KLICHAW OPERATION CENTRE

ˈKlichaw opeˈration ˈcentre

Command body of the Klichaw Partisan Formation which operated in the invaded territory of Magiliow Voblasc (west of the Dniapro River) and some neighbouring rajons of other voblascs during the Great Patriotic War.

It was formed in the course of the partisan battles for the liberation of Klichaw Rajon from German Nazi invaders. April 3, 1942, witnessed the beginning of its organisation, i.e. the 128th, 277th, 620th, 752nd, and 760th detachments were subordinated to the command of the 208th J. V. Stalin Partisan Detachment; the Klichaw Partisan Formation was formed. In July 1942, the formation’s activity was sanctioned by the Military Council of the Western Front on September 2, 1942, according to the Order of the Central Headquarters of Partisan Movement, the formation’s command was defined as the Klichaw Operation Centre. This official name also encompassed the formation. During 1942, detachments that had previously operated independently were included in the formation, and new ones were formed in its strength (in formation order), i.e. 525th, 61st, 345th, 537th, 255th, 113th, 600th, 210th, 425th, 810th, 152nd, 121st, 120th, 130th, 115th, and 100th.

In November 1942, the detachments were reorganised into 6 brigades, i.e. the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Klichaw, 3rd Bierazino, 6th Magiliow ones. In February — March 1943, the 1st Asipovichy, 8th Ragachow, 9th Kirawsk, and 10th Zhuravichy Partisan brigades were included under the Klichaw Formation. At the beginning of April 1943, the Klichaw Operation Centre conducted organisational and operational management of 10 partisan brigades (which combined 43 detachments), which included about 6,500 people.

The centre was disbanded on April 6, 1943, in connection with the formation of the Military Operation Group led by the Magiliow Underground Voblasc Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Belarus (see Magiliow Partisan Formation).

Commanders were V. I. Nichiporovich (April — September 1942), P. V. Jakhontov (September 1942 — April 1943); commissioners were K. M. Jakovlev (April — September 1942), I. G. Ivanov (September 1942 — February 1943), R. I. Shcherbakov (February — April 1943); headquaters chiefs were V. M. Ajrapetov (April — September 1942), K. A. Artsiushin (September 1942 — April 1943).