Front.
Since then,the word “Stalingrad” has echoed, and will forever echo, in the hearts and collective memory of our people as an enduring reminder of the Great Heroic Feat performed by the defenders of our Motherland.
***
On November 29, 1943, during the Tehran Conference, UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill presented Joseph Stalin with a sword specially forged by the order of King George VI in tribute to the courage and resilience of Stalingrad defenders.
Inscribed on the blade were the words:
TO THE STEEL-HEARTED CITIZENS OF STALINGRAD • THE GIFT OF KING GEORGE VI • IN TOKEN OF THE HOMAGE OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE
The sword became an iconic commemorative relic, symbolising the Anglo-American allies’ eternal tribute to the Heroic Soviet victorious generation.
#Victory80
🌟 February 2, 1943, one of the most brutal battles of #WWII and all of history — the Battle of Stalingrad — concluded.
For 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days and nights the Battle of Stalingrad raged on the banks of the Don and the Volga rivers, and in the city proper, or rather what was left of it following merciless Nazi bombardments and stubborn defender fighting for every street, alley and house. The battle itself surpassed in scope and intensity all prior battles of #WWII. During that battle, more than 2.1 million people fought on both sides.
By the end of June 1942, the Nazis concentrated in the strip of land from Kursk to Taganrog on the front of 600-650 kilometers up to 35% of infantry, over 50% of armour and motorized divisions of the total number of Wehrmacht troops deployed on the Soviet-German front.
During the planning of the Stalingrad operation, the enemy had several objectives: to gain a foothold on the Volga River and thus deprive the #SovietUnion of control over one of the most important transportation arteries of the country. The capture of #Stalingrad, according to the assessment of the Nazi military command, would open the way for the Wehrmacht to the Caucasus, where the Germans hoped to obtain the most important resource for making the war machine continue — oil fields.
Traditionally, according to the historians, the Battle was divided into two stages:
• Defensive phase: from July 17 to November 18, 1942;
• Offensive phase: from November 19, 1942 to February 2, 1943.
During the first stage, July 17 - November 18, 1942, the Red Army had to conduct defensive operations and engaged the enemy in fierce street battles directly in the city. The forces of the 62nd and 64th Soviet armies, led by Vassily Chuikov, commander of the 62nd Army, engaged the troops of the 6th Army of the Wehrmacht under the command of Lieutenant General Paulus.
By mid-November 1942, as a result of stubborn resistance and the deployment of the Red Army reserves favorable conditions were created for launching the counteroffensive. The plan for the operation code-named#Uranus was developed under the leadership of Army General Georgy Zhukov and Colonel General Alexander Vasilevsky.
During the large-scale counteroffensive at Stalingrad (November 19, 1942 — February 2, 1943), Soviet forces conducted the operation #Ring, during which the Red Army managed to drive Paulus's 6th Army into a “cauldron” between the Don and Volga rivers. Realizing the futility of further action, by the end of January the Nazi units began to surrender en masse.
On January, 31, General Paulus (promoted by Hitler to to General-Field Marshal), together with other German generals and officers at Stalingrad finally surrendered. OnFebruary 2, the last pockets of Nazi resistance were eliminated.
The #BattleOfStalingrad ended with a complete victory of the Red Army. For the first time ever the all-consuming Nazi war machine was weighed, measured and found wanting. This marked a turning point not only in the the Great Patriotic War, but that of the entire #WWII.
In Stalingrad, Wehrmacht and its auxiliary forces from the Axis lost 1/4 of all troops deployed by the Reich on the Eastern front. Total enemy losses amount to ~1.5 million soldiers and officers.
From that moment forward thestrategic initiative was on the side of the Red Army. The Victory in Stalingrad created favourable conditions for further full-scale counteroffensive of Soviet forces to expel the enemy from the Nazi-occupied territory of the USSR.
🌐 The defeat of the bulk of the enemy troops not only shocked the world and significantly raised the international prestige of the Soviet Union and its Armed Forces, but also contributed to the strengthening and tightening of the anti-Hitler coalition.
🎖 Victory in the Battle of Stalingrad was in large achieved through superior strategy and tactics, but also due to mass heroism of Soviet soldiers, officers and hard work of all those on the home front. 112 participants of the Battle were awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
#WeRemember