Results of lifting the blockade of Leningrad. Day of breaking the blockade of Leningrad. Historical background and position of the city

Leningrad blockade – a tragic period in the history of the city on the Neva, a military blockade by German, Finnish and Spanish (Blue Division) troops with the participation of volunteers from North Africa, Europe and the Italian naval forces. More than 640 thousand people died from hunger alone, tens of thousands died during artillery shelling and bombing, died in evacuation.

Lasted from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944 (the blockade ring was broken January 18, 1943) - 872 days.

The encirclement got 2 million 544 thousand civilians of the city (including about 400 thousand children), 343 thousand residents of suburban areas, troops defending the city. Food and fuel supplies were limited (only 1-2 months). On September 8, 1941, as a result of an air raid and a fire that broke out, food warehouses to them. A.E. Badayev.

Food cards were introduced: from October 1, workers and engineers and technicians began to receive 400 g of bread a day, all the rest - 200 g each. Public transport stopped, because by the winter of 1941-1942 there were no fuel and electricity supplies left. Food stocks were rapidly declining, and in January 1942, only 200/125 grams of bread a day were per person. By the end of February 1942, more than 200,000 people had died from cold and hunger in Leningrad.

But the city lived and fought: factories continued to produce military products, theaters and museums worked. All the time when the blockade was going on, the Leningrad radio did not fall silent, where poets and writers performed. On July 2, 1942, the score of Dmitri Shostakovich's 7th Symphony was delivered from the Urals, which on August 9, 1942 was performed by the orchestra of the Radio Committee in Leningrad besieged by the Germans.

By the beginning of the blockade, the city did not have sufficient reserves of food and fuel. The only way of communication with Leningrad was Lake Ladoga, which was within the reach of the artillery and aviation of the besiegers; the united naval flotilla of the enemy also operated on the lake. The capacity of this transport artery did not meet the needs of the city.

The residents of the city, who were weakened from hunger, were taken out along the "Road of Life": first of all, they evacuated children, women with children, sick, wounded and disabled people, as well as students, workers of the evacuated factories and their families.

On March 25, 1942, it was decided to clear the city of snow, ice, mud, sewage, corpses, and by April 15 the city was put in order by the forces of emaciated Leningraders and soldiers of the local garrison. Trams started to run in Leningrad again.

In the next blockade winter of 1942-1943. The position of besieged Leningrad improved significantly: public transport was running, enterprises were operating, schools, cinemas were opened, water supply and sewerage were in operation, city baths were working, etc.

The city's defense was first led by K.E. Voroshilov, and after his removal - G.K. Zhukov, A.N. Kosygin, who actually replaced the first secretary of the Leningrad Regional Committee of the CPSU (b) A.A. Zhdanov. It was Kosygin who organized the movement on the "Road of Life" and settled the differences between the civil and military authorities.

The breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad began by order of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief on January 12, 1943, with the offensive of the troops of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts in cooperation with the Red Banner Baltic Fleet (KBF) south of Lake Ladoga. A narrow ledge separating the troops of the fronts was chosen as the place for breaking the blockade. On January 18, the 136th Infantry Division and the 61st Tank Brigade of the Leningrad Front broke into the Workers' Village No. 5 and merged with the units of the 18th Infantry Division of the Volkhov Front. On the same day, units of the 86th Infantry Division and the 34th Ski Brigade liberated Shlisselburg and cleared the entire southern coast of Lake Ladoga from the enemy. In 18 days the builders erected a crossing across the Neva and laid a railroad and a road in the corridor pierced along the coast. The enemy blockade was broken.

By the end of 1943, the situation on the fronts had changed radically, and Soviet troops were preparing for the final liquidation of the blockade of Leningrad. On January 14, 1944, the forces of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts, supported by the artillery of Kronstadt, began the final part of the operation to liberate Leningrad. TO January 27, 1944 Soviet troops broke into the defenses of the 18th German Army, defeated its main forces and advanced 60 kilometers in depth.

After the blockade was lifted, the siege of Leningrad by enemy troops and navy continued until September 1944. To force the enemy to lift the siege of the city, in June - August 1944, Soviet troops, supported by ships and aviation of the Baltic Fleet, conducted the Vyborg and Svir-Petrozavodsk operations, liberated Vyborg on June 20, and Petrozavodsk on June 28. In September 1944, the island of Gogland was liberated. With the liberation of Pushkin, Gatchina and Chudovo, the blockade of Leningrad was completely lifted.

For massive heroism and courage in defending the Motherland in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, shown by the defenders of besieged Leningrad, according to the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on May 8, 1965, the city was awarded the highest degree of distinction - the title of Hero City.

