Documents about the beginning of the war. This is how the war began: the Ministry of Defense published unique historical documents

On the Day of Memory and Sorrow, the Russian Ministry of Defense published declassified archival documents about the first hours and first bloody battles of the Great Patriotic War. On the department's website you can see a copy of the directive of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR No. 1 and the combat order of Marshal Semyon Timoshenko, as well as award sheets that describe the exploits of Soviet soldiers and officers. In addition, a captured map of the initial stage of the German invasion of the USSR - the Barbarossa plan - is presented. Previously unknown facts about the first days of the war are in the RT material.

RIA Novosti june-22.mil.ru

The Russian Ministry of Defense has published declassified documents about the first days of the Great Patriotic War. In the early morning of June 22, 1941, the Soviet Union was subjected to a large-scale, treacherous invasion by Nazi Germany and its allies. Since 1996, the anniversary of the beginning of the Second World War has been celebrated in Russia as the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow.

"Uncovered group"

Materials from the Ministry of Defense convey the tragedy of the events of the initial period of the Great Patriotic War. According to the documents, the Soviet command was aware of the deployment of large enemy forces in close proximity to the state border.

The effective work of military intelligence is evidenced by the map of the initial stage of the capture of the European part of the USSR, called the Barbarossa plan. It shows the main directions of attacks and groupings of the Red Army that were supposed to be surrounded.

Trophy map of the initial stage of the German invasion of the USSR - “Plan Barbarossa” june-22.mil.ru

The aggressive plans of the Nazi regime were discussed in the reports of the military leaders of the Baltic and Kyiv special military districts.

The attack on the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 resulted in a terrible tragedy for two hundred million people. As part of the plan...
“The grouping of fascist German troops on the eve of the war... was known quite fully to the district headquarters... The discovered grouping... was regarded by the intelligence department as an offensive group with a significant saturation of tanks and motorized units,” says the report of the deputy head of the intelligence department of the headquarters of the Baltic Special Military District, Lieutenant General Kuzma Derevianko.

Moscow closely monitored the transfer of enemy troops, but did not build up the border force, so as not to provoke Germany. The commander of the 8th Army of the Baltic Special Military District, Lieutenant General Pyotr Sobennikov, indicated in a report to the General Staff that the Red Army personnel did not believe in the imminent outbreak of war.

“How unexpectedly the war began for the approaching troops can be judged, for example, by the fact that the personnel of the heavy artillery regiment, moving along the railway at dawn on June 22, arrived at the station. Siauliai, having seen the bombing of our airfields, believed that “the maneuvers had begun,” noted Lieutenant General Derevianko.

Of greatest interest are the documents signed on June 22 by the high command of the Red Army. We are talking about Directive No. 1 of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, Marshal Semyon Timoshenko, which was handed over to the troops at 1:45. The document ordered the commanders of the 3rd, 4th and 10th armies not to succumb to German provocations.

Combat Order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 2 of June 22, 1941 june-22.mil.ru

At 7:15 am, the Combat Order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 2, compiled by the Chief of the General Staff Georgy Zhukov, was issued. The document contained an order:

“with all forces and means will fall on the enemy forces and destroy them where they violated the Soviet border.” At the same time, the Red Army aviation was given the order to strike enemy airfields.

“We could feel the approach of war”

One of the first blows of the Third Reich's military machine was taken by the 55th Infantry Division, which was part of the 4th Army of the Kyiv Special Military District. Despite the colossal superiority of the enemy, the soldiers showed extraordinary resilience.

Thus, the battery of senior lieutenant Borisov destroyed 6 Wehrmacht tanks with direct fire, and the platoon of junior lieutenant Brykl set fire to 6 tracked vehicles of Nazi Germany.

The 99th Infantry Division, which covered Przemysl, brought real terror to the enemy. On June 23, this formation, together with other units of the Red Army, recaptured the right bank part of the city and restored the border.

Description of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, compiled by a group led by Colonel General A.P. Pokrovsky june-22.mil.ru

“In the first few days of fighting, the city changed hands three times. All this time, the enemy brought reserves into the battle, persistently trying to seize the initiative... The division command decided to prevent the enemy from breaking through... while continuing to hold the state border,” the Ministry of Defense quotes the award sheet of one of the commanders of the 99th division, Colonel Dementyev.

In a conversation with RT, candidate of historical sciences Alexei Isaev noted that published documents, and in particular Directive No. 1, indicate that the Soviet command was aware of the inevitability of the imminent outbreak of war. However, troops received instructions in an encrypted manner, and this inevitably reduced the speed of response to military threats.
“This led to the fact that the Wehrmacht’s attack was unexpected for the Red Army. However, it must be admitted that the Directive reached many parts, and in accordance with its provisions, the troops were put on combat readiness. And yet there was very little time left to implement the Directive. Therefore, already in the first hours of the war, the army suffered very heavy losses,” Isaev stated.

The expert said that the Red Army units made every effort to carry out orders to repel aggression, and also often acted proactively, showing training and heroism.

