In the plans of the fascist German command, Crimea was given great importance. Having captured the peninsula, Nazi Germany gained access to the Caucasus, where Soviet oil reserves were located. Crimea was also planned to be used as a supply base for the southern army group. The operation to capture the peninsula was part of the Barbarossa plan, which provided for a rapid offensive against the USSR and ending the war in the fall of 1941. The enemy headquarters could not foresee that the second defense of Sevastopol would be no less stubborn than the first.

In turn, the command of the Red Army sought to preserve Crimea at any cost. The peninsula was an important springboard for Soviet aviation: bombers could launch raids on Romania from Crimea and destroy enemy fuel supplies.

Defense of Sevastopol 1941-1942 for a long time pinned down the forces of Hitler's army and slowed down their advance. The enemy armies suffered such significant losses in the battles that it took at least 1.5 months to restore their combat effectiveness.

Background and position of the parties

German aviation carried out an attack on Sevastopol on the first day of the Second World War – June 22, 1941. In order to block the ships of the Black Sea Fleet in the Sevastopol Bay, enemy aircraft dropped magnetic-acoustic sea mines. The city was bombed almost every day. The first civilian casualties appeared.

But Soviet troops in Sevastopol turned out to be the most prepared for war. Air defense forces repelled attacks by fascist aircraft, minesweepers cleared the bay of mines. From the first days of the war, the Black Sea Fleet began active military operations. On June 26, the warships of the squadron attacked the Romanian port of Constanta, through which the enemy army was supplied with fuel. During the battle, 1 of the 5 ships sank, and the second was seriously damaged. There were no major battles in the Black Sea, but fire support from naval artillery was of great importance for the ground forces defending Sevastopol.

Some of the city's industrial enterprises were moved to other regions of the country, and the rest switched to producing military products. Factories, hospitals, warehouses, and barracks of strategic importance were lowered into underground adits created in the 19th century. The evacuation of the civilian population began. A people's militia of 15 thousand soldiers was assembled.

The position of the Red Army on other fronts at the end of the summer of 1941 was extremely difficult. The enemy captured most of Ukraine, including Kyiv. By mid-September 1941, Nazi troops found themselves on the approaches to the peninsula. It was decided to recall the armed forces defending Odessa to participate in the defense of Sevastopol.

The capture of Crimea from land was possible only through the Perekop Isthmus. The defense of the peninsula was carried out by the 51st separate army under the command of Colonel General F. I. Kuznetsov. Two rifle divisions covered the Arabat Strelka, the Chongar Peninsula and Perekop. The 106th Infantry Division defended the southern shore of Lake Sivash. Another 4 divisions guarded the coast. The 271st Infantry Division and cavalry units were tasked with preventing enemy landings.

The 11th German Army under the command of Erich von Manstein was launched into an attack on Crimea. In its ranks there were more than 200 thousand soldiers, over 600 aircraft, 400 tanks and 2000 guns. On September 12, the advanced detachments of the enemy army approached the peninsula. During fierce fighting in September 1941, German troops broke through the Perekop Isthmus. The Soviet army retreated to the Ishun positions.

The offensive against the Ishun positions began on October 18. Soviet troops stubbornly resisted the German army, despite the enemy's significant superiority in manpower, equipment and aviation. As a result of 5 days of grueling fighting, Soviet troops were forced to retreat deeper into the peninsula. On October 26, Manstein’s army received fresh reinforcements and was able to build on their success.

Red Army units retreated to Sevastopol and Kerch. According to a proposal made by the commander of the 172nd Infantry Division, Colonel I. A. Laskin, 4 rifle and 3 cavalry divisions of the Primorsky Army retreated to Sevastopol by a roundabout route through the Crimean Mountains. This group was pursued by 2 German infantry divisions. The main forces of the enemy headed directly towards the city.

Progress of the defense of Sevastopol

By the beginning of the war, the city was not protected by land fortifications. In July, construction began on three lines of defense, which was completed by November 1, 1941. The work was supervised by the engineering department of the fleet under the command of V. G. Paramonov, a military engineer of the 1st rank. The forward fortifications had a length of about 35 km, and the rear fortifications, located 2-3 km from Sevastopol, were 19 km long. The defense system included artillery batteries and minefields. The third, main line of defense, located between Kerch and Balaklava, was not fully completed at the beginning of the assault on the city. The protection of Sevastopol Bay was provided by coastal artillery and ships of the Black Sea Fleet.

The date of the start of the defense of Sevastopol is considered to be October 29, 1941. The commander of the German army considered Sevastopol a weak fortress and was confident that the city would not resist for long. On October 30-31, Nazi troops made their first attempt to capture the city on the move. After its failure, the enemy moved on to a systematic siege.

Anti-aircraft artillery air defense regiment near Sevastopol. Crimea, USSR 1942

On November 4, naval forces and ground units, including units of the Primorsky Army that arrived from Odessa, were united into the Sevastopol defensive region. Vice Admiral F. S. Oktyabrsky was appointed its commander, and Major General I. E. Petrov was appointed his deputy. The city's defenders had 170 artillery pieces and 100 aircraft. The total number of fighters was about 50 thousand people. Many city residents joined the people's militia. A separate battalion was formed from cadets of the military naval military forces of coastal defense. On the night of October 29-30, the cadets made a 35-kilometer night march, carrying weapons, ammunition and various equipment. The sailors took the first blow from the enemy.

The defense of Sevastopol lasted 250 days. Bravely defending themselves, Soviet troops pinned down significant enemy forces for a long time. The existence of a fortified naval base in the rear delayed the advance of Nazi troops on the Southern Front. The enemy was unable to build on the success achieved near Kharkov in May 1942, where 3 Soviet armies were surrounded, since a significant part of German aviation was deployed near Sevastopol. The tenacity and heroism of the Sevastopol fighters became a worthy contribution to the common victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The first German offensive on Sevastopol

The first German offensive on the city began on November 11. The enemy's main attack was aimed at Balaklava. The offensive involved 4 infantry divisions, a motorized detachment and a Romanian motorized brigade. An additional attack was carried out along the Kara-Kobya valley. During fierce battles, the Germans were able, at the cost of heavy losses, to wedge themselves into the forward defensive line in some areas. After this, the enemy was forced to resume the siege on November 21.

