Breaking of the Siege (1943)

Categories / Army. Navy/Blokade
BREAKING OF THE SIEGE 1943, 12 - 30 January, an offensive operation, code named "Iskra" (Sparkle), along the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts by Baltic Fleet forces in the region of the Schlisselburg-Sinyavino heights, breaching the line to Leningrad and restoring land connection between the city and the rest of the country. The operation was conceived by the Soviet High Command as an assault towards Sinyavino — Rabochy Poselok No. 5 (along the Ladoga Lake's south shore), in the region north of the Baltic-Ladoga escarpment; at that moment, the enemy occupied the heights of the escarpment, dominating the entire zone of advance. The marshy, wooded attack region was intersected by numerous water barriers, and the whole area between Schlisselburg and Lipka had been fortified; it was defended by a large force from the 18th Field Army of the Northern Army Group (up to five full-strength divisions). The 2nd Strike Army and the 14th Aviation Army of the Volkhov Front, together with the 67th Army and 13th Aviation Army of the Leningrad Front, all participated in the operation, aided by ship artillery, coastal artillery and aircraft bombardments from the Baltic Fleet and long-range air force. Frontline action was coordinated by the representatives of each headquarters, K.E. Voroshilov and G.K. Zhukov. The attack was launched on 12 January 1943, and on 18 January, troops from the two fronts joined forces in the region of Rabochy Poselok No. 1 and Rabochy Poselok No. 5, clearing the entire area of enemy troops. On the same day, the town of Schlisselburg was liberated. From 19 January to 16 February, the troops attempted to execute joint operations to advance to southward and capture the Sinyavino Heights, but failed and fell back onto the defensive. The so-called Road of Victory was constructed within the liberated corridor, which was 8 - 11 km wide, and by which Leningrad was supplied with all necessities until the Siege was lifted. The Memorial Breach was constructed in memory of this operation, which is a part of the Green Belt of Glory, encompassed a memorial T-34 tank at the Ladozhsky Bridge across the Neva River (in the region of Maryino Village), The Breaking of the Siege of Leningrad Diorama Museum on the left bank of the Neva River (1983), and an obelisk at the site where the Leningrad Front and Volkhov Front troops were finally conjoined (1973, Sinyavino Village, on the 66th km along the Petrozavodskoe Highway).

References: Операция "Искра": Воспоминания, очерки, стихи, отрывки из дневников, документы, посвящ. прорыву блокады Ленинграда. Л., 1973; Прорыв блокады Ленинграда, янв. 1943 г.: Боевые действия второй Ударной армии. СПб., 1994.

G. V. Kalashnikov. Voroshilov Kliment Efremovich
Zhukov Georgy Konstantinovich
Операция "Искра": Воспоминания, очерки, стихи, отрывки из дневников, документы, посвящ. прорыву блокады Ленинграда. Л., 1973
Прорыв блокады Ленинграда, янв. 1943 г.: Боевые действия второй Ударной армии. СПб., 1994 Leningrad Front
Volkhov Front
Baltic Fleet
Road of Victory
Lifting of the Siege, 1944
The Green Belt of Glory
1943