75 years ago, on March 1, 1944, the Leningrad-Novgorod strategic operation ended. The Red Army broke through the long-term defenses of the enemy, defeated the German Army Group North, and by the end of February 1944 had advanced 270 - 280 km, completely eliminating the blockade of Leningrad, liberating the Leningrad Region and Novgorod. As a result, conditions were created for the future liberation of the Baltic States and Karelia.
Background
When planning military operations for the winter campaign of 1944, the Soviet high command planned to deploy offensive operations from Leningrad to the Black Sea, focusing on the flanks of the Soviet-German front. In the south, liberate the Right-Bank Ukraine and the Crimean Peninsula, go here in the spring to the state border of the USSR. In the northern strategic direction, defeat Army Group North, completely lift the blockade from Leningrad and reach the Baltic.
The Soviet Headquarters planned powerful sequential operations - strategic strikes. They will go down in history as “ten Stalinist blows”. To break through the enemy front in the direction of the strike, powerful groupings of troops were created, stronger than those of the Germans. The groupings were shock forces due to the concentration of armored, artillery and air formations. Large masses of reserve troops were also being prepared to create a decisive advantage in the chosen directions and quickly develop the first success. To disperse the enemy's reserves, operations alternated in time and in distant regions. The enemy threw forces from one direction to another, including to the distant flanks, and wasted his reserves.
The first such blow was struck in the northern strategic direction. Since at the same time - in January 1944, Soviet troops were advancing in the Kiev region, the blow of the Red Army in the north caught the Germans by surprise and did not allow them to quickly transfer reserves from the south.
The blockade of Leningrad, the second capital of the USSR-Russia, the most important cultural, historical and industrial center of the country, was broken back in January 1943. However, a partial blockade remained, the Germans stood at the walls of the city and subjected it to artillery fire. For this, the Germans formed two special artillery groups, consisting of 75 batteries of heavy and 65 batteries of light artillery. Here the Red Army was opposed by the 16th and 18th armies from Army Group North. For a long time the Germans occupied positions in the region of Leningrad, the Volkhov River, Lake Ilmen, Staraya Russa, Kholm and Nevel. They created a powerful defense, well prepared in engineering terms. It consisted of a system of strong nodes of resistance and strong points, which had a fire link among themselves. The Germans equipped not only machine-gun and gun bunkers, but also reinforced concrete bunkers, anti-tank ditches, bunkers, etc. The Wehrmacht had a particularly strong defense south of the Pulkovo Heights and north of Novgorod. The total depth of the Wehrmacht's operational defense reached 230-260 kilometers. At the same time, the offensive was complicated by wooded-swampy and lacustrine terrain. Soviet troops, when moving to the west, north-west and south, had to overcome many water obstacles. The railways were destroyed, there were few unpaved roads and they were in poor condition. The thaw that began during the operation also greatly impeded the offensive.
The operation to defeat Army Group North, completely eliminate the blockade of Leningrad and liberate the Leningrad Region from the invaders were to be carried out by the troops of the Leningrad Front (commanded by General of the Army L. A. Govorov), the Volkhov Front (commanded by General of the Army K. A. Meretskov), 2 th Baltic Front (commander General of the Army MM Popov) in cooperation with the Baltic Fleet (Admiral V. F. Tributs) and long-range aviation.
Soviet soldiers raise a red flag over the liberated Gatchina, January 26, 1944
Battle
Leningrad front. On January 14, 1944, Fedyuninsky's 2nd Shock Army struck from the Oranienbaum bridgehead, on January 15, Maslennikov's 42nd Army from the Pulkovo area. The troops of the Leningrad Front (LF) carried out the Krasnoselsko-Ropsha operation in order to encircle and defeat the German group (3rd SS Panzer Corps and 50th Army Corps) in the area of Peterhof, Krasnoe Selo and Ropsha. Subsequently, it was planned to develop the offensive against Kingisepp with the main forces, and with part of the forces against Krasnogvardeysk and MGU. The Germans, relying on a strong defense, offered fierce resistance. In three days of the offensive, Soviet troops advanced no more than 10 km, gnawing through the enemy's defenses and suffering heavy losses. The mistakes of the command and the lack of experience of the troops in breaking through the well-prepared enemy defense affected.