By decision of the command of the Black Sea Fleet, warships were relocated to the ports of the Caucasus in early November 1941. But ships periodically entered the bay of Sevastopol, providing the defenders with reinforcements, ammunition, medicine and food.

Second German offensive on Sevastopol

The Nazi command planned to resume the assault on the city on November 27. The operation had to be postponed because the supply of the 11th Army was disrupted due to weather conditions and partisan actions. 4 out of 5 steam locomotives belonging to the enemy and almost half of the horse-drawn transport were out of order.

The second German offensive on Sevastopol began on December 17. The assault on the city involved 7 infantry divisions, 2 mountain brigades, 150 tanks, 300 aircraft, more than 1,000 guns and mortars. To destroy defense structures, the enemy used large-caliber artillery, including super-heavy siege howitzers and an 800-mm Dora-class gun that weighed 1,000 tons.

The enemy delivered the main blow through the Mekenzi Mountains towards the Sevastopol Bay. An auxiliary strike was aimed at Inkerman. The fascist German army was almost 2 times larger than the defenders of Sevastopol in numbers and firepower. A dangerous situation had arisen in the area of ​​the Mekenzi Mountains - the enemy had wedged itself into the location of the Soviet troops. To avoid a German breakthrough to the Sevastopol Bay, Headquarters decided to reinforce the defenders with two rifle divisions and one brigade, delivered by sea.

With the support of ships of the Black Sea Fleet and aviation, the Red Army launched a counteroffensive and pushed back the enemy. On December 25, the Kerch landing operation began. The Soviet command planned to destroy enemy troops in the Kerch region with landing forces, release Sevastopol and subsequently liberate Crimea. To fight the Soviet landing, the Germans had to pull significant forces from Sevastopol, which eased the situation for the city’s defenders. But despite the initial success, the Kerch operation ended in failure.

Third German offensive on Sevastopol

At the end of May 1942, Soviet troops were forced to leave the Kerch Peninsula. Some units of the 51st Army were evacuated to the mainland. After the liquidation of the Crimean Front, the defense of Sevastopol could not last long.

Almost the entire 11th German Army, numbering over 200 thousand people, was concentrated near Sevastopol. The enemy had 2 thousand guns, 450 tanks, 600 aircraft. The Soviet troops, which received reinforcements in early June, had 106 thousand people, 600 guns, 38 tanks and 53 aircraft. The city was completely blocked from land.

During the same period, the enemy took active measures against the Black Sea Fleet. For this purpose, the enemy used torpedo boats, patrol boats and submarines, which were based in Yevpatoria and Yalta. Aviation played a significant role. According to the plan of the German headquarters, the naval blockade was supposed to weaken the defenders and facilitate the capture of the city. Without the supply of reinforcements and ammunition, Sevastopol could not resist for long, despite the experience of the command and the heroism of ordinary soldiers and sailors. The number of shells that were nevertheless able to be delivered to the besieged city did not cover the costs. As a result, Soviet artillerymen had to reduce the density of fire. Anti-aircraft artillery could not shoot down enemy planes, which is why the Germans intensified their bombing of the city.

Since May 27, Sevastopol was subjected to artillery shelling and air bombing almost daily. On June 7, after lengthy artillery preparation, the German army went on the offensive. The main blow fell on the eastern shore of Sevastopol Bay, with a secondary blow on the southeastern outskirts of the city. For 5 days there were stubborn battles, as a result of which the Soviet troops had to retreat. On June 18, the enemy reached Inkerman and Sapun Mountain.

On June 22-26, the defenders received their last reinforcement - the 142nd Infantry Brigade. During this period, the naval blockade intensified: several ships of the Black Sea Fleet were sunk by enemy aircraft. The leader "Tashkent" became the last of the surface ships to break into the city. To deliver ammunition and remove the wounded, transport aircraft began to be used, making flights from Krasnodar at night.

On June 29, German troops resumed the assault. The enemy advanced along almost the entire front line, except for Balaklava. The Germans behaved extremely self-confidently, which is why they suffered heavy losses. Later they became more cautious and moved only after preliminary artillery preparation.

But the position of the Soviet troops was also extremely difficult. There was a real threat of the enemy capturing Sevastopol. As a result of airstrikes and artillery shelling, individual units were completely destroyed. The defenders were left with only 18 thousand soldiers, 200 field artillery guns and 20 air defense guns. By the evening of June 29, German units were firmly entrenched in the Sapun Mountain area.

On the night of June 29-30, the Soviet command regrouped its troops. On the same night, Black Sea Fleet aircraft attacked enemy ships in the port of Yalta. Aircraft from the Sevastopol defensive region also took off and bombed enemy positions. During the day, aircraft could not be used due to the fact that German fighters blocked the airfield.

On June 30, the enemy continued the offensive. The multiple advantage in military equipment and manpower allowed German troops to penetrate the defense line in several places. Many Soviet units were surrounded and destroyed. By the evening of June 30, the German army captured all the main approaches to Sevastopol. The defenders were forced to retreat to Chersonesos and the Cossack and Kamyshovaya bays.

On July 1, the Germans controlled almost the entire coast in the Sevastopol area. Soviet soldiers, knowing that evacuation was impossible, stubbornly resisted. They destroyed all strategically important objects, plant equipment, warehouses, and food supplies.

The second defense of Sevastopol continued until July 4, 1941. The defenders had only small arms and a small amount of small-caliber artillery. Most of the fighters died or were captured. A small part of the defenders was taken out by planes, submarines and small vessels. Some groups managed to break through to the partisans.

For the capture of the city, the commander of the German army, Colonel General von Manstein, received the rank of field marshal.

