Killed in the Final Battle: Soviet Soldiers Carry a Fallen Comrade

June 5, 2025 - Reading time: 2 minutes

Soviet soldiers carry a fallen comrade through the smoke of the Battle of Berlin. A final goodbye on the doorstep of victory.

Location: Berlin, Germany  

Date: May 1945  

Photographer: Ivan Shagin  

This harrowing photograph, titled “Killed in the Final Battle” or “Comrade’s Funeral”, captures a group of Soviet infantrymen carrying the body of their fallen comrade amidst the brutal urban combat of the Battle of Berlin.

In the background, the silhouette of a T-34-85 medium tank and a Soviet military truck fade into the smoke and mist — symbols of the Red Army's final push into the heart of Nazi Germany.

Taken by renowned Soviet war photographer Ivan Shagin, the image is a somber testament to the human cost of victory. Each soldier’s posture, the tight formation, the care with which they bear the body — all speak louder than any speech. This was not just war. It was farewell.

Source:  

Ivan Shagin, war photography archives