T. S. Chechviy

MOSCOW, 18 Jan- RIA Novosti, Andrey Stanavov. The defeat of seven German divisions and a land corridor, punched along the coast of Ladoga to the northern capital, choking under siege, on Thursday, January 18, marks exactly 75 years since the breakthrough of the blockade ring around Leningrad. The troops of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts with powerful blows towards each other cut the Wehrmacht's defenses and in a few days threw the enemy back 12 kilometers from the coast of Ladoga. The Germans in this battle lost about 30 thousand killed, wounded and missing. Three weeks after the breakthrough, a railway was laid, and the first trains with food and ammunition went to Leningrad, and the power supply improved. RIA Novosti reports on how Soviet troops during Operation Iskra managed to bite into the steel collar of Hitler's divisions, which had strangled the city since September 1941.

Unapproachable kilometers

The headquarters of the Supreme Command came to the decision on another attempt to break the blockade of Leningrad on the wave of the successes of the Soviet troops at Stalingrad. A large-scale counteroffensive and encirclement of Paulus's group in the winter of 1942 radically changed the situation at the front, creating good preconditions for new strategic operations.

To unblock the besieged city, it was decided to deliver the main blows near Shlisselburg - in the narrowest part of the protrusion of the German defense, adjacent to Lake Ladoga. At this point, the frontiers of the forward units of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts were separated by some 15 kilometers of occupied land, plowed up and down by German trenches and anti-tank ditches. This area was best suited for two swift counter-attacks — from the west (from within the ring) and from the east.

During the years of the blockade, the Wehrmacht managed to dig in here thoroughly. The so-called Shlisselburg-Sinyavinsky ledge was a powerful fortified area, held by five well-armed and well-equipped divisions of Army Group North. Fearing a breakthrough, the enemy pulled here 700 guns and mortars, as well as up to fifty tanks. The defense in the area was held by the 26th Army Corps of General Leiser and parts of the 54th Corps.

Numerous bunkers, strongholds and captured Soviet tanks buried in the ground were connected by wide ramparts of logs and earth. Poured with water, the shafts grabbed in the cold and became as strong as concrete. The space between the nodes of resistance was covered with barbed wire, densely mined and shot through with crossfire. From above, all this economy was covered by the Junkers and Messerschmitts of the 1st Luftwaffe Air Fleet.

The meeting place can be changed

The commanders of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts managed to build up shock "kulaks" near Shlisselburg at the expense of reserves and the transfer of forces from other directions in a short time. From inside the blockade ring, on the 13-kilometer section of the breakthrough, almost two thousand guns and mortars were concentrated, and outside, on the section of the Volkhov front, the density of artillery in places reached 365 units per kilometer. From the sky, the operation was supported by the pilots of the 13th (Leningrad Front) and 14th (Volkhov Front) air armies. From the sea - ships of the Baltic fleet.

It was agreed to attack simultaneously from two directions, and the troops of both fronts, according to the plan, were to meet at Workers' villages No. 2 and 6. If one of the sides had gone there before the other, then it was necessary to break through further, before meeting their own. To hide the preparation of the offensive from the enemy, the equipment and personnel were moved only at night or in bad weather, all discussions and meetings were held in absolute secrecy. Historians note that no more than a dozen people owned the full picture of the upcoming strike. This helped - the Germans felt that something was wrong, but until recently they did not know when and where exactly the Russians would strike.

© Infographics

© Infographics

Reinforced for the breakthrough, the 2nd Shock Army of Lieutenant General Romanovsky (Volkhov Front) and the 67th Army of Major General Dukhanov (Leningrad Front) were ready for battle as early as January 1, 1943, but the weather intervened in the plans of the military. Due to the thaw, peat bogs became limp, and the ice melted on the Neva, through which it was to be crossed. The operation had to be postponed for two weeks.

Stalin was so worried about the success of the upcoming offensive that he urgently recalled from the Voronezh front and sent Army General Georgy Zhukov to Leningrad, instructing him to coordinate the operation. He inspected the units and came to the conclusion that there were still not enough tanks, guns and ammunition in the direction of the main attack. In addition, he identified a number of shortcomings in tactics. With the approval of Stalin, the stocks of shells were replenished, the equipment between the units was redistributed more competently.

Battle of Ladoga

January 12 morning. In the areas of the breakthrough, the first volleys of Soviet artillery rumbled. For almost two and a half hours, the positions of the Germans are methodically ironed out of hundreds of land and ship trunks, and aviation is massively working at headquarters and strong points. The German trenches are covered with waves of explosions of heavy shells. Almost simultaneously with the completion of the artillery barrage, the infantry of both shock groups rises to the attack under the cover of the barrage. Rifle divisions advancing from inside the blockade ring cross the Neva on the ice and bite into the battle formations of the Wehrmacht. Despite the powerful artillery bombardment, the revived German trenches meet Soviet soldiers with heavy machine-gun and artillery fire.