Occupation of Sevastopol

According to the plan developed at the beginning of 1941, Crimea was to become one of the regions of Germany. Sevastopol was renamed Gottsburg, and Simferopol - Theodorichshafen. The peninsula was planned to be completely populated by the Germans.

A month before the capture of Sevastopol, the Germans formed occupation authorities. A military commandant's office, a security service department and a city government, headed by the burgomaster, were created. The police were also convened from local residents who showed loyalty to the occupiers. The local commandant's office was completely subordinate to the German authorities. Its main task was to supply the German authorities with food.

Unfortunately, during the retreat, the Soviet troops did not have time to destroy the documentation of the city department of the NKVD, the passport office and the registry office, which fell into the hands of the Germans. With the help of this documentation, the Germans were able to count the entire working population and identify individuals considered politically dangerous. By the end of August 1942, 1.5 thousand people were executed, including party members, Komsomol members, business leaders, police officers, people awarded government awards and representatives of some ethnic groups. They shot people found in someone else's house without documents, and the residents of that house.

In the first months of the occupation, demonstrative executions of random passers-by who were detained on the street were carried out. Many city residents died of hunger: food rations were received only by those who collaborated with the occupiers and workers of a few enterprises.

A curfew was introduced for city residents. Everyone who was detained on the streets in the winter from 17 to 6 o'clock and in the summer from 20 to 6 o'clock was subjected to inspection and sent to forced labor for up to 10 days.

More than 20 prisoner of war camps were created on the territory of Sevastopol, where more than 15 thousand people were killed during the occupation. The invaders took over 45 thousand residents of the city to work in Germany.

During the siege and occupation, Sevastopol was almost completely destroyed. The water supply and sewer systems were out of order, there was no electricity, industrial enterprises were blown up by the enemy during the retreat. By May 1944, the city's population had decreased to 3 thousand inhabitants.

The Crimean Peninsula was liberated during the Crimean offensive operation, which was carried out from April 8 to May 12, 1944. The operation was carried out by troops of the 4th Ukrainian Front and the Primorsky Army. German and Romanian units in Crimea occupied positions advantageous for defense.

According to the plan of the Soviet command, the main blow had to be delivered from a bridgehead in the Kerch region towards Simferopol and Sevastopol. Great importance was given to the Black Sea Fleet, which was supposed to block the enemy from the sea and assist the army during battles in the coastal strip.

On April 8, Soviet troops launched an offensive. On April 15-16, Red Army units approached Sevastopol and began preparations for the assault, which was scheduled for May 5. The enemy took into account the mistakes the troops made during the defense of Sevastopol and significantly strengthened the defensive structures. Particularly fierce battles took place in the Karan area and near Sapun Mountain. On May 6, Soviet troops occupied the city. The remnants of the German units retreated to Cape Chersonesos, where they were subsequently taken prisoner.

Results of the defense of Sevastopol

For 250 days, the defenders of Sevastopol courageously resisted many times superior enemy forces, holding back the advance of the German army. After the surrender of the city, the position of the Red Army worsened significantly. An important strategic bridgehead was lost, which allowed the Soviet fleet and army to operate in Romanian waters. Soldiers and commanders who gained valuable combat experience died. The losses of the Red Army amounted to over 150 thousand people.

But the victory was costly for the German army. The map of the battles shows that during the period of defense of Sevastopol until June 1942, the defenders successfully repelled the attacks of the enemy, who was unable to achieve significant success, despite the numerical advantage. More than 300 thousand German soldiers and officers were killed or seriously wounded. The defense of Sevastopol lasted much longer than planned at the headquarters of the German army. The planes and artillery so necessary for the front were used in the assault on the city. The enemy was deprived of the opportunity to use the 11th Army in the operation near Kharkov, as a result of which the speed of the advance of the Nazi troops slowed down. The enemy was able to increase activity in the southern direction only after the fall of Sevastopol.

46 defenders of the city were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. In 1942, a medal “for the defense of Sevastopol” was established, which was awarded to over 40 thousand people. In 1945, Sevastopol became a hero city.

After the war, many monuments were built related to significant dates of the defense of Sevastopol: memorial complexes on Sapun Mountain and Malakhov Kurgan, the monument to Eternal Glory, the monument to soldiers and sailors, the obelisk to the hero city, the monument to Admiral F. S. Oktyabrsky and many others.

Defense of Sevastopol - a large-scale defensive operation of Soviet troops in the vicinity of Sevastopol in the first period of the Great Patriotic War.

Background and position of the parties

Ukraine in the first period of the war was one of the main strategically important points for the German command, since the capture of Ukraine would allow Hitler to open routes to Moscow from the southern borders, as well as provide his army with food and heat for conducting military operations in the winter. In addition, Crimea was a particularly important part of Ukraine, as it opened the way for the Nazis to the Caucasus, where there were large oil reserves. Aviation was also based in Crimea, and the capture of the peninsula would simultaneously close the way for Soviet aviation and open up new opportunities for German aviation.

By the end of September 1941, German troops managed to conquer Smolensk, Kyiv, and also blockade Leningrad. In the South-Western direction, Hitler also achieved significant success - he managed to subjugate almost half of Ukraine and smash the defenses of the Soviet troops. Inspired by their success, the Germans moved towards Crimea, and Soviet troops began preparing the defense of the peninsula, and Sevastopol in particular.

At the time of the start of the clash, the forces of the opponents were approximately equal.

Progress of the defense of Sevastopol

The defense of Sevastopol lasted almost a year and had several main stages:

• First German offensive;
• Second German offensive;
• Calm period in January-May 1942;
• Third German offensive.

On October 25, 1941, German troops broke through the defense line of the Soviet army and moved towards Crimea with the goal of occupying the peninsula as soon as possible. At the same time, the Soviet command began a retreat towards Kerch, from where part of the army later crossed to Kuban. The remainder of the Soviet troops began to retreat towards Sevastopol to defend the city. The Germans pursued both parts of the Soviet army, and also sent another detachment directly to Sevastopol, bypassing the Russian army, to surround the city and capture it.

