BIAŁYSTOK PARTISAN FORMATION

ˈBiałystok ˈPartiˈsan Forˈmation

It existed during the Great Patriotic War.

It was formed in August 1943 by the Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Belarus and the Belarusian Headquarters of Partisan Movement in the territory of Minsk Voblasc; consisted of four detachments and four groups that were part of the partisan formation of the Sluck Zone; numbered 744 (according to other sources, 809) people.

In September — October 1943, the formation, together with the Białystok Underground Voblasc Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Belarus, conducted a 1000‑kilometre combat raid behind enemy lines from Kapyl Rajon of Minsk Voblasc to Białystok Voblasc (see Partisan raids). Brigades and detachments were based primarily in the pushchas of Lipichy (Baranavichy Voblasc) and Ruzhany (Brest Voblasc) and operated in small subunits in the areas assigned to them within Białystok Voblasc.

The formation included 5 partisan brigades, i.e. the Aleksandr Nevskij one, Kastuś Kalinowski one, P. K. Ponomarenko one, V. I. Chapaev one, U Imia Radzimy (In the name of the Motherland) one; 7 independent detachments, i.e. the 550th, Dunajew Combat, Bagdan Khmiaĺnitski, S. M. Budennyj, F. E. Dzerzhinskij, G. K. Zhukov, M. I. Kalinin ones. At the beginning of July 1944, the formation totalled 4,165 partisans.

It merged with the Red Army in July 1944; independent subunits reached the Soviet rear in August 1944.

The leadership of the formation were first secretary of the Białystok Underground Voblasc Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Belarus V. Je. Samutsin (August 1943 — July 1944); headquarters chiefs were F. F. Kapusta (August 1943 — February 1944; April — July 1944), I. A. Siankievich (acting duties; February — April 1944).