The attackers have no heavy and medium tanks - thin ice could not withstand them, so they have to be content with the support of light T-60, BT-5, T-26 and armored vehicles. They, like cardboard, flare up under the blows of armor-piercing shells of the anti-tank guns of the Nazis. Soon the offensive of the 67th Army was choking, by the end of the day it was possible to wedge into the enemy's defenses by only three kilometers. The rate of breakthrough is reduced by impassable peatlands and minefields.

The situation on the outer side of the ring, in the zone of attack of the 2nd shock, coming from the east, is no easier. Units of the 8th Army were advancing on the left flank. The Germans resist violently. The rifle divisions, bogged down in battles, captured three trenches in a day and fought their way a couple of kilometers to the west. Soon, the soldiers of the 327th Rifle Division took possession of the especially fortified stronghold of the Nazis - the Kruglaya grove. This is the first crushing blow to the entire German defense system in the area. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the German command urgently plugs the breakthrough zones with three fresh infantry divisions. Endless exhausting counterattacks begin. Under the threat of encirclement, some of the breakthrough units of the 67th Army roll back.

It is noteworthy that it was here, during Operation Iskra near Leningrad, that Soviet troops first knocked out and captured the newest German heavy tanks Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. H1 - legendary "Tigers", which will then be carefully studied by experts in Kubinka.

On January thirteenth and fourteenth, the command of both fronts introduces fresh units of the second echelons. With new forces, it is possible to press down and partially block the German grouping near Shlisselburg, where the hardest battles are raging. The breakout zone is gradually expanding. Soldiers of the ski brigade of the 2nd Shock Army bypass the Germans on the ice of Lake Ladoga and attack them from the rear near the village of Lipka.

The troops of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts, rushing towards each other, are separated by only a couple of kilometers. The Nazis feverishly deploy two more divisions from the south - the infantry and the SS with the telling name "Polizai". They get involved in the battle from the wheels, but they can no longer stop the rapidly closing pincers of the two Soviet strike groups.

On the morning of January 18, units of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts meet in Workers' villages No. 5 and No. 1. The ring around Leningrad is broken.

Corridor of life

On the same day, Soviet shock units knock the Germans out of Shlisselburg, clean out the southern bank of Ladoga, expand the pierced corridor to 8-11 kilometers and unite in a single front deployed to the southwest, in the direction of the Sinyavinsky heights inhabited and fortified by the Germans. However, it is no longer possible to take them on the move and move to the Kirov railway - heavy losses are affecting, the soldiers are exhausted by the battles, and ammunition is running out.

In addition, in recent days, the Nazis managed to pull up units of five divisions, dozens of artillery barrels here, turning the already well-fortified heights into an impregnable fortress. Having made several unsuccessful assault attempts, the troops of the 67th and 2nd shock armies went over to the defensive, holding the conquered land corridor. After some three weeks, the first trains with ammunition, food and raw materials will go to Leningrad along it.

This victory came at a high cost. The troops of the Leningrad Front lost more than 40 thousand people wounded and killed, and the Volkhov Front - more than 70 thousand. And although the day of the complete lifting of the blockade of Leningrad during the Leningrad Novgorod operation is officially considered January 27, 1944, Operation Iskra made it possible to partially unblock the besieged city and significantly alleviate its situation. Before that, the city was connected to the mainland only by the famous "Road of Life", laid on the ice of Lake Ladoga. In the summer, food was transported by barges and delivered by air. In total, the blockade lasted 900 days and became the bloodiest in the history of mankind: more than 640 thousand civilians died from hunger and shelling.

The blockade of Leningrad lasted exactly 871 days. This is the longest and most terrible siege of the city in the history of mankind. Almost 900 days of pain and suffering, courage and dedication. After many years after breaking the blockade of Leningrad many historians, and ordinary people as well, wondered - could this nightmare be avoided? To avoid - apparently not. For Hitler, Leningrad was a "tasty morsel" - after all, there is the Baltic Fleet and the road to Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, from where during the war came help from the allies, and if the city surrendered, it would be destroyed and wiped off the face of the earth. Was it possible to mitigate the situation and prepare for it in advance? The issue is controversial and worthy of a separate study.

