Soviet Border Guards and Their Service Dog – Last Days Before the War, 1941
June 27, 2025 Reading time: 5 minutes
Soviet border guards with a service dog observe enemy territory near the Danube Delta in the last peaceful days before Nazi Germany's invasion of the USSR. Both soldiers would go on to serve in the NKVD Internal Troops during the war. Read more
Under Fire: Soviet Naval Infantry Storm Ashore in Crimea – 8th Brigade, 1942
June 27, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes
Soviet Naval Infantrymen of the 8th Brigade under Col. Gorpishchenko land on the shores of Crimea under heavy enemy fire. Part of the Black Sea Fleet’s assault operations to retake strategic coastal positions. Read more
Urban Casualty: Destroyed KV-1 Heavy Tank on Rostov Market Square, 1942
June 27, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes
A Soviet KV-1 heavy tank stands destroyed on the market square of Rostov-on-Don after German forces seized the city in 1942. The tank is a 1941 model featuring a welded turret and 76.2mm ZiS-5 cannon. Read more
Abandoned Soviet KV-1 Heavy Tank in the River Shchara, Slonim – July 1941
June 25, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes
A Soviet KV-1 heavy tank lies in the River Shchara after being abandoned by its crew during an attempted armored thrust through the town of Slonim. The tank slid off the riverbank and became immobilized. The crew survived and later fought with partisans. Read more
Behemoth Lost: Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank Captured by Germans, 1941
June 25, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes
Abandoned Soviet KV-2 heavy tank with towing cables, likely left behind after a breakdown during the early stages of the German invasion. A 152mm shell is visible atop the turret. Read more
Loading Soviet Troops Onto the Destroyer Leader Tashkent Before the Fall of Sevastopol
June 25, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes
Loading of a Soviet 76mm F-22 gun onto the destroyer leader “Tashkent” before her final mission to Sevastopol. Read more
Black Jackets Prepare: Soviet Naval Scouts, 2nd Baltic Fleet – August 1941
June 25, 2025 Reading time: 5 minutes
Soviet naval infantry of the 2nd Separate Brigade of the Baltic Fleet during the Battle of Leningrad. Front and center: Chief Petty Officer Nikolai F. Garanovsky, later killed in action in 1944. Read more