By November 1941, there were about 20 thousand Soviet troops in Sevastopol, and on November 5, the first clashes began between the Germans and the Soviet army on the distant approaches to the city.

The first German offensive on Sevastopol

On November 11, several German divisions attacked Soviet troops on the approaches to the city, but met serious resistance - fierce fighting continued until the 21st. During the battles, the Germans managed to advance several kilometers inland in two directions at once, and the front line was established 12 kilometers from Sevastopol.

After this, both armies began to strengthen their composition, reinforcements arrived to the Soviet troops, and the Germans focused their attention on other territories of Crimea. As a result, by November 16, the peninsula, except for Sevastopol, was captured by German troops. Hitler decided to “finish off” Sevastopol and all free armies moved towards the city.

Second German offensive on Sevastopol

A new attack was planned for November 27, but due to a number of problems it took place only on December 17, 1941. The Germans attacked the Soviet front and fierce fighting began again, as a result of which the German army was again able to gain the advantage and advance towards the city.

On December 19, the Soviet command reported that there was no longer any strength left for defense and the city would not hold out even until the 20th, but contrary to forecasts, the army was able to resist until November 21, when help arrived.

In two weeks of fighting, the Germans were able to move the front line by an average of 10 kilometers, which meant that they practically came close to the city.

January-May 1942

It was a relatively calm period, only small, local battles took place, as German troops went to the east of the Crimean Peninsula, and the Soviet army at that time replenished its troops with new divisions.

Third German offensive on Sevastopol

On May 18, Soviet resistance in eastern Crimea was finally destroyed, and the German army again concentrated on Sevastopol. It was necessary to capture the city in the near future - for this, artillery was brought to the border.

On June 2, the assault on Sevastopol began simultaneously from the ground and air, part of the German army distracted the enemy in the east, and part participated directly in the assault.

By June 17, the north of Sevastopol, as well as part of the south, was captured. By June 29, the Germans entered the city, and the fighting continued there.

On July 1, 1942, Sevastopol was completely captured by the Germans, and the remnants of the Soviet army went to Chersonesus, expecting to be evacuated from there. The fighting continued in Chersonesos for several more days, no one evacuated the army, and the soldiers were soon captured or killed.

Results of the defense of Sevastopol

The defense of Sevastopol went down in history as an example of the courage of Soviet soldiers, as well as one of the most difficult and lengthy operations of the first period of the war. Despite the resistance, the city was taken, which meant that the entire Crimea came under the jurisdiction of Germany. Hitler received a very advantageous position, and the Soviet command was forced to admit that they had actually lost Ukraine.

The second defense of Sevastopol lasted 250 days and largely determined the further development of all military operations: the enemy was unable to continue the offensive, and the Soviet troops managed to concentrate and give the enemy a brutal rebuff. The Second World War once again proved the important geopolitical and strategic importance of the Crimean Peninsula and Sevastopol, which had strategic significance for both sides.

Crimean aviation had the ability to strike the oil fields of Romania, causing serious damage to the enemy. For the Germans, the peninsula was the main obstacle on the way to the Caucasus and the Volga, a springboard for a further offensive.

By the beginning of the war, the Sevastopol defensive region was one of the most fortified places in the world and included dozens of gun positions, minefields, two coastal armored turret batteries (AB) (there is a memorial complex on the site today), armed with large-caliber artillery. Knowing this, the Germans threw their best forces against the city’s defenders.

Progress of the second defense of Sevastopol

The offensive against Sevastopol began after a heavy bombardment on November 2, 1941. The enemy completely surrounded the city, fighting took place along the entire perimeter, but for 10 days the offensive did not bring much results.

The air raids did not stop day or night and, according to eyewitnesses, became more powerful day after day.

A second assault was launched on December 17. To suppress the fire of the Soviet troops, the Germans carried out massive artillery preparation, which used heavy-duty large-caliber mortars and howitzers, including the legendary Dora cannon.

The city was practically razed to the ground, but the enemy was again unable to advance forward and was repulsed. Having suffered heavy losses, the Wehrmacht troops were forced to stop.

After this there was a relative calm, although the airstrikes did not stop. The Soviet artillery was partially destroyed, so enemy planes were constantly hovering over the city.

The last assault on Sevastopol began on June 7, 1942. For 10 days there were fierce battles along the entire perimeter of the area, but in the end, by the 17th, the Nazis captured a number of important positions - the Eagle's Nest at the foot of the site, Fort Stalin and the BB-30 fortification. In fact, the city was taken.

On June 30, the military command announced the evacuation of senior and senior personnel of the army and navy. Under the cover of darkness, the command and party leadership left the city on submarines. Major General Novikov was left at the head of the remaining units in the city.

Troops flocked to Cape Chersonesos for evacuation. As a result, there were 78,230 Soviet troops in the BB-35 area, with almost no ammunition.

Retreating through casemates and dungeons, the fighters fought to the last bullet, defending every room and refusing to lay down their arms.

The soldiers who had taken refuge were smoked out with asphyxiating gas... The forces were not equal, after several days of fighting, almost all of the city’s defenders were either destroyed or captured. The Nazis shot a significant part of the garrison and local residents on the spot, immediately after capturing the city.

Having lost Crimea and Sevastopol, the Soviet army lost a strategically important area, and the way was open for a further German offensive in the Caucasus.

However, the huge losses suffered by the Wehrmacht army made this offensive almost impossible.

The second defense of Sevastopol largely decided the outcome of all further hostilities and did not allow the Germans to realize their plan. Having stopped the Germans in Crimea, Soviet troops were able to concentrate their forces for a retaliatory strike and turn the tide of hostilities

Heroes of the second defense of Sevastopol

For 250 days, the heroes of Sevastopol held off superior enemy forces and, at the cost of their lives, stopped the German advance into the Caucasus and Volga. Let's talk about just a few of them.

