Two Soviet Red Army infantrymen advance under foggy conditions during the Battle of Leningrad. The photograph captures frontline infantry operating on the approaches to the besieged city in autumn 1941. Read more
Soviet air defense observation post on the roof of Hotel Moskva during German air raids on the Soviet capital. These observers provided early warning, helping coordinate anti-aircraft defenses and civil defense during the Battle of Moscow. Read more
Captured or abandoned Soviet KV-1 heavy tanks stand beside a dirt road during the opening months of Operation Barbarossa. Many early-war KV-1 losses resulted from combat, mechanical failures, or logistical difficulties. Read more
A Wehrmacht soldier stands beside a captured Soviet KV-1 heavy tank. The abandoned vehicle appears to be prepared for transport behind German lines for evaluation or possible reuse. Read more
German MG-34 machine gun crew during Operation Barbarossa, positioned atop a fortress bastion in Narva. The assistant carries a spare barrel container, essential for maintaining the high rate of fire of the MG-34. Read more
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 later serve in the NKVD Internal Troops during the war. Read more
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 joined Soviet partisan units. Read more