The first days of the blockade of Leningrad

On September 8, 1941, in continuation of the offensive of the fascist army, the city of Shlisselburg was captured, thus the blockade ring was closed. In the early days, few believed in the seriousness of the situation, but many residents of the city began to thoroughly prepare for the siege: literally in a few hours all savings were withdrawn from the savings banks, the shops were empty, everything that was possible was bought up. Not everyone succeeded in evacuating when the systematic shelling began, but they began immediately, in September, the escape routes were already cut off. There is an opinion that it was the fire that occurred on the first day blockade of Leningrad in the Badayev warehouses - in the storage of the city's strategic reserves - provoked a terrible famine during the blockade days. However, not so long ago declassified documents provide somewhat different information: it turns out that as such a "strategic reserve" did not exist, since under the conditions of the outbreak of the war, create a large reserve for such a huge city as Leningrad was (and at that time about 3 Millions of people) was not possible, so the city ate imported products, and the existing reserves would only last for a week. Literally from the first days of the blockade, ration cards were introduced, schools were closed, military censorship was introduced: any attachments to letters were prohibited, and messages containing decadent sentiments were seized.

The blockade of Leningrad - pain and death

Memories of the blockade of Leningrad peoplesurvivors, their letters and diaries reveal a terrible picture to us. A terrible famine fell upon the city. Money and jewelry have depreciated. The evacuation began in the fall of 1941, but only in January 1942 did it become possible to take a large number of people, mainly women and children, through the Road of Life. There were huge queues at the bakeries where the daily ration was served. Beyond hunger besieged Leningrad other disasters also attacked: very frosty winters, sometimes the thermometer dropped to -40 degrees. The fuel ran out and the water pipes froze - the city was left without electricity and drinking water. Another misfortune for the besieged city in the first blockade winter was the rats. They not only destroyed food supplies, but also spread all kinds of infections. People were dying, and there was no time to bury them, the corpses lay right in the streets. There were cases of cannibalism and robberies.

Life of besieged Leningrad

Simultaneously leningraders tried with all their might to survive and not let their hometown die. Moreover, Leningrad helped the army by producing military products - the factories continued to operate in such conditions. Theaters and museums were restoring their activity. It was necessary - to prove to the enemy, and, most importantly, to ourselves: leningrad blockade will not kill the city, it continues to live! One of the brightest examples of striking dedication and love for the Motherland, life, hometown is the story of the creation of one piece of music. During the blockade, D. Shostakovich's most famous symphony was written, which was later named "Leningrad". Rather, the composer began writing it in Leningrad, and finished it already in evacuation. When the score was ready, it was taken to the besieged city. By that time a symphony orchestra had already resumed its activity in Leningrad. On the day of the concert, so that enemy raids could not disrupt it, our artillery did not allow a single fascist aircraft to approach the city! All the days of the siege, the Leningrad radio was working, which was for all Leningraders not only a life-giving source of information, but also simply a symbol of continuing life.

The Road of Life - the pulse of a besieged city

From the first days of the blockade, the Road of Life began its dangerous and heroic work - pulse besieged Leningradand... In summer - a water route, and in winter - an ice path connecting Leningrad with the "mainland" along Lake Ladoga. On September 12, 1941, the first barges with food came to the city along this route, and until late autumn, when storms made navigation impossible, barges traveled along the Road of Life. Each of their voyages was a feat - enemy aircraft constantly made their bandit raids, weather conditions were often not in the hands of the sailors either - the barges continued their voyages even in late autumn, until the very appearance of ice, when navigation was in principle impossible. On November 20, the first horse-drawn sled carriage descended on the ice of Lake Ladoga. A little later, trucks set off along the Ice Road of Life. The ice was very thin, despite the fact that the truck was carrying only 2-3 bags of food, the ice broke, and there were frequent cases when the trucks sank. At the risk of their lives, the drivers continued their deadly flights until spring. Military highway number 101, as this route was called, made it possible to increase the bread ration and evacuate a large number of people. The Germans constantly tried to break this thread connecting the blockaded city with the country, but thanks to the courage and strength of the spirit of Leningraders, the Road of Life lived on its own and gave life to the great city.
The significance of the Ladoga route is enormous; it saved thousands of lives. Now on the shores of Lake Ladoga there is a museum "The Road of Life".

Children's contribution to the liberation of Leningrad from the blockade. Ensemble A.E. Obrant

