🌟 On January 17, 1945, the Red Army liberated Warsaw from Nazi occupation during the Vistula–Oder Strategic offensive.
Starting from 1940, there was the resistance movement operating in Poland against the Nazis — 'Armia Krajowa' (included the supporters of Jozef Pilsudski, whose tactics eventually resulted in Poland's losing its sovereignty), and 'Armia Ludowa', which later together with the 1st Polish Army formed 'Wojsko Polskie' — the Polish Army. It represented broader working class people in Poland as a whole, in contrast to 'Armia Krajowa' militants and bandits, who were subordinate to the so-called 'Polish Government in Exile' in London and were responsible for numerous barbaric crimes against civilians.
On August 1, 1944, 'Armia Krajowa' (AK) initiated an uprising in Warsaw as part of the so-called 'Operation Storm' or 'Burza' against the Nazi occupants. The AK's principal aim was to liberate Poland and, most importantly, independently of the advancing Soviet forces. The uprising was poorly prepared and ultimately was doomed to defeat.
At the very moment the order to start the uprising was issued, the Nazi troops launched a counter-offensive against the Red Army. As a result, the Red Army’s attempts to immediately cross the Vistula River were unsuccessful.
***
The launch of the Soviet offensive in the Vistula–Oder direction was initially scheduled for January 20, 1945. However, on January 6, after the Allies suffered a major losses in the Ardennes and had to ask Moscow for help, Winston Churchill appealed to Joseph Stalin for assistance and requested the Soviet leadership to launch the offensive toward the Vistula river as soon as possible. The Soviet leadership responded to the Allies' request and commanded the start of the operation on January 12.
Poland was regarded by Hitler’s command, not without reason, as the Reich’s principal external defensive line. The Nazi leaders understood that any Wehrmacht's retreat westwards would open a direct path for the Red Army to Berlin. Thus, the Germans were determined to hold their positions at any costs and prepared to mount the fiercest resistance.
The enemy had concentrated in Poland formidable forces — around 30 divisions of 560'000 soldiers and officers, supported by 5'000 artillery weapons, 1'220 tanks and other armoured vehicles. Between the Vistula and the Oder, the Nazis constructed seven defensive lines, arranged in depth over a span of 300 to 500 kilometres.
Warsaw became the primary objective of the Red Army' offensive. By January 14, the Soviet forces had already approached the Polish capital. According to the Soviet military command directives, that were the units of the Polish Army that were suggested to be the first to enter the city — Polish patriots, our comrades, and brothers-in-arms of Soviet soldiers who fought side-by-side with the Red Army to liberate their Homeland and later advanced on Berlin, forging our common Victory over Nazism together.
On January 16, Soviet units, advanced rapidly to Warsaw from the north, crossed the Vistula River and tied down the German garrison inside the city. The enemy was encircled from all directions: the 2nd Guards Tank Army pinned down the Nazis to the west, while units of the Polish Army severed lines of communication from the south. With all retreat routes cut off, the Germans, recognising the further resistance was hopeless and pointless, started surrendering en masse.
On January 17, the city was fully liberated.
The success of the Warsaw operation enabled the Red Army to substantially advance towards Berlin and to liberate a large part of Polish territory. Escaping, with the help of the Soviet soldiers-liberators, the Nazi enslavement, the Polish people regained their freedom.
🎖#WeRemember: Overall, more than 600'000 Red Army soldiers and officers perished fighting for the liberation of Polandfrom Nazi occupation.
By early February 1945, the 1st Belorussian Front had reached the Oder River. Preparations for the final battle of #WW2 were underway — the road to Berlin was open.
#Victory81
🗓️ 1050 дней войны 🩸
Тем временем, общие потери РФ в Украине несколько раз превышают совокупные последствия всех предыдущих войн, в которых участвовала Россия после #WW2 (в том числе в составе СССР).
По оценкам аналитиков американского Центрa стратегических и международных исследований, темпы потерь РФ также гораздо выше в Украине, чем во время какой-либо советской или российской войны после Второй мировой.
