Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank Bogged Down and Captured Near an Airfield, 1941

November 30, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet KV-2 tank stuck in mud and captured by German forces, 1941.

This photograph shows a Soviet KV-2 heavy tank that became hopelessly bogged down in a flooded meadow near an airfield and was subsequently captured by advancing German troops in 1941. The massive turret bears at least eleven visible shell impacts, none of which penetrated the armor — a testament to the formidable protection of the KV-2. Behind the tank lies the wreckage of a destroyed Soviet biplane, likely an R-5 reconnaissance aircraft.

The vehicle is believed to be KV-2 No. B-4712 from the 1st Tank Battalion of the 28th Tank Regiment, 14th Tank Division, 7th Mechanized Corps of the Western Front. In early July 1941, after engine repairs near Smolensk, this tank took part in the defense of Vitebsk. There it successfully halted German attempts to cross the railway bridge, reportedly destroying eight enemy tanks while expending two full ammunition loads.

Following this engagement, the KV-2 was sent to refuel but was suddenly thrown back into combat — this time without ammunition. Even so, the crew managed to disable two German tanks and one artillery piece. The KV-2 itself suffered serious damage: its radiators were pierced, the driver’s vision port was hit, and the turret armor was penetrated by a shell. Two crew members — Lieutenant Klimychev and Junior Sergeant Klimov — were killed.

While withdrawing from the battlefield, the tank became stuck in deep mud. With no recovery equipment available and under heavy German fire, evacuation proved impossible. Two loaders went missing after abandoning the immobilized vehicle, while the remaining crew survived the ordeal.

This image captures both the extraordinary resilience of the KV-2 and the brutal chaos of the early Eastern Front, where even the heaviest Soviet armor could be lost not only to enemy fire, but also to terrain and overwhelming tactical pressure.

Technical Photo Data:

📍 Location: USSR
📅 Date: 1941
📝 Subject: Bogged-down KV-2 heavy tank, likely No. B-4712, captured after combat
📷 Photographer: Unknown

• KV-2 tank history
• Bogged-down Soviet armor
• 14th Tank Division 7th Mech Corps
• Smolensk–Vitebsk fighting 1941
• German capture of Soviet tanks