27 June 1944 was the 1,102nd day of the war… On this day the Soviet Army liberated Glusk District, Shklov District, Oktyabrsky District, Chashniki District and Orsha District as part of Bobruisk Operation and Vitebsk-Orsha Operation.
In the morning of 26 June the 5th guards tank army cracked the German lines while advancing on Tolochin and Borisov, which helped encircle the Nazi troops in Orsha. On 27 June the 3rd Belarusian Front freed Orsha. 41 units and formations that distinguished themselves during the liberation of Orsha were granted the honorary title “Orsha”.
On 28 June the advancing 1st Baltic Front was just 30km away from Polotsk, while the 3rd Belarusian Front reached the Berezina River north of Borisov. During the advance the Soviet Army was assisted by Belarusian partisans.
The retreating German troops could expect neither respite nor mercy from partisans. On 27 June the 14th infantry division was cut off by the partisans of the 257th Rogachev operative group between the villages of Goyenka and Kozel near Mogilev. When the enemy convoy was just 100-150 meters away, the partisans launched a vehement machine-gun and mortar fire. The Germans fled in terror and confusion leaving behind their vehicles, horses, hardware and weapons. In this battle the partisans annihilated about two infantry squadrons, a cavalry platoon, 65 carriages, and burnt and disabled 15 enemy vehicles. The Hitlerites had to change their initial escape route and moved to Somry through the village of Zaozerie clearing the obstacles created by the partisans. However the Nazi were ambushed by the partisans of the Shklov operative group. The fierce and incessant attacks halted two Nazi divisions for a day. The coming Soviet troops joined in the next day and completely destroyed what was left from the enemy divisions.
From the situation report of the Soviet Information Bureau dated 26 June 1944:
On the night of 27 June our long-range aircraft made raids on the railway junctions in Novopolotsk, Polotsk, railway stations Borisov, Yanuv, Pinsk, Luninets, Lovcha.
At the time of the raid on the railway junction in Osipovichi there were a lot of enemy trains with troops, ammunition and military equipment there. Our aviation bombed the trains and created over 20 seats of fire. 18 large explosions occurred.
By bombing the railway junction in Polotsk the Soviet aviation caused 7 large islands of fire. Warehouses and railway trains went on fire. Three explosions occurred, including one of enormous force.
By bombing the railway station in Borisov the Soviet pilots created 8 seats of fire, and also 15 pockets of fire at the railway stations in Luninets, Pinsk, and Yanuv.
Southwest of Vitebsk the enemy troops were surrounded and made desperate attempts to break through the steel ring of the Soviet troops. Every time the enemy made such an attempt they were met with powerful artillery and mortar fire. They rolled back suffering huge losses. Today between 11:00 and 12:00 the command of the German group accepted the ultimatum by the Soviet command and capitulated. More than 10,000 German soldiers and officers surrendered.
***
The troops of the 3rd Belarusian Front were rapidly advancing, burst into the northern and northwestern suburbs of Orsha and engaged in street fights. At the same time the Soviet troops attacked from the east, crossed the Dnieper and advanced to the central quarters of the town. In the fierce battles the Soviet soldiers completely defeated a large garrison of the enemy. By the morning of 27 June, the Soviets liberated the largest road and rail junction in Orsha which was a powerful defense stronghold of the Nazis in the Minsk direction. In other directions the Soviet troops were advancing rapidly, defeating the German units on their way. The Soviet army seized 164 guns, 116 mortars, 315 machine guns, 10 locomotives, 110 rail cars, 51 warehouses with ammunition and military equipment. These did not include the trophies seized in Orsha. A large number of enemy soldiers and officers capitulated.
***
In the Mogilev direction our troops approached the Dnieper River and, crushing the enemy's resistance, crossed the river north and south of Mogilev. The Soviet tank and infantry units cut off the rail track Mogilev-Orsha. Advancing further they broke into the southeast and northern suburbs of Mogilev. In fierce battles one Soviet formation destroyed a regiment of the Nazi infantry, seized 25 units of weapons, 30 machine guns, 700 rifles, five warehouses with ordnance and food. A battalion of motorcyclists was wiped out north of Mogilev. Elsewhere, a NCO training school of the 337th Nazi infantry division was crushed, with the survivors taken captive.
***
In the Bobruisk direction our troops advanced between the Berezina and Ptich rivers to break into Bobruisk from the west and join in the units fighting in the east. The operation resulted in surrounding five Nazi infantry divisions near Bobruisk. The enemy suffered tremendous losses. In a span of three days the units of N-formation killed up to 8,000 Hitler's soldiers, hit and burned 40 tanks and mobile guns.