At all times there is no greater grief than a suffering child. Children under blockade are a special topic. Having matured early, not childishly serious and wise, they with all their strength, along with adults, brought victory closer. Children are heroes, each fate of which is a bitter echo of those terrible days. Children's dance ensemble A.E. Obranta is a special piercing note of the blockade city. In the first winter blockade of Leningrad many children were evacuated, but despite this, for various reasons, many more children remained in the city. The Palace of Pioneers, located in the famous Anichkov Palace, passed to martial law with the beginning of the war. I must say that 3 years before the start of the war, the Song and Dance Ensemble was created on the basis of the Palace of Pioneers. At the end of the first blockade winter, the remaining teachers tried to find their pupils in the besieged city, and choreographer A.E. Obrant created a dance group from the children who remained in the city. It's scary to even imagine and compare the terrible days of siege and pre-war dances! But nevertheless the ensemble was born. First, the guys had to recover from exhaustion, only then they could start rehearsals. However, in March 1942 the first performance of the band took place. The soldiers, who had seen a lot, could not hold back tears, looking at these courageous children. Remember, how long did the blockade of Leningrad last? So during this considerable time, the ensemble has given about 3000 concerts. Wherever the guys had to perform: often concerts had to end in a bomb shelter, since several times during the evening the performances were interrupted by air raids, it happened that young dancers performed several kilometers from the front line, and in order not to attract the enemy with unnecessary noise, they danced without music, and the floors were covered with hay. Strong in spirit, they supported and inspired our soldiers, the contribution of this collective to the liberation of the city can hardly be overestimated. Later, the guys were awarded medals "For the Defense of Leningrad".

Breaking the blockade of Leningrad

In 1943, a turning point occurred in the war, and at the end of the year, Soviet troops were preparing to liberate the city. On January 14, 1944, during the general offensive of the Soviet troops, the final operation on lifting the blockade of Leningrad... The task was to deliver a crushing blow to the enemy south of Lake Ladoga and restore the land routes connecting the city with the country. Leningrad and Volkhov fronts by January 27, 1944, with the help of Kronstadt artillery carried out breaking the blockade of Leningrad... The Nazis began to retreat. The cities of Pushkin, Gatchina and Chudovo were soon liberated. The blockade was completely lifted.

A tragic and great page in Russian history that claimed more than 2 million lives. As long as the memory of these terrible days lives in the hearts of people, finds a response in talented works of art, is passed from hand to hand to descendants - this will not happen again! The blockade of Leningrad briefly, but was succinctly described by Vera Inberg, her lines are a hymn to the great city and at the same time a requiem for the departed.

The blockade of Leningrad was broken three years after the start of the siege. All this time, attempts to break through did not stop. The heroic help of the civilian population and the dedication of the defenders of Leningrad saved the city from destruction. How did they manage it and what price they had to pay.

In the fall of 1941, the city of Leningrad was taken by German troops into a blockade ring. Since during the storming of Leningrad heavy losses of personnel were expected on both sides, the enemy command decides to simply starve the civilians to death. Thereby minimizing losses for yourself. Therefore, during the Leningrad battle, the main goal of the Soviet army was to break the blockade ring.

The city did not have sufficient food supplies from the beginning. And this was known to both the Soviet and German command. In the city, bread cards were introduced even before the siege of Leningrad. At first it was only a preventive measure, and the bread rate was sufficient - 800 grams per person. But already on September 2, 1941, it was reduced (the blockade ring was closed on September 8), and in the period from November 20 to December 25, the rate was cut to 250 grams of bread for workers and 125 grams for employees, children and dependents.

The only link between the besieged city and the country was the shores of Lake Ladoga. On it, first on ships, and later on ice, food was delivered to the city. The residents of besieged Leningrad continued to evacuate in the same way. This path along Lake Ladoga was known as the Road of Life. But, with all the efforts and heroism of the people who worked there, this flow was insufficient to save the city. Although thanks to him, thousands and thousands of lives were saved. Moving around it in itself is fraught with enormous dangers. In addition, it was necessary to constantly fear attacks from enemy aircraft.

Road on Lake Ladoga - "The Road of Life"

1941 events

Despite the fact that at the same time the large-scale offensive of the Wehrmacht was unfolding, which resulted in the battle for Moscow, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters paid no less attention to the Leningrad Front. Stalin gave a personal order to prevent the capture of Leningrad at any cost. Zhukov conveyed this idea to the soldiers as simply as possible. He explained that the family of anyone who voluntarily leaves their position or succumbs to panic will be shot.

Even before the ring of the enemy blockade closed, the railway communication between Leningrad and the rest of the country was interrupted. Therefore, the 54th Army received an order to launch an offensive in the direction of the village of Mgi in order to seize the railway section and restore communication with Leningrad. While the army was being pulled in this direction, the Germans took possession of Shlisselburg, thus closing the encirclement ring.

In this regard, the task of the 54th army was immediately changed. They had to break through the blockade before the German units had time to solidify themselves. They began to act immediately. On September 10, Soviet soldiers began to attack the enemy. They were able to recapture several plots of land, but after only two days, powerful enemy counterattacks were thrown back to their original positions. Day after day, the Red Army men renewed their attacks. They attacked at different times, and tried to break through different sectors of the front. But all was unsuccessful. It was not possible to break through the enemy blockade. For such a failure, Marshal of the Soviet Union Kulik was removed from office.

