80th anniversary of Great Victory: Decisive battle of Panfilov heroes

Soldiers of the 316th Rifle Division commanded by General Ivan Panfilov became the heroes of one of the most famous battles of the Great Patriotic War - near Dubosekovo's junction, El.kz reports.

Background to the battle: the strategic situation near Moscow

In the fall of 1941, Germany launched a large-scale operation "Typhoon" to attack Moscow. The Wehrmacht troops, having broken through the Soviet defenses near Vyazma, rapidly approached the capital of the USSR. The German command expected to make two flank strikes, encircle and capture Moscow before the beginning of the winter.

However, on the way to the capital there were formations of the Red Army, among which the 16th Army commanded by General Konstantin Rokossovsky. It was on its left flank, near Volokolamsk, that the decisive events of November 1941 unfolded. The Germans expected to break through in the direction of Klin, but the Soviet command also planned counterattacks to thwart the enemy's plans.

By early November, the front line in the Volokolamsk direction had stabilized, and the parties were preparing for new clashes. German units regrouped, and Soviet troops strengthened their defenses and pulled up reserves. Among them was the 316th Rifle Division, formed in the Kazakh and Kyrgyz SSR, which played a key role in containing the offensive.

The division occupied a section stretched along the front of 18-20 km. from the village of Popovkino to Shiryaevo, including the strategically important Dubosekovo. This point will soon become known to the whole country and will go down in history as a symbol of heroism.

General Panfilov and his fighters: who are Panfilov's men

The 316th Rifle Division was formed in July 1941 in the Kazakh SSR (Alma-Ata) and the Kyrgyz SSR (Frunze) - immediately after the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Most of its fighters are Russians, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Ukrainians, Uzbeks. It was this multinational unit that later became known as the "Panfilov Division"

Major General Ivan Panfilov, a former military commissar of the Kyrgyz SSR, a man who had not only combat experience, but also great authority among his subordinates, was appointed commander of the division. He was considered as a fair, decisive and disciplined commander.

Under the leadership of Panfilov, the division underwent accelerated training in the Alma-Ata region, and then was sent to Moscow. At that time, the situation at the front was extremely difficult: German troops approached to the capital, and the fate of Moscow hung in the balance.

Panfilov's men quickly established themselves as hardy and courageous warriors. In the very first battles near Volokolamsk, they showed perseverance and fortitude, fighting with regular tank and motorized units of the Wehrmacht.

Particular attention in the division was paid to the political and moral training of the fighters. A skillful combination of physical hardening, fire training and educational work made it possible to turn the young unit into a real combat guard in the shortest possible time.

November 16, 1941: Battle at Dubosekovo junction

In the morning of November 16, the German 2nd Panzer Division began an offensive on the left flank of the 316th Rifle Division. The purpose of the strike was to break through the defenses of the Soviet troops and occupy the dominant heights in the area of the villages of Golubtsovo, Lystsevo, Shishkino, Rozhdestvenno - north of the Dubosekovo railway junction. Three battle groups with tanks, artillery and motorized infantry participated in the offensive. Units of the Red Army were under a powerful blow.

In the Dubosekovo area, the defense was held by the 4th company of the 2nd battalion of the 1075th rifle regiment, commander - Captain Pavel Gundilovich, political instructor - Vasily Klochkov. It was this section that was recognized as tank-hazardous. The defense here consisted of trenches, bunkers and anti-tank obstacles.

The number of the company on the eve of the battle was about 120-140 people, but only 28 soldiers from the destroyer anti-tank platoon were posted at the strong point. They had extremely limited weapons: hand grenades, rifles, Molotov cocktails, PTRD anti-tank rifles, several machine guns and rifles.

According to the memoirs of the participants and the data of the Red Army's operational reports, the battle unfolded at about 8 o'clock in the morning. German artillery and mortars began a massive shelling, followed by an attack by submachine gunners. When the enemy infantry was repulsed, the Germans threw up to 50 tanks into battle. It was at this moment that the political instructor Klochkov uttered a phrase that became a symbol of the entire defense of Moscow:

"Russia is great, but there is nowhere to retreat — Moscow is behind!"

The battle lasted about four hours. Soviet soldiers allowed tanks to approach at close range and hit them with grenades, bottles with a flammable mixture and fire from the flanks. Some enemy tanks were indeed destroyed. According to the operational data of the division headquarters, from 5 to 9 tanks were knocked out. The Germans were forced to retreat temporarily.

However, after regrouping, the enemy again went on the attack. The remaining fighters, including the reinforcements that arrived, tried to hold their positions, but the forces were too unequal. By the end of the day, the defenses of the 4th company were broken through, and its remnants were thrown back. More than 100 people died. Of the 4th company, only about two dozen soldiers survived.

Legend and reality: 28 Panfilov's men and a battle that has become a symbol

The story of the heroic feat of a group of soldiers who stopped dozens of enemy tanks at the Dubosekovo junction first appeared in print 11 days after the battle, on November 27, 1941. Then the newspaper "Red Star" published an essay by front-line correspondent Vasily Koroteev, which said that 28 soldiers from General Panfilov's division "died to the last, but did not let the enemy pass."

The very next day, November 28, an article by Alexander Krivitskiy appeared in the same newspaper -  "The Testament of the 28 Fallen Heroes", where it was specified that the battle lasted several hours, 18 tanks were destroyed, and all the soldiers died heroically. Later, on January 22, 1942, Krivitsky published a list of the names of all 28 soldiers, including political instructor Vasily Klochkov, who was credited with the iconic phrase:

"Moscow is behind!"

These publications made a strong impression and were instantly picked up by Soviet propaganda. The feat of "28 Heroes" became an example of mass heroism and self-sacrifice. It was their images that were printed on posters, in textbooks, songs, films and in ideological work with fighters.

However, questions soon began to arise. Some of the fighters included in the list of the dead were found alive. One of them, Ivan Dobrobabin, was captured, later served in the police in the occupied territory and in 1948 was convicted of treason. It also turned out that Grigory Shemyakin, Dmitry Timofeev, Illarion Vasiliev and Daniil Kozhubergenov also survived. This caused the need to revise the official version.

In 1948, the Main Military Directorate of the Prosecutor's Office of the USSR conducted an investigation and concluded that the legend of the 28 heroes at Dubosekovo was a literary fiction created by the journalists of the "Red Star" in the conditions of war. The secret note stated that the entire 1075th regiment fought in that battle, and not a separate group. At the same time, the mass heroism of the fighters was not denied, but the figure of "28" and specific details were recognized as inaccurate.

Despite this, the story of Panfilov's 28 men remained part of the official Soviet historiography. In 1942, all the fighters from Krivitsky's list were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Memorials, streets, schools and entire cities continued to perpetuate this version of the feat.

Today, historians admit that the real battle at Dubosekovo did take place, and it was heroic, but its literary processing is only one of the ways to form a symbol, and not an accurate reflection of all the circumstances.

Mass heroism of Panfilov's men: feats that remained in the shadows

Although the story of the "28 Panfilov Heroes" has become widely known, archival documents, memoirs of commanders and fighters indicate that the feat at Dubosekovo is only one of many episodes of mass heroism of the 316th Rifle Division, in which soldiers from all over Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other republics of the USSR fought.

The Battle of Petelino

On the same day, November 16, 1941, the 6th company of the 1075th regiment under the command of political instructor Pyotr Vikhrev fought heroically near the village of Petelino. According to official data, 15 soldiers of the company destroyed up to 5 German tanks. All the soldiers were killed, and Vikhrev, left alone, committed suicide in order not to surrender.

Matryonino: Momyshuly's counterattack

On November 17, already on the new line of defense near the Matryonino station, a battalion under the command of Senior Lieutenant Bauyrzhan Momyshuly distinguished itself. His subordinates, a total of 120 fighters, repelled the attack of the German battalion with the support of tanks, and then launched a counterattack and knocked the enemy out of the village. According to Soviet data, about 300 German soldiers were destroyed. This battle became an example of martial art and tactical determination.

Breakthrough of the encirclement at height 231.5

On November 17, in the area of mark 231.5, where the company of Lieutenant Krayev and political instructor Akhtan Khasanov was located, about 80 fighters were surrounded. Without artillery support and with minimal weapons, they launched a bayonet attack, broke through the enemy's ring, destroyed up to 200 Nazis, 3 tanks, captured heavy machine guns and trophies.

Feat of sappers

On November 18, in the area of the village of Strokovo, 11 sappers of the 1077th regiment under the command of Junior Lieutenant Pyotr Firstov held back enemy tanks and infantry for several hours, ensuring the withdrawal of the main forces. Later, they were nominated for the title of Heroes, but were awarded the Order of Lenin.

Kazakhs and Kyrgyz in the battles near Moscow

Among those who especially distinguished themselves were natives of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. For example, Duishenkul Shopokov from Kyrgyzstan, who died in battle on November 16, became one of the first officially recognized heroes from Central Asia during the war. Another example is Narsutbay Yesibulatov, a Kazakh, who was also included in the list of "Panfilov's 28" and symbolizes the participation of Kazakhstanis in the defense of Moscow.

Many of these feats did not become known to the general public, but thanks to documents, archival materials and historical research, they are gradually returning to the collective memory as part of the common feat of Panfilov's men.

