The Feat of the Gunners of the 3rd Fighter Brigade in Defensive Battles on the Northern Face of the Kursk Bulge

Relevance lies in the need to preserve the historical truth about the events of the Great Patriotic War and one of its most important battles – the Battle of Kursk. Despite the significant historiographical groundwork, the generalization of the experience of fighting in the defense zone of the Central Front troops continues to be actively developed. The retrospective factography of participation in the battles of individual units and formations requires further clarification, researchers should pay attention to the restoration of the destinies and names of the heroes of the summer battles of 1943. Whose example continues to inspire the exploits of modern defenders of the Fatherland.

Purpose. On the basis of documentary sources from the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, to reveal the specifics of the organization of defensive battles at Teplov heights by the forces of the gunners of the 3rd fighter brigade.

Objectives: to identify and study archival materials about the defensive battles of the 3rd Fighter Brigade on the northern face of the Kursk Bulge; to note the role of gunners in deterring the offensive of German troops on July 5-12, 1943; to determine the behavior of individual servicemen who distinguished themselves during the summer battles, to characterize the problems of establishing their destinies.

Methodology. During the research, the author adhered to the principles of objectivity and historicism. The information revealed in the sources was systematized and analyzed, allowing to reveal the problems of using artillery in defensive battles during the Battle of Kursk.

Results. The generalization of the experience of combat operations of the 3rd Fighter Brigade during defensive battles on the northern face of the Kursk Bulge indicates a well-thought-out and successfully implemented tactics of using individual artillery units in the organization of anti-tank defense.

Conclusion. An example of the courage and bravery of the soldiers of the 3rd fighter Brigade during the battles at Teplovsky Heights testifies to their high moral and volitional qualities, as well as the rational alignment of forces and means at the occupied defense lines, which ensured the successful fulfillment of the combat tasks assigned to the gunners.

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