Noah Adamia (1917-142) - commanded a platoon of machine gunners and was a sniper instructor of the 7th Marine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet, personally destroyed more than 200 enemies in battles and knocked out two tanks. On June 21, 1942, he was surrounded by 11 machine gunners.

After a fierce battle with the enemy, he managed to break through the ring and get to his own. He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, but never received the award - he went missing on July 3, 1942.

Ivan Bogatyr (1919-1982) - On June 7, 1942, in the area of ​​Balaklava, Ivan, after a long battle, was the only one of the defenders left alive. Despite being seriously wounded, the soldier continued to hold off the enemy for 5 hours, until reinforcements arrived. For courage and courage he was awarded the Order of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

Ivan Golubets (1916-1942) - on March 25, 1942 he saved ships in Streletskaya Bay from destruction. The sailor saw how two shells hit a patrol boat standing off the shore, which had deep mines on board.

Without hesitation, he rushed onto the burning ship. Together with a friend, they managed to throw almost all the shells into the water, but they themselves were not saved. For his courage he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Philip Sergeevich Oktyabrsky (1899-1969) - since March 1939 - commander of the Sevastopol defensive region. He led the defense until the evacuation order was received. In 1944, he made a significant contribution to the liberation of the Caucasus and the Crimean Peninsula, for which he received the rank of admiral.

After the end of hostilities, he continued to command the Black Sea Fleet until 1948. Then he was 1st Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. From 1957 to 1960 - head of the Black Sea Higher Naval School named after P.S. Nakhimov. For his skillful leadership of the fleet's actions, in 1958 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Second defense of Sevastopol 1941-1942. – memorable dates

October 27, 1941 - the Germans broke through the defenses of Soviet troops at Perekop and broke into Crimea
November 11-21, 1941 - the first planned attack on Sevastopol. The invaders attacked the city along the entire perimeter, but advanced only 12 km.
December 17, 1941 - second assault.
May 18, 1942– the number of German troops in Sevastopol has been increased to 150 thousand people.
June 7, 1942- third assault on the city. By the 17th, German troops had practically captured the northern defense spectrum of Sevastopol.
June 30, 1942- at a meeting of the Military Council of the Black Sea Fleet and the PA, the decision of the Supreme High Command to abandon Sevastopol was announced.
July 4, 1942- cessation of the organized defense of Sevastopol.

From the Soviet Information Bureau, May 9, 1944:

Having broken the stubborn resistance of the enemy, our troops at night, a few hours ago, stormed the fortress and the most important naval base on the Black Sea - the city of Sevastopol. Thus, the last center of German resistance in Crimea was eliminated, and Crimea was completely cleared of Nazi invaders.

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Sevastopol defense (September 1854 - August 1855)

Reflection of the bombardment of the Anglo-French fleet from the Alexander Battery on October 5, 1854. Artist F. A. Roubaud. 1905

During the events of the Crimean (Eastern) War of 1853 - 1856. The main place is occupied by the heroic defense of Sevastopol. For more than 11 months, Russian soldiers and sailors defended Sevastopol in the fight against a numerically superior enemy, showing heroism, courage and courage.

After Turkey declared war on Russia on October 4 (16), 1853, active operations were carried out on land and at sea. On the Danube, Russian troops unsuccessfully fought battles at Oltenica on October 23 (November 4), but repulsed the Turks on December 25, 1853 (January 6, 1854) at Cetati. In the Caucasus, in the battle of Akhaltsikhe on November 14 (26), 1853, the 7,000-strong garrison of General I.M. Andronikov drove back the 15,000-strong army of Ali Pasha; on November 19 (December 1), near Bashkadyklar, the 10,000-strong detachment of General V.O. Bebutov defeated the 36,000-strong army of Akhmet Pasha.

The fighting at sea went well. A particularly severe blow to Turkey was dealt in the Battle of Sinop, where on November 18 (30), 1853, a squadron under the command of a vice admiral of 8 ships during the Battle of Sinop destroyed the Turkish squadron of Osman Pasha of 16 ships.

The defeat of Turkey was accelerated by the entry into the war of Great Britain and France. On December 23, 1853 (January 4, 1854), the Anglo-French fleet entered the Black Sea. On February 9 (21), Russia declared war on Great Britain and France. On March 11 (23), 1854, Russian troops crossed the Danube at Brailov, Galati and Izmail and concentrated in Northern Dobruja. On April 10 (22), the Anglo-French squadron bombarded Odessa. In June - July, Anglo-French troops landed in Varna, and the superior forces of the Anglo-French-Turkish fleet (34 battleships and 55 frigates, including most steam ships) blocked the Russian fleet (14 linear sailing ships, 6 frigates and 6 steamships). frigates) in Sevastopol.

At the end of August, the combined fleet of England and France, consisting of 89 warships and 300 transports, approached Yevpatoria. On September 1 (13), the Allies freely began the landing of an expeditionary force of 28 thousand French, 24 thousand British, 7 thousand Turks with 122 guns. The landing lasted 6 days.

The commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in Crimea, Prince A.S. Menshikov, decided to give battle to the enemy army at a pre-selected position on the Alma River - on the way from Evpatoria to Sevastopol. Up to 30 thousand Russian troops with 96 guns were concentrated near the Alma River. On September 8 (20) a battle took place, which the Russians lost.

Having been defeated on Alma, Menshikov and his army first withdrew to Sevastopol, but then, fearing that the enemy would cut him off from the central regions of Russia, and also for the purpose of freedom of maneuver and the ability to threaten the flank and rear of the enemy, on September 12 (24) he withdrew his troops to Bakhchisarai . Almost simultaneously, the Allies launched a flank march to Balaklava, from where they intended to launch an attack on Sevastopol.

By the evening of September 12 (24), the allied army approached the Belbek River and from here the next day began a flank movement to the southern side of the city. On the morning of September 14 (26), the French took positions on the Fedyukhin Heights, and the British occupied Balaklava. The Allied fleet entered Balaklava harbor.

