En
Ru
Soviet troops liberated Sevastopol
May 9, 1944, during the Crimean offensive, Soviet troops liberated Sevastopol.
June 22, 1941 Sevastopol - the main naval base of the Black Sea Fleet – was one of the first Soviet cities, which suffered from the attack of Nazi aviation. By mid-September, German troops advancing in the territory of the USSR reached the approaches to the Crimea. Troops of the 11th German army attempted to seize Sevastopol straight off, but were stopped by the units of the Sevastopol garrison. October 30, 1941, the heroic defense of Sevastopol began. The enemy had made three attempts to break through, taking the offensive on November 11 and December 17, 1941; June 7, 1942. July 4, 1942, after the 250-day defense, Soviet troops were forced to leave the city.
By spring of 1944, the enemy had over 200, 000 soldiers and officers (7 Romanian and 5 German divisions), 3600 guns and mortars, over 200 tanks and assault guns, 148 aircrafts and a powerful multi-layered system of fortifications on the peninsula.
By early 1944, as a result of Melitopol landing operation (September 26 - November 5, 1943) and the Kerch-Eltigen landing operation (October 31 - December 11, 1943), Soviet troops reached Perekopsky isthmus, seized footholds on the southern coast of Syvash and in the Kerch peninsula, blocked from the land the Crimean group of German troops and created conditions for the liberation of the Crimea.
According to the plan of the Soviet High Command, the troops of the 4th Ukrainian Front (commanded by General of the Army F. I. Tolbukhin), which included the 2nd Guards army, the 51st army and the 19th Tank Corps; the troops of the Independent Coastal Army (commanded by General of the Army A. I. Yeremenko) with joint attacks had to encircle and destroy the enemy's forces, preventing its evacuation from the Crimea. They were supported by aviation of the 8th and 4th Air Army, by forces and resources of the Black Sea Fleet (commanded by Admiral F. S. Octyabr’sky) and the Azov Flotilla (commanded by Rear Admiral S. G. Gorshkov). Soviet assault group consisted of about 470, 000 people, 5982 guns and mortars, 559 tanks and self-propelled guns (SPG), 1250 aircraft including the aviation of the Black Sea Fleet. In addition, the troops were supported by Crimean partisan detachments.
April 8, after a massive artillery barrage, the 4th Ukrainian Front went on the offensive, broke through the enemy defenses at Perekopsky Isthmus and moved inland of the peninsula. April 11, in the morning, Independent Coastal Army troops captured the city–fortress Kerch and began to pursue the retreating enemy troops. April 13, they liberated Evpatoria, Simferopol and Feodosia, April 14-15 – Bakhchisaray, Alushta, Yalta.
April 15-16, Soviet troops reached the outskirts of Sevastopol and began preparations for the assault on the city. April 19 and 23 they made the attempts to break through the main line of defense of Sevastopol fortified area, but they failed. Rearrangement and additional training and supply of troops were needed.
May 5, after a powerful two-hour artillery barrage, the 2nd Guards Army under the command of Lieutenant-General G. F. Zakharov stormed the city's fortifications. May 7, under a massive support of the entire aviation of the front, Soviet troops began storming Sevastopol fortified area. Key enemy defense was Sapun Mountain, which was severely fought for.
May 9, the troops of the front broke into Sevastopol from the north, east and south-east and liberated the city. Enemy’s evacuation attempts were thwarted by aviation and ships of the Black Sea Fleet. Remains of the German 17th Army pursued by the 19th Panzer Corps, retreated to the Cape Chersonese, where they were finally defeated.
May 10, 1944, in Moscow there was the 24 volley salute from 324 guns in honor of the troops of the 4th Ukrainian Front, Black Sea sailors and airmen, who liberated Sevastopol from fascist invaders. 118 units and formations of the Army and Navy received the honorary title - Sevastopol.
Lit.: Басов А. В. Крым в Великой Отечественной войне, 1941-1945 гг. М., 1987; Борисов Б. А. Подвиг Севастополя : Воспоминания. М., 1957; Ванеев Г. И. Героини Севастопольской крепости. Симферополь, 1965; Ванеев Г. И. Героическая оборона Севастополя. 1941-1942. М., 1969; Кулаков Н. М. Город морской славы. О героической обороне Севастополя. 1941-1942 годы. М., 1964; Максимов С. Н. Оборона Севастополя, 1941-1942. М., 1959; Минаков В. И. Гневное небо Тавриды : Записки морского лётчика. М., 1985; Моргунов П. А. Героический Севастополь. М., 1979.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: