AGINSKI BATTLE OF 1942

Aˈginski ˈBattle of 1942

Battle between the M. A. Shchors Partisan Detachment and German Nazi invaders on the Aginski Canal in Cieliahany Rajon, Pinsk Voblasc during the Great Patriotic War on September 13, 1942.

When the Nazis conducted the Swamp Fever punitive operation, the M. A. Shchors Partisan Detachment which took the assault of the punitive forces went on a raid through the blockade zone to Pinsk Voblasc.

The first clash of partisans against the Hitlerites took place on September 10, 1942 in Dabromysl village of Kosava Rajon. On September 11, the partisan detachment fought a 10‑hour battle with much larger enemy forces in Viada village of Cieliahany Rajon, and then it left in an organised manner.

Taking advantage of the wooded and swampy terrain and destroying part of their convoy, the partisans broke away from the enemy and decided to make their way to the Aginski Canal which connected Vyganashchy Lake with the Shchara River. At dawn on September 13, the partisan detachment went to the 10th lock of the Aginski Canal captured by the punitive forces (about 100 Nazis). The group of partisans waded the Shchara, attacked the enemy’s flank and forced it to retreat. At the same time, the main forces of the partisans attacked the enemy and, as a result of a 5‑hour battle, they annihilated more than 60 soldiers of the punitive forces, breaking their way out of the blockade. Partisans seized 2 machine guns, 5 assault rifles, 15 rifles, and a large amount of ammunition. 5 partisans died during the battle.