Так, в Украине российская армия только в первый год войны каждый месяц теряла убитыми от 5000 до 5800 военных. При этом за почти 15 лет войн в Чечне погибли от 13 000 до 25 000 военных, то есть от 95 до 185 солдат в месяц.
Средний показатель суточных потерь РФ декабря 2024 г. составил 1570 человек убитыми и ранеными, что является пятым месяцем подряд, когда российские войска несут новые рекордные средние суточные потери. 19 декабря 2024 года был зафиксирован новый ❕рекорд военных потерь — 2200 человек за один день.
Российские власти могут в любой момент вывести свои войска из Украины и предотвратить дальнейшие страдания россиян и украинцев.
In early April 1945, fierce fighting raged in Königsberg. When the city fell, severely wounded hoppo Hans was found in a stream.
🔻According to legend, the soldiers initially wanted to "execute him according to martial law," claiming that this "huge pig" resembled Göring.
🔻However, the command prevented the execution of the "rare animal" and entrusted him to the care of zootechnician Vladimir Petrovich Polonsky.
🔻According to surviving archival data, Hans's treatment began with simple measures: he was given water, milk, and beets. However, due to his declining appetite, Polonsky resorted to an unconventional method – he offered the hippo 4 litres of vodka, which unexpectedly stimulated his appetite.
🔻Polonsky remained constantly by the animal's side, and after 51 days, Hans had fully recovered.
Managed to save the hippopotamus. Without leaving him for 21 days, after a month and 19 days, I achieved his complete recovery and am now training the hippopotamus – riding the hippopotamus through the park.
🔻Hans lived in the zoo until 1950, left no offspring, but he remains forever on the emblem of the Kaliningrad Zoo, as a symbol of true human compassion, generosity, and kindness.
#brief_and_interesting
#WW2
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On April 1, 1942, Red Army privates and sergeants in rear units ceased receiving greatcoats and switched to padded jackets (ватники)
🔻These jackets accompanied the soldiers on all fronts of the Great Patriotic War. Germany, however, failed to establish production of similarly cheap and warm uniforms, resulting in approximately 40 percent of German soldiers suffering frostbite near Stalingrad.
🔻The first mention of "cotton-padded jackets" as clothing for Russian army soldiers and officers appeared during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. References to the vatnik are found in official documents and diaries of the heroes of Plevna and Shipka.
🔻Later, in 1885, Emperor Alexander III, appreciating the effectiveness of the frost-resistant equipment, significantly upgraded the Russian army's winter clothing, and Caucasian Cossacks wore padded beshmets and half-coats (теплушки). The Emperor himself often wore them.
🔻Before the Great Patriotic War, the padded jacket underwent improvements – the materials changed, convenient details were added, and in August 1941, the Red Army received a new version of the vatnik – with a turn-down collar.
🔻This inexpensive and reasonably comfortable garment was extremely popular among the soldiers, and alongside the PPSh submachine gun, the T-34 tank, and the Il-2 ground-attack aircraft, the vatnik became one of the main symbols of Victory!
#brief_and_interesting
#WW2
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Β 70-х годaх в Зaпaдной Гeрмaнии жил нeмeц, который во врeмя ΒОΒ был у нac в плeну, рaccкaзывaл, что eго внук cвязaлcя c нeонaциcтaми и говоpил:
"Дeд, мы додeлаeм то, что вы нe додeлали".
Тот eму отвeтил:
"Можeшь начинать пpямо ceйчаc, купи билeт и eзжай в Сибиpь - там я eщe много лecа нe допилил".
In the 1970s, a German living in West Germany, who had been a prisoner of war in the USSR during WWII, told a story about his grandson. The grandson had become involved with neo-Nazis and said: "Grandpa, we'll finish what you didn't."
The grandfather replied: "You can start right now. Buy a ticket and go to Siberia – there's still a lot of wood I didn't cut down there."