They Liberated Belarus
Vladimir Martynov was born to a peasants' family in Orel Oblast on 12 April 1919. Joined the army in July 1941. Two companies of the 556th rifle regiment (169th rifle division, 3rd army, 1st Belarusian Front) under the command of Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Martynov and Captain Gulyam Yakubov broke the defense lines of the enemy in the early morning hours of 24 June 1944 to seize the commanding point 150.9 (between the villages of Ludchitsy, Yanovo, Komarichi, Bykhov District) and held it for 19 hours. In the raging battles they repelled numerous counterattacks of the enemy, killing over 400 Nazi soldiers and officers. Almost every soldier of the assault companies, including their leaders Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Martynov and Captain Gulyam Yakubov, fought to the last ditch to die a hero's death. During the offensive Red Army man Sundutkali Iskaliyev accomplished a feat by covering the enemy's weapon port with his body. For the courage and heroism displayed during the Belarusian strategic offensive operation Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Martynov, Gulyam Yakubov and Sundutkali Iskaliyev were posthumously awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title.
Height 150.9 was named after the village of Ludchitsy after the war. There is a memorial complex honoring the feat of Soviet soldiers. A street in Bykhov was named after Vladimir Martynov; streets in Minsk, Leninsk and Bykhov were named after Gulyam Yakubov; streets in Minsk and Bykhov were named after Sundutkali Iskaliyev.
Vasily Chebotarev was born to a peasants' family in the village of Gavrilovka, the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, on 25 June 1918. In 1938 he was called up to the Red Army.
Officer of Smersh counterintelligence agency of the 19th guards tank brigade (3rd guards tank corps, 3rd Belarusian Front) Lieutenant Chebotarev distinguished himself in the battle for the Bobr River crossing. On 27 June 1944 Vasily Chebotarev killed about a dozen Nazi soldiers and captured an officer near the village of Bobr, Krupki District, Minsk Oblast. He was buried near Orsha-Borisov highway 200m from the Bobr River bridge. For exemplary fulfillment of the military duty, courage and heroism Lieutenant Vasily Chebotarev was posthumously awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title. The monument to Vasily Chebotarev was unveiled at the place of his death near the village of Bobr, Minsk Oblast. A street in Minsk was named after the hero. There is a memorial plate honoring the feat of Vasily Chebotarev in Minsk.
Shady Shaimov was born to a peasants' family in Uzbekistan in 1925. He was called up to the Soviet Army in 1944. On the night of 27 June 1944 gunner of the 1,266th rifle regiment (385th rifle division, 50th army, 2nd Belarusian Front) Private Shaimov and other soldiers crossed the Dnieper River near the village of Dashkovka, Mogilev Oblast. The soldiers determined the location of the enemy's firing points and opened fire on them. They fired on the enemy's positions, drew the fire upon themselves and helped the battalion cross the river. Shady Shaimov was severely wounded in close combat and died on 28 June. In line with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR of 24 March 1945 Private Shady Shaimov was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title for exemplary fulfillment of the military duty, courage and heroism.
In the morning of 26 June the 5th guards tank army cracked the German lines while advancing on Tolochin and Borisov, which helped encircle the Nazi troops in Orsha. On 27 June the 3rd Belarusian Front freed Orsha. 41 units and formations that distinguished themselves during the liberation of Orsha were granted the honorary title “Orsha”.
On 28 June the advancing 1st Baltic Front was just 30km away from Polotsk, while the 3rd Belarusian Front reached the Berezina River north of Borisov. During the advance the Soviet Army was assisted by Belarusian partisans.
The retreating German troops could expect neither respite nor mercy from partisans. On 27 June the 14th infantry division was cut off by the partisans of the 257th Rogachev operative group between the villages of Goyenka and Kozel near Mogilev. When the enemy convoy was just 100-150 meters away, the partisans launched a vehement machine-gun and mortar fire. The Germans fled in terror and confusion leaving behind their vehicles, horses, hardware and weapons. In this battle the partisans annihilated about two infantry squadrons, a cavalry platoon, 65 carriages, and burnt and disabled 15 enemy vehicles. The Hitlerites had to change their initial escape route and moved to Somry through the village of Zaozerie clearing the obstacles created by the partisans. However the Nazi were ambushed by the partisans of the Shklov operative group. The fierce and incessant attacks halted two Nazi divisions for a day. The coming Soviet troops joined in the next day and completely destroyed what was left from the enemy divisions.
From the situation report of the Soviet Information Bureau dated 26 June 1944:
On the night of 27 June our long-range aircraft made raids on the railway junctions in Novopolotsk, Polotsk, railway stations Borisov, Yanuv, Pinsk, Luninets, Lovcha.
At the time of the raid on the railway junction in Osipovichi there were a lot of enemy trains with troops, ammunition and military equipment there. Our aviation bombed the trains and created over 20 seats of fire. 18 large explosions occurred.
By bombing the railway junction in Polotsk the Soviet aviation caused 7 large islands of fire. Warehouses and railway trains went on fire. Three explosions occurred, including one of enormous force.
By bombing the railway station in Borisov the Soviet pilots created 8 seats of fire, and also 15 pockets of fire at the railway stations in Luninets, Pinsk, and Yanuv.
Southwest of Vitebsk the enemy troops were surrounded and made desperate attempts to break through the steel ring of the Soviet troops. Every time the enemy made such an attempt they were met with powerful artillery and mortar fire. They rolled back suffering huge losses. Today between 11:00 and 12:00 the command of the German group accepted the ultimatum by the Soviet command and capitulated. More than 10,000 German soldiers and officers surrendered.
