Soviet Sailors of the Dnieper Flotilla with an American Cameraman at the Brandenburg Gate, May 1945

August 11, 2025 - Reading time: 5 minutes

Soviet sailors of the Dnieper Flotilla pose with an American cameraman at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate on May 2, 1945, days after the city’s capture.

This historic photograph, taken on May 2, 1945, captures a unique wartime encounter at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin — Soviet sailors of the Dnieper Military Flotilla posing with an American war cameraman in the days immediately following the city’s fall.

The sailors pictured were heroes of the storming of Berlin, having fought in some of the most challenging and dangerous operations of the campaign. The Dnieper Military Flotilla, which had been re-formed in 1943, played an important role in the final battles of the war. On the Spree and Oder rivers, these naval crews operated armored boats and gunboats, providing fire support and ferrying troops under heavy enemy fire.

From left to right, the identified men include Senior Lieutenant of Medical Service A.F. Teterin (raising his hand), Lieutenant M.M. Kalinin, Lieutenant G.S. Suvorov, Chief Petty Officer V.I. Denisov, and an unidentified petty officer from the 1st Separate Armored Boat Division (ОПГ). In the far left of the frame, the camera of Soviet war correspondent V.E. Tomberg is visible, while the American cameraman — name unknown — stands in front of the group.

The photograph symbolizes not only the Soviet triumph in the Battle of Berlin but also the brief and rare moments of camaraderie between the Allies on the very streets of the defeated German capital. The Brandenburg Gate, still scarred by the fighting, serves as a fitting backdrop for this meeting of victors.

Technical photo data:
📝 Source of information: 1. csdfmuseum.ru

2. «Днепровская военная флотилия 3-го формирования 1943—1951» В.А. Спичаков
3. www.pinsk-flot.narod.ru
📍 Location: Berlin, Germany
📅 Date of photo: May 2, 1945
📷 Photographer: Sergey Shimansky

Dnieper Military Flotilla WWII
Soviet sailors Brandenburg Gate
Battle of Berlin naval forces
Armored boats Spree River
Gunboats Oder River WWII
Soviet Navy in Berlin 1945
May 2 1945 Brandenburg Gate
V. E. Tomberg war correspondent
Soviet and American cameramen WWII
Allies in Berlin WWII