WWII in Focus: Daily Photos from the Frontlines

Soviet T-34 Tank Devastated by Heavy Explosive Blast, 1942

Soviet T-34 Tank Devastated by Heavy Explosive Blast, 1942

June 27, 2025 Reading time: 3 minutes

Soviet T-34-76 tank #323, likely destroyed by a heavy mine or aerial bomb. Frontal armor completely breached, showing the devastating effects of explosive force during WWII. Read more


Soviet Border Guards and Their Service Dog — Last Days Before the War, 1941

Soviet Border Guards and Their Service Dog — Last Days Before the War, 1941

June 27, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes

Soviet border guards with a service dog observe enemy territory near the Danube Delta in the last peaceful days before Nazi Germany's invasion of the USSR. Both soldiers would go on to serve in the NKVD Internal Troops during the war. Read more


Soviet Naval Infantry Land Under Fire in Crimea – 8th Brigade Assault, 1942

Soviet Naval Infantry Land Under Fire in Crimea – 8th Brigade Assault, 1942

June 27, 2025 Reading time: 3 minutes

Soviet Naval Infantrymen of the 8th Brigade under Col. Gorpishchenko land on the shores of Crimea under heavy enemy fire. Part of the Black Sea Fleet’s assault operations to retake strategic coastal positions. Read more


Knocked-Out KV-1 Heavy Tank on Rostov-on-Don’s Market Square, 1942

Knocked-Out KV-1 Heavy Tank on Rostov-on-Don’s Market Square, 1942

June 27, 2025 Reading time: 3 minutes

A Soviet KV-1 heavy tank stands destroyed on the market square of Rostov-on-Don after German forces seized the city in 1942. The tank is a 1941 model featuring a welded turret and 76.2mm ZiS-5 cannon. Read more


Abandoned Soviet KV-1 Heavy Tank in the River Shchara, Slonim, Belarus – July 1941

Abandoned Soviet KV-1 Heavy Tank in the River Shchara, Slonim, Belarus – July 1941

June 25, 2025 Reading time: 4 minutes

A Soviet KV-1 heavy tank lies in the River Shchara after being abandoned by its crew during an attempted armored thrust through the town of Slonim. The tank slid off the riverbank and became immobilized. The crew survived and later fought with partisans. Read more


Abandoned Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank Captured by Germans, 1941

Abandoned Soviet KV-2 Heavy Tank Captured by Germans, 1941

June 25, 2025 Reading time: 3 minutes

Abandoned Soviet KV-2 heavy tank with towing cables, likely left behind after a breakdown during the early stages of the German invasion. A 152mm shell is visible atop the turret. Read more