According to Isaev, the surviving bombers of the Baltic Military District went to bomb enemy territory without waiting for the combat order published by the Ministry of Defense. In addition, the Soviet air strike on a German tank division in the Ustinlug area near Vladimir Volynsky (Western Ukraine) became famous.

“The approach of war was felt, and Soviet soldiers were ready to sell their lives dearly. The hour came when they had to do their duty, and they did it.

For the enemy, the persistent resistance of Soviet troops came as a complete surprise. The Red Army offered stubborn resistance along the entire front - from Palanga to Przemysl,” Isaev emphasized.

On the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow, June 22, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation published digitized copies of declassified documents relating to the initial period of the Great Patriotic War. In addition to a large number of various orders and directives of the highest military command of the USSR, award lists for personal courage and exploits, documents on military districts and a captured German map with the Barbarossa plan, which provided for the defeat of Soviet Russia during a short-term campaign, were made public.

The Russian military department noted that the portal with documents is an “unprecedented information resource” dedicated to the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, and described the role of the project as “a barrier to the growing falsification of history.” The published materials “documentarily debunk many false myths” and become important elements in the system of military-patriotic education of the younger generation, they emphasized.

The search and digitization of documentation was carried out by the Department of Information and Mass Communications of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation together with the Central Archive of the Military Department.

Among the published documents is the 1st directive of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, which called “not to succumb to provocative actions” in all military districts of the Soviet Union. At the same time, People's Commissar Timoshenko set a task for the troops: to be in full combat readiness and expect a sudden attack from the Germans or their allies.

In addition, the People's Commissar of Defense ordered to secretly occupy the firing points of fortified areas on the state border during the night of June 22 and disperse aviation to field airfields, carefully camouflaging it.

Following Tymoshenko’s order comes combat order number 2 of the drug defense: it was drawn up by the head of the Red Army three hours after the start of hostilities - at 07:15 in the morning.

“German aircraft, without any provocation, raided and bombed our airfields and cities along the western border,” the handwritten order said in blue pencil.

Zhukov, “in connection with the unheard-of impudence of an attack from Germany,” ordered the troops “to attack enemy forces with all their might and means and destroy them in areas where they violated the Soviet border.”

In addition, aviation was ordered to bomb the German cities of Königsberg and Memel, and “not to touch the territory of Romania and Finland.” However, at the end of the order there is a postscript from Zhukov addressed to the first deputy chief of staff: “Bomb Romania.”

In addition, a large number of unique documents related to the personal destinies of war heroes have been published on the Ministry of Defense website. For example, the story of the 158th Fighter Regiment, which covered the Pskov region, and the exploits of junior lieutenants Pyotr Kharitonov and Stepan Zdorovtsev are briefly told. These aviators were the first to carry out an aerial ramming attack on the Northern Front.

“With a difference of one hour, our young brave pilots, in an air battle with German aces, went to ram and with the propellers of their planes chopped off the tail fins of Hitler’s machines,” the publication says.

The story is accompanied by color illustrations of air rams. After that battle, both pilots returned alive to their home airfield.

Zdorovtsev died on July 9, the day after receiving the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. On the way back in the Pskov area, he met a group of enemy fighters and engaged them in battle. The forces turned out to be unequal, and Zdorovtsev died in this battle. The award certificate was presented to his wife.

The fate of Pyotr Kharitonov was less tragic: he went through the entire war, received the title of Hero in 1944, after which he was sent to study at the Air Force Academy. He graduated from it in 1952, and in 1955 he was transferred to the reserve.

The hero pilot lived in Donetsk and worked at the headquarters of the city's Civil Defense. Died February 1, 1987. He was also buried in Donetsk.

On the occasion of the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow, the Ministry of Defense launched a unique historical project. The department has published copies of declassified documents about the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

Declassified archival documents, directives of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, orders, reports, award documents with descriptions of the first exploits of Soviet soldiers. Unique facts that clearly show what happened in the first hours and days of the Great Patriotic War. The secret encryption, dated June 22, was compiled at 01:45. Sent at half past three. According to which, all units of the Red Army were ordered to be in full combat readiness. A surprise attack by the Germans was expected, including after provocative actions. The task for our troops was not to give in to provocations, but to be prepared. From the combat order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 2 of June 22, 1941:

“On June 22, 1941, at 04:00 in the morning, German aviation, without any reason, carried out raids on our airfields and cities along the western border and bombed them. In connection with the unheard-of impudence of attacks by Germany on the Soviet Union, I order: troops to attack with all their might and means on enemy forces and destroy them in areas where they violated the Soviet border. Until further notice, ground troops will not cross the border."

And signatures: Timoshenko, Malenkov, Zhukov. The declassified archives contain dozens of memoirs of eyewitnesses and direct participants in the first days of the war. They, of course, are not without subjectivity, but nevertheless show that the high command knew about the impending attack and realistically assessed the situation. But the enemy, who had two years of combat experience, and due to the resources of already captured countries, was much stronger.

