Soviet Naval Infantry Charge During the Battle of Stalingrad, 1942

June 18, 2025 - Reading time: 3 minutes

Naval infantrymen of the Volga Military Flotilla storm enemy positions during the Battle of Stalingrad. Armed with Mosin rifles and DP-27 machine guns, they played a key role in the city's defense.

Stalingrad, 1942.
Dust. Smoke. Gunfire. And out of the gray fog of war come the unmistakable figures in black naval tunics — the Soviet Naval Infantry of the Volga Military Flotilla.

Armed with Mosin-Nagant rifles and Degtyaryov DP-27 light machine guns, these sailors-turned-soldiers fought not on decks, but in streets, ruins, and trenches. Their mission: hold the riverbank, crush enemy footholds, and push back the Wehrmacht from the very heart of the Soviet Union.

This rare photo captures a moment of sheer defiance and courage — an assault underway amidst the wreckage of war, as these men charge under fire during one of the bloodiest engagements in human history.

Unlike standard infantry units, naval infantry often lacked heavy armor support or large-scale logistics. But what they had was discipline, close-combat training, and an unshakable will to fight. At Stalingrad, their contribution was vital — especially in defending the Volga river crossings and launching counterattacks across the shattered urban battlefield.

To the Germans, they were known as “Black Death.”
To the Soviets — simply морпехи.
To history — heroes.

📷 Technical photo data:
📸 Photographer: Unknown Soviet war photographer
📅 Date: 1942
📍 Location: Stalingrad, USSR