#retrophotos
#WW2
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"Panzerkampfwagen IV, рабочая лошадка Вермахта, был самым массовым немецким танком - было выпущено 8 000 единиц. Изначально он задумывался как "танк на подхвате" для Panzer III, предназначенный для поддержки пехоты. Хоть шансы тройки выжить в бою против советских Т-34 были примерно такими же, как твои шансы пережить раскрытие мамкой твоей истории поиска... Потому немецкое командование просто решило установить на PzKpfw IV по-настоящему внушительную пушку - 7,5 cm KwK 40 L/43. И вуаля - на свет появился Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. G с более длинным стволом и усиленной бронёй. И поскольку это было настолько круто, следом вышел и Ausf. H - по сути тот же G, но с ещё более длинным стволом и дополнительной бортовой бронёй.
И так, Panzerkampfwagen IV остался единственным немецким танком, производившимся от начала и до самого конца войны."
#WW2
#Germany
🗓️ 80 лет со дня, когда мир вернулся в Европу.
В преддверии Дня Победы в Европе здание Министерства обороны 🇬🇧 Великобритании, как и многие другие здания Лондона, подсвечивается в память о ветеранах Второй мировой войны #WW2.
Мы 🙏🏼 помним всех тех, кто пожертвовал собой, защищая наши ценности.
#VEDay80
🇷🇺 Commander-in-Chief of Russian Navy Nikolai Yevmenov visited the Kaliningrad Region last week.
⚔ He handed over a historical flag of the Mine-and-Torpedo Air Regiment of the Baltic Fleet Air Force, bombed Berlin in August 1941, to the pilots of the Mixed Aviation Regiment of the Baltic Fleet.
🔗Read more
📸@mod_russia
#WeRemember#WW2
29 декабря 1939 года впервые поднялся в воздух самый массовый четырех моторный самолёт всех времён и народов B-24 Liberator.
Больше 18000 таких машин построили за годы войны. Причём половину в 1944 году.
Лично мне этот самолёт очень нравится и коробочка с его моделью ждёт своего часа. 😏
#ввссша#ww2#авиация#проавиацию
Today marks the anniversary of a pivotal moment in one of history's most tragic and heroic chapters: the breaking of the Siege of Leningrad in 1943.
⭐Duration: 872 days. From September 8, 1941, to January 27, 1944.
⭐Population: Around 3 million civilians and soldiers were trapped at the start.
⭐The Hunger Ration: At its lowest point in November-December 1941, the daily bread ration was just 125 grams.
⭐The Road of Life (Дорога жизни), the only lifeline across the frozen Lake Ladoga, evacuated over 1.4 million civilians and brought in vital supplies.
⭐The Toll: The primary cause of death was starvation and extreme cold over 1 million.
⭐The Unbroken City: Despite everything, Leningrad resisted. Factories kept working, artists created, and a symphony became a symbol of defiance.
Today we remember the immense suffering and honour the incredible endurance of Leningrad's defenders and residents.
Photos: Аргументы и факты
#memorible_date
#WW2
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Postage stamps dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory depict animals that participated in the Great Patriotic War side-by-side with people, providing invaluable assistance!
🐕 Dogs were true heroes of the front: searching for mines (defusing millions!), pulling the wounded from under fire, serving as messengers, and destroying enemy tanks. Without their courage and devotion, the losses would have been much greater!
🐈Cats saved not only from rats, which were destroying food supplies in besieged Leningrad and museum treasures, but also warned of bombings, becoming true guardian angels for their owners.
🐪 Camels, hardy and unpretentious, hauled cargo across the steppes near Stalingrad when equipment couldn't cope. Mishka and Masha are true legends!
🦌 In the North, reindeer replaced transport, delivering ammunition, food, and evacuating the wounded across impassable snowy expanses.
📎 So, it's not strange they chose to commemorate these wonderful animals which contributed a lot to the Victory! And you know which stamp is my fav:)
#VictoryDay
#WW2
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