A trophy map captured during the fighting on June 22, which shows the main lines of attack by the troops of Nazi Germany. The German command was counting on a quick victory, but, according to an analysis of declassified documents, having recovered from the first swift strike of the Nazis, despite the existing difficulties of the peaceful rather than military principle of supplying troops, the headquarters were still able to properly manage the military operations.

And without a doubt - a feat of ordinary soldiers. On June 25, senior lieutenant Mikhail Borisov met enemy tanks moving along the road. The battery destroyed 6 enemy tanks with direct fire from three guns. Comrade Borisov is worthy of the Order of the Red Banner. A Red Army soldier, comrade Efim Balakar, was on guard guard at points in the city. At the time of the attack, he did not lose his head, occupied the bunker, installed a heavy machine gun, and for a day and a half repelled enemy attacks with machine gun fire and prevented him from crossing the San River. When the danger was over, he took the heavy machine gun and joined his regiment. Worthy of the Order of the Red Star.

On Sunday, June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany and its allies unleashed an invasion force unprecedented in history on our country: 190 divisions, more than 4 thousand tanks, 47 thousand guns and mortars, about 4.5 thousand aircraft, up to 200 ships, only 5 million people.

The first strikes were carried out by German aircraft at dawn. Hundreds of German bombers invaded Soviet airspace. They bombed airfields, troop locations in the western border districts, railway junctions, communication lines and other important facilities, as well as large cities in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova.

At the same time, Wehrmacht troops concentrated along the entire length of the State Border of the USSR opened hurricane artillery fire on border outposts, fortified areas, formations and units of the Red Army stationed in close proximity to it. After artillery and aviation training, they crossed the State Border of the USSR along the entire length - from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. The Great Patriotic War began - the most difficult of all the wars the country has ever experienced.

It is these events of the first day of the war that are illuminated by the documents presented at the exhibition “The Beginning of the Great Patriotic War.”

Among them are orders, directives, operational reports, intelligence reports for June 22, 1941 from the highest military leadership of the Soviet Union and front commands.

It is no less interesting to get acquainted with intelligence reports, reports and other documents of the German troops, reflecting the events of the first day of the war. Such two-sided coverage of the military situation at the beginning of the war will allow you to see the true picture, to feel its scale and tragedy.

On the eve of Victory Day, the Russian Ministry of Defense published unique archival documents that provide evidence of Nazi crimes on the territory of the USSR.
Kherson region: occupied in 1941, liberated in 1944
The Kherson region was occupied by the Germans for most of the Great Patriotic War. After liberation, investigators began working there; they documented the crimes of the fascist troops, which they could confirm.
This is how the report of the head of the political department of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, Lieutenant General Mikhail Rudakov, was born, which was declassified on the eve of the 62nd anniversary of the victory. He wrote “On the facts of the monstrous atrocities committed by the Nazi occupiers in the city of Kherson” to the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army.

Here are some excerpts from a document published by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

“Before the war, a well-equipped psychiatric hospital operated seven kilometers from the city. Having occupied the city of Kherson, Hitler’s executioners plundered the property of the hospital, and shot the 1,200 mentally ill people who were being treated, dumping them in quarries.”

“During the occupation of Kherson, Hitler’s villains shot and tortured up to 17 thousand peaceful Soviet citizens in the Gestapo.”

“A German soldier raped the old woman Kharaimova Glikeria Zakharovna... The German soldier-beast molested the five-year-old girl Svetlana, the daughter of a water station worker Pyotr Ivanovich Gavrilov...”



“Eyewitnesses A. M. Smetankina and O. M. Doroshenko, who lived near the prison, said that in February 1942, on one day, the Germans took corpses out of the camp in 50 carts. Many were still breathing, stretching out their hands in the air and whispering something in an unconscious state... Before their retreat from the city, trying to cover up the traces of monstrous crimes, the Germans dug up several graves, doused the corpses with a special liquid and burned them.”

“In the period from December 17, 1943 to March 12, 1944... All things and products belonging to the residents of the city were looted and taken to Germany... All churches in Kherson were robbed. Church utensils - icons, chasubles, gospels in silver frames, silver crosses, carpets and much more - were stolen by German soldiers.”

“... Noteworthy is the female corpse with a bent arm, in whose arms there is a child wrapped in a blanket... The absence of any damage on the child’s corpse makes us think about another method of killing, perhaps burying alive, poisoning, etc.... The presence of six-pointed stars on The clothing of most of the corpses indicates that they belonged to the Jewish nation. The discovery of household utensils (kettles, pots, etc.) in the pits ... gives the right to assume that the dead were evacuated to the place of execution under the guise of relocation or other reasons.”

“Photography of any kind of execution is strictly prohibited. In particularly exceptional cases, when it is necessary to take photographs for purely official purposes, this requires the permission of an officer at least with the rank of division commander... When carrying out such executions, the relevant military departments are obliged... To remove all spectators.”