Only after three days of stubborn fighting did the 2nd Shock Army break through the enemy's tactical defenses south of Oranienbaum. In the following days, our troops developed an offensive. The German command threw tactical and then operational reserves to eliminate the breakthrough, but could not remove the threat of encirclement of the troops of the 18th field army. On January 17, the Germans began to withdraw troops from the Krasnoye Selo area.
The Soviet command, in order to build on the success, threw mobile groups of the 2nd shock and 42nd armies into battle. However, in the zone of the 42nd Army, our troops did not complete the breakthrough of the enemy's tactical defense zone, so the mobile group (two reinforced tank brigades) came under heavy mortar and artillery fire and underwent counterattacks by German troops. Our troops lost most of the equipment during the day of fighting - up to 70 tanks and self-propelled guns, after which the mobile group of the 42nd Army was withdrawn from the battle. On January 19, the command of the 42nd Army threw the second echelon of the army (reinforced rifle corps) and again a mobile group into the attack. As a result, the defense of the Germans was broken. The Germans began to withdraw under the cover of rear guards.
By January 20, the troops of the 2nd shock and 42nd armies united and liberated Ropsha and Krasnoe Selo from the enemy. The German units that did not have time to retreat (the Peterhof-Strelna grouping) were destroyed or captured. For years, the siege equipment that had been accumulating in the Leningrad region became the trophies of the Russians. On January 21, the German command began the withdrawal of troops from the Mginsky salient. Having discovered the retreat of the Nazis, the 67th Army of the LF and the 8th Army of the VF launched an offensive and by the evening of January 21 they occupied the Moscow State University. They also soon established control over the Kirov railway. But it did not work out at once to advance further in this area. The Nazis entrenched themselves at the time line and offered strong resistance.
Soviet soldiers are fighting in the city of Pushkin, January 21, 1944
In the current situation, the LF command decided to change the plan for the further operation and abandon the plan to encircle the enemy's MGinsk grouping (the Germans had already withdrawn the troops). The main task of the front was the liberation of Krasnogvardeysk. Then it was planned to develop an offensive in the direction of Kingisepp and Narva with the forces of the 2nd Shock and 42nd Army. On January 24, Soviet troops occupied the cities of Pushkin and Slutsk, on January 26 - Krasnogvardeysk. Parts of the 67th Army captured Vyritsa on January 28, and Siversky on January 30. By the end of January 1944, the main forces of the LF, operating in the Kingisepp direction, advanced 60-100 km from Leningrad, reached the border of the river. Meadows, in some areas, overcame it and seized bridgeheads on the other side. Leningrad was completely liberated from the enemy blockade. On January 27, 1944, a salute was given in the second capital of the USSR in honor of the valiant Soviet troops who liberated Leningrad from the Nazi blockade.
Volkhov front. Simultaneously with the troops of the Leningrad Front, on January 14, the troops of the 59th Army of Korovnikov of the Volkhov Front (VF) went over to the offensive. The VF troops began the Novgorod-Luga operation with the aim of destroying the Novgorod group of the Wehrmacht and the liberation of Novgorod. Then it was planned, building on the success in the western and southwestern directions, to liberate the city of Luga and cut off the escape routes of enemy troops in the direction of Pskov. The 8th and 54th armies of the VF were to divert forces by the Germans on the Tosno and Luban axes and prevent their transfer to Novgorod.
The VF troops also met strong enemy resistance. In bad weather conditions, the aviation could not support the advancing troops, and the artillery could not conduct targeted fire. A sudden thaw interfered with the movement of tanks, the ice fields turned into a sea of mud. The main forces of the 59th Army got bogged down in the enemy's defense. The auxiliary southern group of troops advanced more successfully, crossing Lake Ilmen on the ice. Soviet troops under the command of General Sviklin, using complete darkness and a blizzard on the night of January 14, crossed the water barrier and with a surprise attack captured several enemy strongholds. The commander of the 59th Army, Korovnikov, brought additional forces into battle in this sector.
On January 16, in the Chudovo-Lyuban region, units of Roginsky's 54th army went on the offensive. The army was unable to penetrate the enemy defenses and advanced slightly, but its blow allowed to pin down significant forces of the German army and put the 26th Army Corps under the threat of encirclement. The Germans began to withdraw troops from the Mginsk salient.
For several days, stubborn battles raged. The troops of the 59th Army, supported by artillery and aviation, gnawed at the enemy's positions. The low rates of the offensive (5-6 kilometers per day) did not allow them to quickly break into the enemy's defenses and encircle the German grouping. The Germans had the opportunity to maneuver their forces, to transfer them from unattacked areas. On January 18, the second echelon of the 59th Army, a reinforced rifle corps, was brought into battle. The Germans, seeing the pointlessness of further resistance and fearing the encirclement of the Novgorod group, began to withdraw troops from the Novgorod region to the west. As a result, they managed to break into the main line of defense of the Germans, both north and south of Novgorod. On January 20, units of the 59th Army liberated Novgorod, surrounded and destroyed several separate enemy groups west of the city.
Soviet soldiers at the destroyed monument "Millennium of Russia" in the liberated Novgorod
Monument "Millennium of Russia" in Novgorod, destroyed by the invaders
Soviet soldiers and commanders in the liberated Novgorod. The commander of the 1258th rifle regiment of the 378th rifle division, Colonel Alexander Petrovich Shvagirev and the chief of staff of the regiment, Colonel V. A. Nikolaev are hoisting the banner. photo source:
After the liberation of Novgorod, the VF troops continued their offensive on Luga with the forces of the 59th Army, the troops of the 8th and 54th armies on the right flank were to occupy the area of the October railway. On the left flank, Soviet troops advanced on Shimsk. The German command was able to quickly strengthen the Luga grouping (including with the help of the 12th Panzer Division), saving significant forces of the 18th Army from encirclement. The Germans suffered serious losses, especially in technology, but managed, moving from one line to another, successfully using rearguards, were able to save the army from encirclement and retain most of its combat potential. Therefore, units of the 59th Army could not take Luga on the move by the end of January, as planned by the Headquarters. The left-flank units of the 59th Army intercepted the Leningrad-Dno railway and the Luga-Shimsk highway, and also cleared the northern coast of Lake Ilmen from the Nazis and reached the outskirts of Shimsk. The right flank of the VF liberated MGU, Tosno, Lyuban, Chudovo, cleared the Oktyabrskaya railway and the Leningradskoe highway from the Germans.
Thus, by January 30, the VF armies, having overcome 60-100 km with heavy battles, found themselves in front of a strong defensive line of the enemy on the river. Meadows. At this, the first stage of the Novgorod-Luga operation was completed.
2nd Baltic Front. The troops of the 2nd Baltic Front (2PF) attacked the 16th German army on January 12, 1944. The front command was poorly prepared for the operation, the enemy's defense was not studied. So, they arranged artillery preparation as with a continuous line of enemy defense. The Germans did not have a continuous line of defense here; it consisted of separate defense units and strong points. The Soviet infantry attacked an empty space and fell under the flanking fire of German strongholds, which were not suppressed by artillery and from the air. The armies were advancing in an unfamiliar, wooded and swampy area. And the 10th Guards Army of Sukhomlin (from January 21 - Kazakov), which had just begun to arrive on the left flank of the 2PF at the time of the operation, was on the march and was brought into battle in parts. All this predetermined the low pace of the offensive.
As a result, the offensive of the 3rd Shock, 6th and 10th Guards and 22nd armies developed extremely slowly and with great difficulty. The command of the 10th Guards Army was replaced. The front command suggested to the Stavka not to continue the operation in the 10th Guards Army's offensive sector, but to concentrate all the efforts of the 2PF in the direction of Nasva - Novorzhev for a quick connection with the forces of the VF. Front troops halted the offensive and began to regroup their forces. On the other hand, the unsuccessful 2PF offensive pinned down the forces of the 16th German army, which contributed to the success of the LF and VF near Leningrad and Novgorod.
German soldiers resting during the retreat near Leningrad in January 1944
German tank PzKpfw IV advancing into position, Army Group North, February 1944
Second stage of the battle
At the beginning of February 1944, Soviet troops continued their offensive in the directions of Narva, Gdov and Luga. On February 1, troops of the 2nd LF Shock Army crossed Luga and took Kingisepp. Building on the success, our troops reached the r. Narva and captured two bridgeheads on the opposite bank. Then there were battles for their expansion.
On February 11, the 2nd Shock Army, reinforced by the 30th Guards Rifle Corps, continued the offensive. The German command, considering Narva a strategic point, also strengthened this direction with reinforcements. The Soviet troops were opposed by units of the Feldhernhalle tank-grenadier division and the Norland SS division, the 58th and 17th infantry divisions. Extremely fierce battles lasted for several days. The Germans stopped the outburst of the Red Army. It was not possible to take Narva. On February 14, the Stavka ordered the LF command to take Narva by February 17.