With the departure of Menshikov's army from Sevastopol, a terrible danger loomed over the city. Sevastopol sailors, led by Kornilov and Nakhimov, left without army support in the face of a possible attack from the enemy army and navy at any moment, began preparing the defense of the city on their own.

Sevastopol is located on both sides of the Big Bay (roadstead). Three bays jut into the southern coast: Artilleriyskaya, Yuzhnaya, on both sides of which the city stretches, and Kilen Bay. The southern part of the city is divided by the South Bay into the city side, which lies to the west of the bay, and the ship side, to the east of it. The area located south of the Big Bay and the city is known as the Chersonesos Peninsula. It ends with the steep cliffs of Sapun Mountain. There are three dominant points here: Malakhov Kurgan, the mound in front of it and Mikryukov Height. In the western part of the Chersonesos Peninsula there is the Quarantine Balka, from which the Kamyshevaya Balka extends to the west. To the northeast of the Big Bay there is a ridge that forms an almost impregnable position facing the Baydar Valley and Balaklava, where towards the Big Bay rise the Mekenzi Heights (named after Rear Admiral Mekenzi, the founder of Sevastopol), and even further - the Inkerman Heights height.

Plan of the Sevastopol fortress. "Atlas of fortresses of the Russian Empire"

View of Sevastopol. Album "Eastern War". Florence, 1856

Between the Balaklava Mountains, the position on the Mekenziev and Inkerman Heights and the cliffs of Sapun Mountain lies the valley of the Black River. The Fedyukhin Heights adjoin the left bank of the Black River, and higher up, to Sapun Mountain, stretches a ridge called the Semyakin and Gasfortovy Heights.

The terrain on which Sevastopol is located is convenient for organizing strong defense from the sea and inconvenient for defense from land.

To defend the northern side of the city and the roadstead, the Northern fortification was built back in 1818, which had the appearance of an octagonal fort with 4 small bastions. The fort had 50 guns.

The defense of the Sevastopol raid from the sea consisted of 8 strong stone and earthen batteries. By the spring of 1854, coastal defenses were strengthened. It had 14 batteries with 610 guns, including 28 bomb guns. Regarding the defense of Sevastopol from land, there was an opinion about the impossibility of a large landing and, therefore, the impossibility of attacking Sevastopol with large forces from land. On the southern side, Sevastopol was weakly fortified. In the southern defensive position, instead of the planned 6 bastions of 12 guns each, only the 6th bastion was actually ready. In total, on the 7 km long southern defensive line there were only 145 guns installed in unfinished fortifications.

Taking advantage of the fact that the Anglo-French command did not dare to attack Sevastopol on the move, urgent measures were taken to strengthen the city’s defense. On September 11 (23), in order to prevent enemy ships from breaking through to the inner Sevastopol roadstead, it was decided to scuttle 5 sailing battleships and 2 frigates across the entrance to the bay. Other sailing ships, all steamships and steamship-frigates were left for the defense of Sevastopol and withdrawn to the bay under the protection of batteries. Artillery and ship crews (about 18 thousand people) were taken ashore from them, from which 22 battalions were formed.

On September 13 (25), 1854, a state of siege was declared in Sevastopol. The defense of the city was led by a vice admiral, who was officially considered the chief of the defense staff. His closest assistants were the squadron commander, Vice Admiral Nakhimov, appointed head of the South Side, and the rear admiral (chief of the defense of Malakhov Kurgan). The general management of engineering work was carried out by an engineer-colonel. The garrison of Sevastopol after the field army left for Bakhchisarai, together with naval officers and sailors written off ashore, numbered more than 16 thousand people.

The leaders of the defense inspired the soldiers and sailors of Sevastopol, and the entire population of the city, to resist the enemy. An ardent patriot of his Motherland, Kornilov put all his soul, all his knowledge and energy, and his extraordinary organizational skills into the defense of Sevastopol. Strict and demanding in business, but caring and fair in his relations with his subordinates, he enjoyed universal respect and love. According to contemporaries, Kornilov was the creator of that military spirit, enthusiasm, courage and dedication that did not leave the defenders of Sevastopol until the last days of the siege.

On September 15 (27), Kornilov made a speech in front of the garrison of Sevastopol: “Comrades, we have the honor of defending Sevastopol, defending our native fleet! We will fight to the last! We have nowhere to retreat, the sea is behind us. I forbid all unit commanders to beat the all-clear; the drummers must forget this battle!...”

The defenders of Sevastopol, including women and children, worked tirelessly day and night. The construction of fortifications on the northern approaches to the city was led by Kornilov himself. Everything that could be used was brought ashore from the ships. In his letters dated September 14 (26) and September 16 (28), Kornilov wrote: “We fortified the city all day long... Work is in full swing on the fortifications; we know neither sleep nor fatigue; even the prisoners are zealous... Meanwhile, the enemy is approaching Sevastopol... We are not discouraged here, we are strengthening ourselves as best we can, as our means allow. A chain of redoubts, bastions and various types of batteries will soon present an uninterrupted line of cannon fire.” On the southern side of the city, work was led by Vice Admiral Nakhimov.

People worked in three shifts, even at night by the light of lanterns. Every day from 5 to 6 thousand people went to work in the morning, others replaced them in the evening.

Gallery of underground war. Defense of Sevastopol

Men dug rocky soil, and women carried earth from afar in baskets and bags. A battery also appeared in Sevastopol, which was built by women alone. She began to be called “Maiden”. As a result of the selfless work of the defenders of Sevastopol, the city was prepared to repel enemy attacks. “... We did more in a week than we previously did in a year,” Kornilov wrote about this feat of the Sevastopol residents in his diary.

The fortification defense near Sevastopol consisted of 4 positions. 3 positions were equipped on the South side and one on the North.

