2 The Ukrainian front: the battle way, the chronicle of military operations

In 1943, the military actions of the fronts of the Great Patriotic War are gradually returning to the territory of modern Ukraine. Already, in principle, it is clear that the USSR will win the war against the fascist invaders. In this article we will talk about the 2 Ukrainian Front, the combat path, the chronicle of the fighting which is very interesting.

The effectiveness of large combat connections

The outcome of the ancient wars could be solved in one battle, when the troops met forehead in the forehead and held a battle between them. With the development of military technology, this has already become impossible. Victory in a global war (beginning with World War I) can be won only by an army that clearly coordinates the movements and actions of combat units on a large sector of the front. An example of such a successful military conglomerate can be called 2 Ukrainian Front, whose combat path is very interesting. Through the interaction of groups of armies, command can simultaneously achieve success in different areas, and the enemy, accordingly, will not have enough human and technical resources to "eliminate holes".

Creation of 2 Ukrainian Front

At the end of 1943, the territory of Soviet Russia was virtually liberated from the invaders. Therefore, many of the troops that participated in the liberation of Russian regions, continued their military path behind the enemy and moved to the territory of modern Ukraine. In this connection, the expediency of creating a new front arose. The Supreme Commander's order by his order of 16 October 1943 established the 2 Ukrainian Front, whose combat path lasted until 1945. Since October 20 of the same year, the order came into force.

It was not difficult to form an effective combat unit, because the backbone of the group comprised parts of the former Steppe Front, which already had experience of interaction with each other.

2 Ukrainian Front: Battle Route (Dnieper and Central Ukraine)

Immediately after the creation, the front was set to release the central region of Ukraine as soon as possible. At the end of September, the troops at that time still steppe front crossed the Dnieper near Kremenchug. Despite the fact that the front did not have enough strength for serious struggle, the commander decided to continue the offensive. The main task at this time was to prevent the enemy army from attacking from Dnepropetrovsk, so the military council of the front decided to advance along the Pyatikhatki line - Apostolovo.

This operation will later be called the Pyatikhatskaya. The offensive after the concentration of forces began on October 15, 1943 and gradually yielded its fruits. After the battles took a protracted character, the command changed strategy.

The attack on Znamenka and Kirovograd

When the army got stuck in the fighting in the Dnepropetrovsk region, it was necessary to change the direction and emphasis of the fighting. For this purpose, reconnaissance was carried out. According to the information available to the army, it became clear that in the area of Znamenka few enemy forces are concentrated. To provide effective resistance, the enemy will have to shift forces, which will take a certain amount of time.

On the Znamenka side, our army, namely the 2 Ukrainian Front, whose combat path across Ukraine was long, struck the first blow on November 14, 1943. Until November 25, there was no special dynamics in the actions of the troops. But the success in these battles was ensured by a strong 2 Ukrainian Front! The chronicle of hostilities is as follows:

- From December 3 to December 5 there were battles for the liberation of the city of Alexandria. For the fascists, this was quite an important point, because in this area even now there are large deposits of brown coal, which was used as fuel.

- Since December 6, fighting began for the liberation of a major railway junction - the city of Znamenka. The city was released in a few days.

- Then the troops headed towards Kirovohrad. The distance from Znamenka to the regional center is only 50 kilometers, but the army was able to free Kirovograd only on January 8, 1944. The enemy built a strong line of defense, which for a long time held back the Soviet soldiers, but could not withstand the onslaught.

Uman-Batoshan operation

Where did the 2 Ukrainian Front go? The military path of our troops continued westward. It was necessary to liberate the Right-Bank Ukraine and Moldova. The offensive towards Uman from the Kirovograd district began on March 5, 1944. The Germans could not create a strong line of defense in this sector of operations. In all elements, except for aviation, the forces of the Red Army were about 2 times superior to the capabilities of the enemy. The army defeated the line of defense of the Wehrmacht troops about 8 kilometers wide in 2 days. After that, a successful breakthrough began.

The city of Uman was liberated on March 10, 1944. Then the troops crossed the Southern Bug and continued on their way towards Dubno and Zhmerinka. On March 19, the city of Mogilev-Podolsky was liberated.

In fact, in 2 weeks, the Soviet troops succeeded in a small "blitzkrieg". For example, the distance from Kirovohrad to Uman is 197 km. From Uman to Mogilev is also not very close. We must also take into account the factor of fighting.

In late March and early April, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front were to help the units of the 1 Ukrainian Front near Kamenets-Podolsky. The task: the encirclement of 1 enemy tank army. The armies had to reach the Dniester and attack literally along the shore in order to encircle the enemy's army. The ring was almost closed. On April 3, the spacecraft took the city of Khotyn, known for its fortress.

2 The Ukrainian Front: The Battle Road in the History of the War Abroad

The troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front took an active part in the operations of the Red Army outside the borders of the USSR aimed at the complete destruction of enemy troops. It is worth noting in this regard the events of August 1944. At that time, the Soviet troops carried out the Yasko-Kishinev offensive operation, which later developed into a joint operation with the Romanian troops of Bucharest-Arad. The strategic goal of these operations was the change of power in Romania and the withdrawal of this state from the war against the USSR. Undoubtedly, the Red Army, which it was already impossible to stop at that time, fulfilled its task.

Further 2 Ukrainian Front (combat route 922 p. Regiment and other compounds briefly described in the material) were relocated to Hungary. In October, our army carried out a successful offensive against enemy troops in the vicinity of Debrecen. Army Group "South", which operated in Hungary, was crushed because of the well-planned actions of our troops. After that the Soviet troops headed towards Budapest, surrounded the enemy and entered the city.

The last combat operations of troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front took place in Austria and the Czech Republic. The Prague offensive against certain parts of the German troops ended on May 12, 1945.

Conclusion

In the history of the Second World War, the Ukrainian Front (the military way - 1943-1945) left a notable mark. The troops of this very front liberated the strategically important regions of Central Ukraine, and also participated in battles in many countries of Europe.

Europe, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus will not forget the exploits of Soviet soldiers!