The troops of the 2nd Shock Army were reinforced by the 124th Rifle Corps from the front reserve and, having regrouped their forces, went on the attack again. Fierce fighting continued until the end of February 1944, but our troops only managed to expand the bridgehead. It was not possible to break through the German defense and take Narva. At the end of February, in addition to the 2nd Shock Army, the LF command decided to transfer the 8th and 59th armies to the Narva sector, and the 3rd Guards Tank Corps from the Stavka reserve. The stubborn battle in the Narva area continued in March - April 1944.
Soviet officers near the destroyed German tank Pz. Kpfw. VI "Tiger" in the village of Skvoritsy, Gatchinsky District, Leningrad Region. February 1944
Padded "Panthers" destroyed by the T-70 tank A. Pegova. In February 1944, the light tank T-70, noticing two approaching German tanks PzKpfw V "Panther", camouflaged in the bush and took aim at them. After the "Panthers" approached 150-200 meters and exposed the sides to attack, the T-70 suddenly opened fire from an ambush and destroyed the "Panthers" faster than they could detect it. The crews could not get out of the Panthers. The commander of the T-70 junior lieutenant A. Pegov was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union
In addition, at the beginning of February, the 42nd Army of the LF crossed the river. Lugu and went to the Gdova area. On February 4, Gdov was liberated and the Red Army reached Lake Peipsi. On February 12, after stubborn battles, our troops (units of the 67th and 59th armies) liberated Luga, and by February 15 they had overcome the enemy's Luga defensive line. The Leningrad region was liberated, the Germans were driven back to the Baltic states. After that, the Volkhov Front, at the direction of the Headquarters, was disbanded. His armies from February 15 were transferred to the LF and 2PF.
At the same time, the troops of the 2PF conducted offensive operations south of Lake Ilmen with the aim of capturing the crossings on the river. Great and together with the left wing of the LF of the defeat of enemy troops in the region of the Island. On February 18, Korotkov's 1st Shock Army took Staraya Russa. Yushkevich's 22nd Army, going over to the offensive on February 19, wedged into the enemy's defenses. By the end of February 26, the Soviet armies cleared the Luga-Dno-Novosokolniki railway from the Nazis. On this day, units of the 10th Guards and 3rd Shock Armies of Kazakov and Chibisov went on the offensive, but they were able to achieve only tactical successes.
Thus, in the second half of February 1944, the advance of the Red Army was increased south of Lake Ilmen to the areas of Novosokolniki and Pustoshka. By the end of the month, our troops advanced in the Pskov and Novorzhevsk directions up to 180 km and reached the Pskov-Ostrovsky fortified area and south of it - on the Novorzhev-Pustoshka line. But for the further development of the offensive operation, the Soviet armies no longer had the necessary forces and means.
The Germans were able to withdraw the main forces of the 16th Army and part of the 18th Army to a previously prepared line of defense, to bring up reserves. They put up powerful and skillful resistance, repelling Soviet blows, constantly counter-attacking. The Soviet command made a number of mistakes: intelligence, organization, management, interaction. For a month and a half our troops fought incessant, bloody battles, suffered serious losses. Wooded and swampy terrain interfered, there were few roads, spring thaw began, weather conditions were unfavorable - constant thaws, blizzards, fogs. It was necessary to tighten up the rear, replenish and regroup the troops.
Therefore, at the direction of Headquarters on March 1, 1944, the Leningrad and 2nd Baltic Fronts went over to the defensive and began to prepare new offensive operations. As a result of the Leningrad-Novgorod strategic operation, the Red Army broke through the powerful defense of the enemy, and threw it back from Leningrad by 220 - 280 km. Soviet soldiers freed almost the entire Leningrad and Novgorod regions, part of the Kalinin regions from the Nazis and entered the territory of the Republic of Estonia. Conditions were created for the beginning of the liberation of the Baltic States and Karelia, the future defeat of fascist Finland.
The German Army Group North suffered a serious defeat: up to 30 German divisions were defeated. The first Stalinist strike did not allow the German command to use the troops of Army Group North in the southern direction, where at that time the Dnieper-Carpathian strategic operation was developing.
The Broken Ring is a memorial part of the Green Belt of Glory. Two reinforced concrete arches symbolize the blockade ring, the gap between them - the Road of life
