International Operation Bagration

It is only together and by joint efforts that children of different nations who became the Red Army fighters were able to defeat Nazism

The Byelorussian offensive Operation Bagration, the 80th anniversary of which we are celebrating this year, was a truly colossal historical event. It stretched for more than two months, covered vast territories of several countries and had various dimensions. One of them is the international nature of the operation, which will be discussed in this article.

The representatives of the Stavka (General Headquarters) of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief — Marshals Aleksandr Vasilevsky and Georgy Zhukov, and Commander of the 2nd Byelorussian Front Georgy Zakharov — were Russians. The 1st Byelorussian Front was led by Konstantin Rokossovsky — a Pole with Byelorussian roots. Ivan (Hovhannes) Bagramyan, who headed the 1st Baltic Front, was an Armenian. By the way, Armenians are rightfully proud of the fact that during the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War, they gave four marshals to the Soviet Union. In addition to Bagramyan, these are Chief Marshal of Armoured Forces Hamazasp Babadzhanian, Air Marshal Sergei Khudyakov (Armenak Khanferiants), Marshal of Engineer Troops Sergei Aganov. Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Ivan Isakov (Hovhannes Ter-Isahakyan) was also an Armenian.

Trampling over the dead

The 3rd Byelorussian Front was commanded by Ukrainian Ivan Chernyakhovsky. A very revealing story related to the memory of this outstanding commander, who was prevented from becoming the youngest marshal of the Soviet Union by death, happened in present-day Ukraine. All post-war generations of Ukrainians were proud of the fact that such a brilliant military leader was born in the village of Oksanino in Uman District, Kiev province in 1907. Even after gaining independence and surviving two Maidans [mass anti-government uprising], they were afraid to disturb the general’s memory. On February 22nd, 2013, his name was given to the National Defence University in Kiev. In June 2023, Vladimir Zelensky ‘fixed’ everything: Ukraine does not have Ivan Chernyakhovsky National Defence University any more. The Kiev regime authorities also began to rename the streets named after the general.
Even earlier, Lithuanian politicians trampled on their own history. It was the troops of the 3rd Byelorussian Front that liberated Vilnius from German Nazi invaders in 1944. After the tragic death, Chernyakhovsky was buried in the centre of the Lithuanian capital, where a monument was erected to him. The nationalists who came to power did not like this, and the remains of the general were disinterred and reburied in Moscow in 1992. The monument in Vilnius was demolished. 

Grateful descendants

In contrast, the Ossetian people cherish the memory of their national hero — Cavalry General Issa Pliyev. A stunningly beautiful equestrian monument to commemorate the twice Hero of the Soviet Union stands in the centre of Vladikavkaz, on the square named in his honour. Issa Pliyev commanded a cavalry-mechanised group (CMG) during Operation Bagration. As part of the 1st Byelorussian Front, Pliyev’s CMG liberated Slutsk, Stolbtsy and Slonim.
In order to imagine how multinational the Red Army units that liberated Byelorussia were, it is enough to look at the street names of our towns and cities. Najafgulu Rafiyev Street in Minsk is named after an Azerbaijani — a fearless tank platoon commander. In total, out of 130 Azerbaijani soldiers awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title, 14 received it for the liberation of Byelorussia. The memory of them is cherished in modern Azerbaijan. Tank hero Rafiyev is buried in the Baku necropolis Fakhri Khiyaban, where the most respected Azerbaijanis rest.

On the streets of liberated Minsk on July 3rd, 1944

Call sign Kazbek

Ivan Pavlov’s film Time to Return produced by Belarusfilm National Film Studio has been released recently. It is based on real facts from the biography of Mamadali Topvaldiyev. A native of the kishlak [village in Central Asia] of Pandiga in Rishtan District of Ferghana Region, Uzbekistan, he was drafted into the Red Army. In 1941, he was surrounded on the Byelorussian territory but managed to reach the partisans. He quickly became a legend. As part of the 5th detachment of the Chekist partisan brigade, he became one of the best bombers during the rail war behind enemy lines. The Nazis put a reward of 50,000 Reichsmarks on his head — a huge amount. Mamadali Topvaldiyev was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title. A total of 32 Uzbek natives received the Hero Star for their bravery in the liberation of Byelorussia.
Eighty-four Kazakhstanis also became Heroes of the Soviet Union for their fights for the freedom of our country. A street in Volkovysk is named after one of them — Kazbek Nurzhanov. This reconnaissance man was mortally wounded in the battles for the city. Not only is the street in Volkovysk named after the Kazakh hero, athletics competitions among schoolchildren, which have been held since 1978, bear his name.

National units

Entire national units and formations distinguished themselves during Operation Bagration. The 1st Polish Army under the command of Lieutenant General Zygmunt Berling started its combat path on the Byelorussian land. On July 20th, 1944, as part of the 1st Byelorussian Front troops, the army crossed the Western Bug during the Lublin-Brest offensive and entered the territory of Poland. At that time, it numbered 90,000 people in its ranks and included four infantry, one anti-aircraft artillery division, one armoured, one cavalry, five artillery brigades, and two aviation regiments. On July 26th, the 1st Polish Tank Corps was formed.
As part of the 1st Baltic Front, the 16th Lithuanian Infantry Division became one of the most renowned. At that time, it was commanded by Major General Vladas Karvelis. The division had already distinguished itself in battles even before the start of the strategic offensive, in particular during the liberation of Gorodok. For that battle, machine gunner Danutė Stanelienė received her first Order of Glory. Later, she became a Full Cavalier of that legendary soldier’s order, which was equivalent to the Hero of the Soviet Union title. In October 1944, the 16th Lithuanian Rifle Division received the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, and in 1945, it was named in honour of Klaipėda for the battles during the liberation of this city. Needless to say, in present-day Lithuania they do not want to recall their true heroes — those Lithuanians who did not serve the Nazis but drove them away from their native land…

‘Our Cossacks are going through Berlin’ 

The fighting would not be complete without Cossacks! During the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army had a large number of Cossacks in its ranks. The Kuban people especially distinguished themselves during the liberation of Byelorussia. The 9th Guards Kuban Cossack Cavalry Division fought as part of the CMG. During Operation Bagration, the cavalrymen advanced at a high pace and participated in the liberation of many Byelorussian cities, having made a special contribution to the defeat of enemy groupings in Baranovichi and Brest. For their feat, the division was awarded the honorary name Baranovichi, and two more orders appeared on its banner — the Red Banner and Kutuzov 1st degree.
Pliyev’s group also included another Kuban division — the 10th Guards Cossack Cavalry. On June 25th, it was involved in the breakthrough, and the Kuban Cossacks valiantly walked 100 kilometres in five days. The division received the honorary name Slutsk for the liberation of this Byelorussian town, while three of its regiments (36th, 40th, 42nd Guards) became Baranovichi. The division was also awarded two orders — Kutuzov 1st degree and the Red Banner. Therefore, during the war, a whole Cossack army emerged that included two Cossack divisions and three regiments with Byelorussian names! 

It is highly important to constantly return to the lessons of the Great Patriotic War. One of them states: it is only together and by joint efforts that children of different nations who became the Red Army fighters were able to defeat Nazism — the most hideous evil. We, Belarusians, will always remember this. 

By Vadim Gigin, deputy of the House of Representatives, Candidate of Historical Sciences