Meanwhile, Zhukov, whose task was to directly defend the city from enemy attempts to seize Leningrad, did not dare to weaken the main forces and come to the rescue. However, he allocated part of the Nevskaya task force to break through the ring. They managed to reclaim a small piece of land, an area of \u200b\u200bonly two kilometers. Later it was named Nevsky Piglet. These few kilometers cost the lives of 50,000 Soviet soldiers. Although, as is the case with many other battles of the Great Patriotic War, these data are disputed. There are those who call the figure of 260 thousand people. According to statistics, the soldiers arriving here lived from 5 minutes to 52 hours. 50 thousand shells hit the Nevsky Piglet per day.

The attacks went on one after another. Over a period of 43 days, 79 attacks were made. In hindsight, these terrible sacrifices can be said to have been in vain. It was not possible to make a breach in the German defense. But at the time when these bloody battles were taking place, this piece of land was the only hope for breaking the blockade of Leningrad. And in the city people were literally dying of hunger. And they died by the thousands just walking down the street. Therefore, they fought without looking back.

Memorial "Nevsky Piglet"

Attempts to break through the blockade of Leningrad in 1942

In January 1942, troops near Leningrad were ordered to encircle and destroy the 18th German Army, located south of the city. To accomplish this task, the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts had to act in concert to meet each other. On the seventh of January we made the Volkhov front. It took them a week to start crossing the Volkhov. The breakthrough was a success, and the 2nd Army began to build on the success, wedging into the enemy's ranks. She managed to advance 60 km. But the Leningrad Front, for its part, could not advance. For three months the 2nd Army held its positions. And then the Germans cut it off from the main forces, thus blocking the ability of the Volkhov Front to send reinforcements. No one from the groups of the Leningrad Front managed to break through. The soldiers were surrounded. They could not break through the ring. Within four months, the 2nd Army was completely exterminated.

In the summer, they set another task, not so grandiose. The troops had to break through a small corridor so that it became possible to restore land ties with the besieged city. This time the Leningrad Front began to act. It seemed unsuccessful. However, according to the plan, this advance was only to distract the enemy. Eight days later, the offensive of the Volkhov Front began. This time it was possible to bring it closer to half the distance to the connection with Leningrad. But this time, too, the Germans managed to push the Soviet troops back to their original positions. As a result of this operation to break through the enemy siege, as before, a large number of people died. The German side lost 35 thousand people in these battles. USSR - 160 thousand people.

Breaking the blockade

The next attempt was made on January 12, 1943. The area chosen for the offensive was very difficult, and the Leningrad soldiers were suffering from exhaustion. The enemy fortified himself on the left bank of the river, which was higher than the right. On the slope, the Germans installed fire weapons in tiers, which reliably covered all the approaches. And the slope itself was prudently flooded with abundant water, turning it into an impregnable glacier.

The Leningrad fighters who took part in the offensive had been training hard for several months, literally rehearsing everything they had to do during the attack. On the appointed day in the morning, artillery salvos burst out simultaneously from both fronts, which lasted more than two hours. As soon as the artillery ceased, targeted airstrikes began. And immediately after them, assault groups went ahead. With the help of "cats", crimps and assault ladders, they successfully overcame the ice barrier and rushed into battle.

This time the resistance was broken. Although the German groups fought desperately, they had to retreat. The most fierce battles were on the flanks of the breakthrough. Even after the German groups were surrounded there, they continued to fight. The German command began to hastily send reserves to the place of the breakthrough, trying to close the gap and restore the encirclement ring. But this time they failed. The corridor, 8 kilometers wide, was reclaimed and retained. In just 17 days, a road and a railroad were laid along it.

Lifting the blockade of Leningrad

The breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad in 1943 was of great importance. Thanks to the formed corridor, it became possible to evacuate the remaining civilians and provide the troops with the necessary supplies. But the complete lifting of the blockade of Leningrad took place only after another year of bloody battles.

The plan for the next military operation was developed, like the previous one, by Govorov. He introduced him to the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander in September 1943. Having received approval, Govorov began to prepare. As in the case of the previous operation, he tried to work through everything to the smallest detail in order to achieve the goal, having suffered the least losses. The operation began on January 14, 1944. Its final result was to be the complete lifting of the blockade of Leningrad.

By all the rules of military affairs, the beginning was again laid by powerful artillery preparation. After that, the 2nd Army moved from the Oranienbaum bridgehead. At the same time, the 42nd Army marched from the Pulkovo Heights. This time they managed to break through the defenses. Moving towards each other, the groupings of these armies in hot battles wedged deep into the enemy defenses. They utterly defeated the Peterhof-Strelna German grouping. On January 27, 1944, the blockademen managed to push the enemy grouping back 100 kilometers from the city. The terrible siege was finally lifted.

Realizing the importance of the event of lifting the blockade of Leningrad, the commanders Zhdanov and Govorov decided to take an unprecedented step - they turned to Stalin with a request to allow the victorious salute to be made not in Moscow, as was customary, but in Leningrad itself. A great city that stood in a great test was allowed to do so. On January 27, to mark the day of the breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad, 324 guns in the city fired four volleys.

Several decades have passed. People who personally saw the besieged Leningrad have grown old. Many of them have already died. But the contribution of the defenders of Leningrad has not been forgotten. The Great Patriotic War is rich in tragic and heroic events. But the day of the liberation of Leningrad is still remembered today. Of the seven desperate breakthrough attempts, for each of which thousands of fighters paid with their lives, only two were successful. But these achievements were not surrendered by the Soviet troops. Attempts by the Germans to restore the blockade were unsuccessful.

MOSCOW, 18 Jan- RIA Novosti, Andrey Stanavov. The defeat of seven German divisions and a land corridor, punched along the coast of Ladoga to the northern capital, choking under siege, on Thursday, January 18, marks exactly 75 years since the breakthrough of the blockade ring around Leningrad. The troops of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts with powerful blows towards each other cut the Wehrmacht's defenses and in a few days threw the enemy back 12 kilometers from the coast of Ladoga. The Germans in this battle lost about 30 thousand killed, wounded and missing. Three weeks after the breakthrough, a railway was laid, and the first trains with food and ammunition went to Leningrad, and the power supply improved. RIA Novosti reports on how Soviet troops during Operation Iskra managed to bite into the steel collar of Hitler's divisions, which had strangled the city since September 1941.

Unapproachable kilometers

The headquarters of the Supreme Command came to the decision on another attempt to break the blockade of Leningrad on the wave of the successes of the Soviet troops at Stalingrad. A large-scale counteroffensive and encirclement of Paulus's group in the winter of 1942 radically changed the situation at the front, creating good preconditions for new strategic operations.

To unblock the besieged city, it was decided to deliver the main blows near Shlisselburg - in the narrowest part of the protrusion of the German defense, adjacent to Lake Ladoga. At this point, the frontiers of the forward units of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts were separated by some 15 kilometers of occupied land, plowed up and down by German trenches and anti-tank ditches. This area was best suited for two swift counter-attacks — from the west (from within the ring) and from the east.

During the years of the blockade, the Wehrmacht managed to dig in here thoroughly. The so-called Shlisselburg-Sinyavinsky ledge was a powerful fortified area, held by five well-armed and well-equipped divisions of Army Group North. Fearing a breakthrough, the enemy pulled here 700 guns and mortars, as well as up to fifty tanks. The defense in the area was held by the 26th Army Corps of General Leiser and parts of the 54th Corps.

Numerous bunkers, strongholds and captured Soviet tanks buried in the ground were connected by wide ramparts of logs and earth. Poured with water, the shafts grabbed in the cold and became as strong as concrete. The space between the nodes of resistance was covered with barbed wire, densely mined and shot through with crossfire. From above, all this economy was covered by the Junkers and Messerschmitts of the 1st Luftwaffe Air Fleet.

The meeting place can be changed

The commanders of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts managed to build up shock "kulaks" near Shlisselburg at the expense of reserves and the transfer of forces from other directions in a short time. From inside the blockade ring, on the 13-kilometer section of the breakthrough, almost two thousand guns and mortars were concentrated, and outside, on the section of the Volkhov front, the density of artillery in places reached 365 units per kilometer. From the sky, the operation was supported by the pilots of the 13th (Leningrad Front) and 14th (Volkhov Front) air armies. From the sea - ships of the Baltic fleet.

It was agreed to attack simultaneously from two directions, and the troops of both fronts, according to the plan, were to meet at Workers' villages No. 2 and 6. If one of the sides had gone there before the other, then it was necessary to break through further, before meeting their own. To hide the preparation of the offensive from the enemy, the equipment and personnel were moved only at night or in bad weather, all discussions and meetings were held in absolute secrecy. Historians note that no more than a dozen people owned the full picture of the upcoming strike. This helped - the Germans felt that something was wrong, but until recently they did not know when and where exactly the Russians would strike.

© Infographics

© Infographics

Reinforced for the breakthrough, the 2nd Shock Army of Lieutenant General Romanovsky (Volkhov Front) and the 67th Army of Major General Dukhanov (Leningrad Front) were ready for battle as early as January 1, 1943, but the weather intervened in the plans of the military. Due to the thaw, peat bogs became limp, and the ice melted on the Neva, through which it was to be crossed. The operation had to be postponed for two weeks.

