The Soviet Union at least twice had the opportunity to physically eliminate Adolf Hitler, but Stalin did not allow it, fearing the conclusion of a separate peace between Germany and the allies, General of the Army Anatoly Kulikov, President of the Club of Military Leaders, said on Tuesday.
“Few people know that back in 1941 the leadership of the Soviet Union made a decision to destroy Hitler. At first it was planned to do this in Russia, in Moscow, in the event of the capture of the capital by German troops. Later, a plan was developed to destroy Hitler at his Headquarters, but unexpectedly in 1943, Stalin decides not to do this, fearing that after the elimination of Hitler, his entourage will conclude a separate peace with Britain and the United States without the participation of Russia. There are facts of such negotiations, Kulikov said.
The second opportunity to eliminate Hitler, according to him, the USSR had in 1944.
“A detailed plan for his elimination had already been prepared, but again Stalin's unexpected refusal followed. And this despite the fact that there was already a man prepared for this action, who deliberately surrendered and enjoyed great confidence among the Germans. This operation had every chance of success. ", - said Kulikov at the scientific-practical conference" Little-known pages of the Great Victory ", held under his leadership at the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
He also said that the expenses of the Soviet Union for one day of the Great Patriotic War were about 300 million rubles.
"The cost of one day of war in 1943 was 324, 1 million rubles, in 1944 - 350 million rubles, in 1945 - 352 million rubles. For 1941 and 1942, there are no such data," said Kulikov.
Kulikov also cited interesting data on the veterinary service of the Red Army.
"At the fronts and in the rear, in the interests of the active army, more than 60 thousand dogs, 250 horse-drawn and 100 donkey companies were used, on the Don, more than 100 thousand bulls, and in the 14th Army in the north, about 40 thousand deer were used to carry out combat missions," - he said.
Kulikov also said that during the hostilities from the front line to medical institutions "about 16 million wounded were evacuated, 23% of whom were cured and returned to duty."
Kulikov noted that the Military Leaders' Club has a large number of little-known facts about the Great Patriotic War, little known to the general public.
"We plan to prepare a 500-600-page collection of these materials for publication and present it to the general public," the general noted.