The fortifications of the land (southern) front were (from east to west): 1st, 2nd bastions, Malakhov Kurgan (Kornilovsky bastion), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 bastions. This was the main defensive line. During the siege, a number of fortifications (advanced and intermediate) were built to strengthen this main line. The most important of them were: in front of the 2nd bastion - the Selenga and Volyn redoubts, in front of the Malakhov Kurgan - the Kamchatka lunette, between the Malakhov Kurgan and the 3rd bastion - the Gervais battery, and between the 3rd and 4th bastions - the Schwartz redoubt.
The redoubts and bastions of the main defensive line were connected by trenches. For the first time in history, a zone of continuous artillery and rifle fire (200 m deep) was created in front of the main defensive line, which made it possible to conduct concentrated fire in given directions. The fire system was supplemented by a system of engineering obstacles (ditches, mines, landmines, wolf pits).

Behind the main defensive line there was a second line, which served to withdraw troops during the artillery shelling. The third line, which ran partly within the city, consisted of houses adapted for strongholds and served to shelter the main reserves.

At the second position, as well as at the main one, bastions and redoubts were erected to support the operations of individual artillery batteries.

During the first 3 weeks of the Sevastopol defense, under the leadership of E.I. Totleben, V.P. Polzikov, A.V. Melnikov and other military engineers, the defenders of the city built over 20 fortifications (batteries), and the number of artillery on the South Side alone was increased to 341 guns (including 118 heavy ones) versus 144 the enemy had. In Sevastopol, a deeply layered defense was created in a short time, based on the ideas of the outstanding Russian fortification theorist A. Z. Telyakovsky. However, the residents of Sevastopol, taking a creative approach to Telyakovsky’s provisions, developed them further. The defense they created made it possible to effectively use all forces and means, including naval and coastal artillery. The basis of the defense was the bastions.

The defense created near Sevastopol was the best example of field fortification of that time. It fully met the terrain conditions and tactical requirements.

On September 18 (30), Anglo-Franco-Turkish troops (67 thousand people, of which 41 thousand French, 20 thousand British, 6 thousand Turks) reached the approaches to Sevastopol from the south. The enemy fleet consisted of 34 battleships and 55 frigates, including 4 battleships and 50 frigates.

The garrison of Sevastopol by this time numbered 36,600 people. The increase in the number of troops stationed in Sevastopol was explained by the fact that Menshikov and his army moved from Bakhchisarai to Sevastopol. At the same time, part of the forces was allocated to strengthen the city’s defense. There were 16 sailing battleships, 6 steam and 4 frigates in the Sevastopol roadstead. In total, 3,904 guns, 1 million shells and 325 thousand charges of gunpowder were concentrated in Sevastopol.

On October 3 (15), Kornilov gave his last order. It said: “From the first day of the investment of Sevastopol by an enemy superior in strength, the troops intended to defend it expressed a decisive readiness to die, but not to give up the city... Over the course of a short time, through the tireless activity of everyone - both officers and lower ranks - strong fortifications rose from the ground , and the guns of old ships are placed on these formidable strongholds.”

October 5 (17), 1854 at 6 o'clock. 30 min. The first bombardment of the fortress began. The enemy opened fire on all defenses with 126 heavy guns, and by midday they were joined by another 1,340 ship guns. He hoped to destroy the land fortifications of the fortress with powerful bombardment from sea and land and take it by storm.

The Sevastopol residents responded with powerful artillery fire from 250 guns. Here is what a direct participant in Sevastopol, Slavoni, writes about this battle: “A terrible battle began to boil: the earth groaned, the surrounding mountains trembled, the sea began to gurgle... and at the same time, hellish fire broke out from our batteries. Enemy ships and steamers fired volleys at our batteries; bombs, red-hot cannonballs, grapeshots, firebrands... rained down in hail; crashes and explosions were ubiquitous; all this merged into a terrible and wild roar; it was impossible to distinguish the shots, only a wild and terrifying bubbling sound could be heard; the earth seemed to be shaking under the weight of the fighters... And this fierce battle did not stop for a minute, lasted exactly 12 hours and stopped only when it was completely dark.” The city's defenders managed to achieve close fire interaction between naval and fortress artillery.

The defenders of Sevastopol showed great resilience and courage. So, for example, on the 3rd bastion the gun servants changed three times, but the people continued to do their duty. Around the 10th battery, in just one day, October 5 (17), 2,700 cannonballs and unexploded bombs were collected, but it continued to fire. Russian artillerymen, despite being wounded, did not leave the battlefield. On this day, many defenders of Sevastopol died, and among them the talented organizer and head of the city’s defense, Admiral Kornilov. At the place where he was killed, the sailors made a cross from the cannonballs.

The sailors and the city's population spent the entire night from October 5 (17) to October 6 (18) working hard to repair the damage. To the amazement of the enemy, by the morning of October 6 (18), the Sevastopol fortifications had been restored and were ready to repel new enemy attacks.

Defense of Sevastopol. Artist F. A. Rubo. 1904

Defense of Sevastopol 1854 - 1855

The enemy's first attempt to capture Sevastopol failed. The plan of the Anglo-French command was thwarted by the heroic defense of the Russian troops.

After the death of Kornilov, the defense of Sevastopol was headed by Vice Admiral Nakhimov. Under his direct leadership, work was carried out to strengthen the defensive lines, to build additional coastal batteries and protect them, and combat battalions of sailors were formed. He knew everything that was happening on the bastions: who needed shells, where reinforcements needed to be sent, and always provided assistance on time. He spent the night wherever he had to, slept, often without undressing. I gave up my apartment for use as an infirmary. The admiral enjoyed enormous authority and love among the defenders of Sevastopol. Nakhimov was everywhere, inspiring with his example, helping in word and deed. Hero of Sinop, favorite of the sailors and the entire population of Sevastopol, an ardent patriot of his Motherland, he was the soul of the heroic defense of Sevastopol.

The bombardment of the city from land with siege batteries continued for several more days, but to no avail: the Sevastopol residents managed to repair during the night everything that had been broken during the day. Thanks to the tireless work of the talented Russian engineer Polzikov and Rear Admiral Istomin, who led the defense of Malakhov Kurgan, it was turned into a powerful fortification, which remained the main stronghold of the Sevastopol defense until the end.