Stalin was so worried about the success of the upcoming offensive that he urgently recalled from the Voronezh front and sent Army General Georgy Zhukov to Leningrad, instructing him to coordinate the operation. He inspected the units and came to the conclusion that there were still not enough tanks, guns and ammunition in the direction of the main attack. In addition, he identified a number of shortcomings in tactics. With the approval of Stalin, the stocks of shells were replenished, the equipment between the units was redistributed more competently.

Battle of Ladoga

January 12 morning. In the areas of the breakthrough, the first volleys of Soviet artillery rumbled. For almost two and a half hours, the positions of the Germans are methodically ironed out of hundreds of land and ship trunks, and aviation is massively working at headquarters and strong points. The German trenches are covered with waves of explosions of heavy shells. Almost simultaneously with the completion of the artillery barrage, the infantry of both shock groups rises to the attack under the cover of the barrage. Rifle divisions advancing from inside the blockade ring cross the Neva on the ice and bite into the battle formations of the Wehrmacht. Despite the powerful artillery bombardment, the revived German trenches meet Soviet soldiers with heavy machine-gun and artillery fire.

The attackers have no heavy and medium tanks - thin ice could not withstand them, so they have to be content with the support of light T-60, BT-5, T-26 and armored vehicles. They, like cardboard, flare up under the blows of armor-piercing shells of the anti-tank guns of the Nazis. Soon the offensive of the 67th Army was choking, by the end of the day it was possible to wedge into the enemy's defenses by only three kilometers. The rate of breakthrough is reduced by impassable peatlands and minefields.

The situation on the outer side of the ring, in the zone of attack of the 2nd shock, coming from the east, is no easier. Units of the 8th Army were advancing on the left flank. The Germans resist violently. The rifle divisions, bogged down in battles, captured three trenches in a day and fought their way a couple of kilometers to the west. Soon, the soldiers of the 327th Rifle Division took possession of the especially fortified stronghold of the Nazis - the Kruglaya grove. This is the first crushing blow to the entire German defense system in the area. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the German command urgently plugs the breakthrough zones with three fresh infantry divisions. Endless exhausting counterattacks begin. Under the threat of encirclement, some of the breakthrough units of the 67th Army roll back.

It is noteworthy that it was here, during Operation Iskra near Leningrad, that Soviet troops first knocked out and captured the newest German heavy tanks Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. H1 - legendary "Tigers", which will then be carefully studied by experts in Kubinka.

On January thirteenth and fourteenth, the command of both fronts introduces fresh units of the second echelons. With new forces, it is possible to press down and partially block the German grouping near Shlisselburg, where the hardest battles are raging. The breakout zone is gradually expanding. Soldiers of the ski brigade of the 2nd Shock Army bypass the Germans on the ice of Lake Ladoga and attack them from the rear near the village of Lipka.

The troops of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts, rushing towards each other, are separated by only a couple of kilometers. The Nazis feverishly deploy two more divisions from the south - the infantry and the SS with the telling name "Polizai". They get involved in the battle from the wheels, but they can no longer stop the rapidly closing pincers of the two Soviet strike groups.

On the morning of January 18, units of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts meet in Workers' villages No. 5 and No. 1. The ring around Leningrad is broken.

Corridor of life

On the same day, Soviet shock units knock the Germans out of Shlisselburg, clean out the southern bank of Ladoga, expand the pierced corridor to 8-11 kilometers and unite in a single front deployed to the southwest, in the direction of the Sinyavinsky heights inhabited and fortified by the Germans. However, it is no longer possible to take them on the move and move to the Kirov railway - heavy losses are affecting, the soldiers are exhausted by the battles, and ammunition is running out.

In addition, in recent days, the Nazis managed to pull up units of five divisions, dozens of artillery barrels here, turning the already well-fortified heights into an impregnable fortress. Having made several unsuccessful assault attempts, the troops of the 67th and 2nd shock armies went over to the defensive, holding the conquered land corridor. After some three weeks, the first trains with ammunition, food and raw materials will go to Leningrad along it.

This victory came at a high cost. The troops of the Leningrad Front lost more than 40 thousand people wounded and killed, and the Volkhov Front - more than 70 thousand. And although the day of the complete lifting of the blockade of Leningrad during the Leningrad Novgorod operation is officially considered January 27, 1944, Operation Iskra made it possible to partially unblock the besieged city and significantly alleviate its situation. Before that, the city was connected to the mainland only by the famous "Road of Life", laid on the ice of Lake Ladoga. In the summer, food was transported by barges and delivered by air. In total, the blockade lasted 900 days and became the bloodiest in the history of mankind: more than 640 thousand civilians died from hunger and shelling.