KALININ FRONT

Kaˈlinin Front

Operational and strategic large command of the Red Army troops in the western direction during the Great Patriotic War in 1941–1943.

On October 17, 1941, on the basis of the Directive from the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command, the front was formed of the part of the right wing forces of the Western Front (the 22nd, 29th, 30th, and 31st armies) to cover Moscow from the north-west. It acted against the forces of the German Army Group Centre. Later, at various times, the front included the 20th, 39th, 41st, 43rd, 58th armies, as well as the 3rd and 4th Shock and 3rd Air ones.

Front troops fought defensive battles in the vicinity of Moscow (October — December 1941), conducted the Kalinin operation (December 1941 — January 1942), liberated Kalinin city and advanced with fightings 60–120 km.

During the Toropec — Holm offensive (January 9 — February 6, 1942), the 4th Shock Army (colonel general A. I. Jaromienka) attacked Toropec — Velizh, liberated Toropec town on January 21, 1942 and led a further offensive in the Viciebsk direction in the deep rear of Army Group Centre. The Nazi German command transferred 4 infantry divisions here from Western Europe and, at the beginning of February 1942, stopped the advance of Soviet troops onward the city of Viciebsk. As a result of the fighting in the Surazh — Velizh area, so-called Viciebsk Gate, a 40‑kilometre gap in the front line appeared.

Subsequently, front troops took part in the Rzhev — Vyazma (March — April 1943) and Smolensk (August — October 1943) operations.

Through the Nevel operation of 1943, the troops of the Kalinin Front reached the eastern borders of the BSSR. At the beginning of October 1943, the 39th and 43rd armies entered the territory of Belarus and began fighting for its liberation. During the offensive in the Viciebsk direction on October 8, 1943, troops of the 84th Rifle Corps of the 39th Army and the Mobile Mechanised Group of the front recaptured Liozna urban settlement. This was the first rajon centre of Viciebsk Voblasc liberated from the Nazi invaders.

On October 20, 1943, the Kalinin Front was renamed as the 1st Baltic Front.

Commanders were colonel general I. S. Konev (October 17, 1941 — August 26, 1942); lieutenant general, from November 18, 1942, colonel general M. A. Purkaev (August 26, 1942 — April 25, 1943); colonel general, from August 27, 1943, army general A. I. Jaromienka (April 25 — October 20, 1943).

Member of the Military Council, i.e. corps commissar, from December 6, 1942, lieutenant general D. S. Leonov (October 19, 1941 — October 20, 1943).

Headquarters chiefs were major general I. I. Ivanov (October 19, 1941 — November 10, 1941); major general Ja. P. Zhurawliow (November 11 — November 20, 1941); colonel A. A. Katsnieĺson (November 26 — December 31, 1941); major general, from May 30, 1942, lieutenant general M. V. Zakharov (January 1, 1942 — April 9, 1943), lieutenant general V. V. Kurasov (April 9 — October 20, 1943).