The stubborn resistance of the garrison forced the English commander-in-chief Raglan and the French general Canrobert to postpone the assault and switch to a slow siege. The allied command planned to begin a new assault on Sevastopol in two weeks.

The enemy was preparing for a new assault on Sevastopol, moving ever closer to the line of its fortifications. After the won battle on the Black River on August 4 (16), 1855, the allied forces began to actively prepare for a general assault on Sevastopol. The Anglo-French command, represented by generals J.-J. Pelissier and J. Simpson carried out another bombardment of the city with 800 guns, which was carried out from August 5 (17) to August 8 (20). During this time, the enemy fired 56,500 shells, and the Russians - 29,400. The next, sixth, and most powerful bombardment of Sevastopol with 807 guns, including 300 mortars, was carried out from August 24 to 27 (September 5 - 8). Up to 150 thousand shells were fired into the city. Malakhov Kurgan was subjected to especially heavy bombardment, against which 110 guns were fired, including 40 mortars. This incredible cannonade, shaking and crushing Russian fortifications, showered their defenders with a hail of bombs, grenade shots and bullets. In addition to ordinary shells, the enemy fired rockets and threw barrels filled with gunpowder. Everything that science, art and the experience of centuries have created and discovered in destruction - everything was exhausted to the bottom, for the destruction of the Sevastopol fortifications and for the death of their defenders.

As a result of many days of fierce shelling, the 2nd and 3rd bastions and the fortifications of the Malakhov Kurgan were destroyed. Russian losses amounted to 7,561 people killed, 89 guns and 113 machine tools.

On August 27 (September 8) at 12 noon, 13 enemy divisions and one brigade began the final assault on Sevastopol. The enemy directed the main attack on the 2nd bastion and Malakhov Kurgan. 57,500 people were allocated for the assault. They were opposed by 40 thousand defenders of Sevastopol.

After the artillery shelling, French troops (about 39 thousand bayonets) attacked the Ship side (they were commanded by General Bosquet). The assault was carried out simultaneously along the entire defensive line of Sevastopol. 10 thousand French suddenly attacked the Malakhov Kurgan, on which there were only 1,400 soldiers and 500 artillerymen. Meanwhile, the French forces kept growing. Soon all the commanders in the Russian regiments were killed or wounded, however, having lost control, the soldiers continued to fight. The defenders of Malakhov Kurgan, after fierce battles, were forced to retreat under pressure from superior enemy forces.

All this time, enemy attacks continued on the 2nd bastion, where 7 thousand Russians fought with 18 thousand French. These enemy attacks were repulsed three times by the defenders of the bastion until fire from enemy guns mounted on the Malakhov Kurgan forced the defenders to retreat. The assault on the 3rd bastion was led by the British (11 thousand people). However, after the first unsuccessful attack, the British did not resume their attack. Also unsuccessful for the enemy was his offensive against the City side of Sevastopol, which began after Malakhov Kurgan was taken.

Thus, the French managed to capture the Malakhov Kurgan and the second bastion. At other points, all attacks were repulsed. But with the loss of the Malakhov Kurgan and the 2nd bastion, the defense line of Sevastopol was broken through precisely at the point on which its strength as a whole depended. The capture of Malakhov Kurgan, which represented a key position in the defense system of Sevastopol, was a turning point in the course of the siege.

Gorchakov, having familiarized himself with the state of affairs, decided to abandon further struggle for the city and ordered the troops to be withdrawn to the Northern side. On August 27 (September 8), Russian troops, having blown up warehouses and fortifications on the South Side, crossed partly on ships, partly along a constructed floating bridge to the North Side, and then united with Menshikov’s army. Simultaneously with the crossing of the troops, the remaining ships of the Black Sea Fleet were scuttled in the bay. The organized withdrawal of the entire Russian army with artillery and rear forces within one night was a unique case in the history of wars.

Sevastopol. Monument to lost ships. Sculptor A. G. Adamson, architect V. A. Feldman and military engineer F. O. Enberg. 1905

Thus ended the heroic defense of Sevastopol. The Allies did not achieve his surrender. The Russian army in Crimea survived and was ready for further battles.

"Brave comrades! It is sad and difficult to leave Sevastopol to our enemies, but remember what sacrifice we made on the altar of the fatherland in 1812. Moscow is worth Sevastopol! We left it after the immortal battle of Borodino. The 349-day defense of Sevastopol surpasses Borodino! But not Moscow, a pile of stones and ashes fell to the enemy in the fateful year of 1812. So it was not Sevastopol that we left to our enemies, but only the flaming ruins of the city, set on fire by our own hand, holding behind us part of the defense, which our children and grandchildren will proudly pass on to distant posterity,” said the order of the commander-in-chief dated August 3 (15), 1855. The Allies lost about 73 thousand people during the Sevastopol defense (not counting the sick and those who died from disease). Russians - 102 thousand people. During the siege, the enemy fired 1,356 thousand artillery rounds. In addition, the French fired more than 26 million rounds of ammunition. On the Russian side, 1027 thousand shells were spent.

The heroic 349-day defense of Sevastopol was an important stage in the development of military art. It became an example of the skillful organization of active defense, based on the joint actions of the ground forces and navy in the defense of a seaside fortress. Despite the enemy's superiority in the number of troops, artillery and the quality of weapons, a deeply layered defense that combined maneuver with fire and reliance on engineering structures, the adopted system of artillery and rifle fire, and mine warfare allowed the defenders to successfully repel enemy attacks. The combination of fire with the trench system marked the beginning of positional warfare. Russian soldiers demonstrated high moral and combat qualities and wrote a glorious page in the military chronicle of the army and navy.

The Cathedral of St. Prince Vladimir Equal to the Apostles in Sevastopol is an Orthodox church, the burial place of Russian admirals and naval officers - a monument of architecture and history.
Architects K. A. Ton and A. A. