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| FSB releases documents on the bombing of the Stalingrad region 80 years ago |
| 2022-08-23 |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [RIA Novosti] The Nazis destroyed in Stalingrad not military, but civilian facilities, including residential buildings of civilians, according to archival documents released by the Russian FSB. Today marks the 80th anniversary of the first massive bombardment of this city by Luftwaffe aircraft. Attacks on the settlement destroyed more than half of the housing stock. After heavy high-explosive bombs that demolished the frames of houses to the ground, incendiary ammunition went into action, causing numerous fires. A huge fiery tornado devastated the central regions and spread to the outskirts. According to eyewitnesses, Stalingrad, which flourished before the war, became like a plowed field with skeletons of buildings and chimneys. More than 40,000 people died that day. About 50 thousand were injured. The bombing of August 23, 1942 is considered the starting point for the heroic defense of this city. Among the documents published now are photocopies of memorandums and special reports compiled by the state security agencies of the USSR, which provided data on Nazi air raids on settlements and objects of the Stalingrad region in the summer and autumn of 1942. In particular, an overview of the raids on the region in July 1942 is given: for example, on July 22, Stalingrad was attacked by 18 Heinkel-111 and Junkers-88 aircraft. 40 high-explosive bombs (FAB) with a caliber of 50 to 500 kilograms were dropped on the city. As a result, six one-story houses were destroyed, 21 people died, 25 were seriously injured, 60 people were slightly injured. The next day, July 23, enemy bombs fell on various areas of the Stalingrad region. Then the Nazis bombed the Serebryakovo station and the village of Mikhailovsky. "Two warehouses with grain were broken. There is destruction at the canning factory, 20 people were killed, 75 people were injured," the review noted. Also on July 23, bombs fell on the village of Novoannenka. "Dumped 25 FAB," the document said. The attack resulted in the destruction of railroad tracks as well as several wagons. In addition, 20 people died and 40 were seriously injured. In addition, enemy planes bombed the settlement of Filonovo, causing "significant damage to the station station." By the evening of July 23, according to the report, "activation of enemy aviation operations over the Volga began." Luftwaffe planes, both singly and in small groups, bombed river boats and mined the Volga in the Kamyshin-Cherny Yar area. From July 22 to 24, the Germans attacked the territory near the Archeda railway station and the station itself. "As a result of the bombing on July 22-24, more than 220 houses and all station buildings were destroyed and damaged," the review noted. Also, the fire of the Nazis led to the destruction of the mill and the premises for receiving bread, 600 tons of which were under the rubble. "30 wagons with bread, 12 wagons with horses, 10 wagons of cement, one tank of gasoline, five steam locomotives and four wagons with products of military units were destroyed," the document said. It spoke of a large number of dead and wounded. In the afternoon and evening of July 24, bombs fell on the Log station. "20 houses were destroyed. 60 people were killed and 180 were injured," the review said. According to the head of the Akhtubinsky district department of the NKVD, state security lieutenant Obukhov, on November 4, 30 enemy bombers raided the district center of Srednyaya Akhtuba. This is evidenced by a top secret report addressed to the deputy head of the NKVD department for the Stalingrad region, captain of state security Proshin. "Airplanes dropped several dozen high-explosive bombs ... 16 people were killed, 23 people were injured. Several dozen houses were destroyed," Obukhov reported. Earlier, Georgy Sannikov, a veteran of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, said in an interview with RIA Novosti that he was a 13-year-old boy who witnessed the first bombing of Stalingrad in August 1942. According to the interlocutor of the agency, his father came home from the marketplace all covered in blood of people who were next to him and died from fragments during bomb explosions. The Sannikov family was lucky enough to evacuate across the Volga in time, and from there the sun was not even visible - it was covered by a huge black cloud from the fire at the oil depot. |
| Posted by:badanov |