Outcome of battle

The battles in the Volokolamsk direction from November 16 to 18, 1941 became one of the bloodiest in the initial phase of the battle for Moscow. Despite heavy losses, the 316th Rifle Division did not allow the German 2nd Tank Division to break through to key communications on the outskirts of the capital. This made it possible to gain critical time for regrouping and strengthening the Soviet defenses.

According to the headquarters of the Western Front, in three days of fighting, the division destroyed up to 1200 German soldiers and officers, knocked out at least 9 tanks, which is confirmed by operational reports, reports and materials of the NKVD.

But the Soviet side also suffered heavy losses. By November 19, 120-200 soldiers remained in each of the division's rifle regiments. Only in the 1077th Rifle Regiment there were up to 700 people. The 4th and 6th companies of the 1075th regiment suffered especially: each of them practically ceased to exist.

Despite the losses, the division did not flinch and did not surrender its positions, and later participated in the counteroffensive near Moscow. On November 17, it was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, on November 18 it received a new name - the 8th Guards Rifle Division, and a few days later - the honorary name named after General Panfilov, who died in battle on November 18.

With their courage, Panfilov's men delayed the offensive of the Wehrmacht's tank divisions, allowing the formation of new army formations and stabilizing the front. According to the plans of the German command, on November 20, the 2nd Panzer Division was supposed to capture Klin, but this was done only on November 23, and not by its forces.

Thus, the division from Central Asia - including from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan - became a symbol of decisive resistance on the western approaches to Moscow. Its fighters, regardless of nationality, showed resilience, which turned out to be stronger than the technical superiority of the enemy.

Investigations, doubts and declassified documents: myth or feat?

The story of 28 Panfilov's men was in the spotlight in connection with the revealed contradictions: several "dead heroes" were alive, and the circumstances of the battle were not confirmed either in the documents of the command or in reports.

In 1948, the Main Directorate of the Military Prosecutor's Office of the USSR conducted a secret investigation, the result of which was a certificate sent to A. A. Zhdanov.

Th check revealed that Ivan Dobrobabin, who appeared among the 28, not only survived, but also collaborated with the Germans in the occupied territory, for which he was convicted in 1948. Other participants in the battle who were not included in the "official" list were also identified.

Nevertheless, even the participants in the investigation admitted that the mass heroism in the Dubosekovo area was a fact, and the symbolic meaning of the feat had already gone beyond the documents.

"The mass heroism shown in the battle with German tanks near Dubosekovo is an indisputable fact. And nothing should erase the blessed memory of 28 Panfilov heroes." the chief of staff of the regiment Andrei Vetkov said.

Despite the conclusions of the prosecutor's office, the official version continued to exist, and the investigation documents were classified. Some researchers demanded that "myth" be separated from reality, while others defended the feat as a sacred legend, similar to the story of the 300 Spartans.

In 2015-2018, archival documents of the NKVD and SMERSH, as well as materials of the TsAMO, were declassified, confirming that there was a battle, heroism too, but the literary processing of the event changed the factual picture. And yet, even critics of the official version do not deny that Panfilov's division really saved Moscow in November 1941.

Memory of Panfilov's Men: From Almaty to Dubosekovo

The history of the feat of Panfilov's men has become an integral part of the national memory and identity of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Despite disputes and revisions of details, the name "Panfilov's men" still evokes respect and pride

Memorials

In 1965, a grandiose memorial to the Panfilov Heroes, one of the largest monuments to the Great Patriotic War in Russia, was erected at the Dubosekovo junction in the Moscow region. The names of 28 soldiers are carved on the pedestals, and the figures of granite soldiers symbolize strength, resilience and determination.

The Panfilov Museum was opened in the village of Nelidovo where documents, relics, photographs and memories of the participants in the battles are collected.

In Almaty, one of the central parks of the city bears the name of Panfilov's men - the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, where a memorial is installed and the Eternal Flame burns. Memorial rallies are held here every year, including on Great Victory Day.

Streets, schools, museums, memorial plaques in honor of Panfilov's men are in dozens of cities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and other CIS countries.

Memory in Art

The film "Panfilov's 28" (2016) is shot with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and found a wide audience response, including in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The name of General Panfilov has become a symbol of patriotism. His monuments have been erected in Bishkek and Almaty. It is no coincidence that the 8th Guards Division bore the name of Panfilov until the collapse of the Soviet Union .

Significance for Kazakhstan

For Kazakhstan, the feat of Panfilov's men is one of the key images of the participation of Kazakhstanis in the Great Patriotic War. It unites generations, illustrates the republic's contribution to the common Victory.

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