***
The troops of the 3rd Belarusian Front were rapidly advancing, burst into the northern and northwestern suburbs of Orsha and engaged in street fights. At the same time the Soviet troops attacked from the east, crossed the Dnieper and advanced to the central quarters of the town. In the fierce battles the Soviet soldiers completely defeated a large garrison of the enemy. By the morning of 27 June, the Soviets liberated the largest road and rail junction in Orsha which was a powerful defense stronghold of the Nazis in the Minsk direction. In other directions the Soviet troops were advancing rapidly, defeating the German units on their way. The Soviet army seized 164 guns, 116 mortars, 315 machine guns, 10 locomotives, 110 rail cars, 51 warehouses with ammunition and military equipment. These did not include the trophies seized in Orsha. A large number of enemy soldiers and officers capitulated.
***
In the Mogilev direction our troops approached the Dnieper River and, crushing the enemy's resistance, crossed the river north and south of Mogilev. The Soviet tank and infantry units cut off the rail track Mogilev-Orsha. Advancing further they broke into the southeast and northern suburbs of Mogilev. In fierce battles one Soviet formation destroyed a regiment of the Nazi infantry, seized 25 units of weapons, 30 machine guns, 700 rifles, five warehouses with ordnance and food. A battalion of motorcyclists was wiped out north of Mogilev. Elsewhere, a NCO training school of the 337th Nazi infantry division was crushed, with the survivors taken captive.
***
In the Bobruisk direction our troops advanced between the Berezina and Ptich rivers to break into Bobruisk from the west and join in the units fighting in the east. The operation resulted in surrounding five Nazi infantry divisions near Bobruisk. The enemy suffered tremendous losses. In a span of three days the units of N-formation killed up to 8,000 Hitler's soldiers, hit and burned 40 tanks and mobile guns.
They Liberated Belarus
Vladimir Martynov was born to a peasants' family in Orel Oblast on 12 April 1919. Joined the army in July 1941. Two companies of the 556th rifle regiment (169th rifle division, 3rd army, 1st Belarusian Front) under the command of Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Martynov and Captain Gulyam Yakubov broke the defense lines of the enemy in the early morning hours of 24 June 1944 to seize the commanding point 150.9 (between the villages of Ludchitsy, Yanovo, Komarichi, Bykhov District) and held it for 19 hours. In the raging battles they repelled numerous counterattacks of the enemy, killing over 400 Nazi soldiers and officers. Almost every soldier of the assault companies, including their leaders Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Martynov and Captain Gulyam Yakubov, fought to the last ditch to die a hero's death. During the offensive Red Army man Sundutkali Iskaliyev accomplished a feat by covering the enemy's weapon port with his body. For the courage and heroism displayed during the Belarusian strategic offensive operation Senior Lieutenant Vladimir Martynov, Gulyam Yakubov and Sundutkali Iskaliyev were posthumously awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title.
Height 150.9 was named after the village of Ludchitsy after the war. There is a memorial complex honoring the feat of Soviet soldiers. A street in Bykhov was named after Vladimir Martynov; streets in Minsk, Leninsk and Bykhov were named after Gulyam Yakubov; streets in Minsk and Bykhov were named after Sundutkali Iskaliyev.
Vasily Chebotarev was born to a peasants' family in the village of Gavrilovka, the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, on 25 June 1918. In 1938 he was called up to the Red Army.
Officer of Smersh counterintelligence agency of the 19th guards tank brigade (3rd guards tank corps, 3rd Belarusian Front) Lieutenant Chebotarev distinguished himself in the battle for the Bobr River crossing. On 27 June 1944 Vasily Chebotarev killed about a dozen Nazi soldiers and captured an officer near the village of Bobr, Krupki District, Minsk Oblast. He was buried near Orsha-Borisov highway 200m from the Bobr River bridge. For exemplary fulfillment of the military duty, courage and heroism Lieutenant Vasily Chebotarev was posthumously awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title. The monument to Vasily Chebotarev was unveiled at the place of his death near the village of Bobr, Minsk Oblast. A street in Minsk was named after the hero. There is a memorial plate honoring the feat of Vasily Chebotarev in Minsk.
Shady Shaimov was born to a peasants' family in Uzbekistan in 1925. He was called up to the Soviet Army in 1944. On the night of 27 June 1944 gunner of the 1,266th rifle regiment (385th rifle division, 50th army, 2nd Belarusian Front) Private Shaimov and other soldiers crossed the Dnieper River near the village of Dashkovka, Mogilev Oblast. The soldiers determined the location of the enemy's firing points and opened fire on them. They fired on the enemy's positions, drew the fire upon themselves and helped the battalion cross the river. Shady Shaimov was severely wounded in close combat and died on 28 June. In line with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR of 24 March 1945 Private Shady Shaimov was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title for exemplary fulfillment of the military duty, courage and heroism.
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