Liberated Sevastopol in May 1944 — Aerial View of the Ruined Fortress City

October 25, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Aerial view of liberated Sevastopol in May 1944. The heroic fortress city lies in ruins after being freed from Nazi occupation by the Red Army.

Aerial view of liberated Sevastopol, Crimea, in May 1944 — ruins of the fortress city after the Red Army expelled German and Romanian troops.

An aerial view of liberated Sevastopol, taken in May 1944 from the cockpit of a Soviet Air Force aircraft. Below lies the devastated city-fortress — the once proud naval stronghold of the Black Sea Fleet, reduced to rubble after two and a half years of German-Romanian occupation and the final battle for Crimea.

After the start of the German invasion in 1941, Sevastopol endured a heroic 250-day defense, only to fall in July 1942. The city remained under Axis control until May 9, 1944, when the Red Army’s 4th Ukrainian Front liberated it during the Crimean Offensive Operation.

By the time Soviet troops re-entered Sevastopol, nearly every building was destroyed. The port facilities, batteries, and residential quarters had been systematically blown up by retreating enemy forces. Yet, despite the devastation, the city once again raised the red banner of victory above the ruins.

This photograph vividly shows the scale of destruction — entire quarters leveled, smoke still rising from burning districts — but also symbolizes rebirth: Sevastopol would soon be rebuilt and become one of the most honored Hero Cities of the USSR.

Technical photo data:

📍 Location: Sevastopol, Crimea, USSR
📅 Date: May 1944
📝 Event: Liberation of Sevastopol, aerial view from a Soviet aircraft
📷 Author: Unknown (Soviet Air Force photographer)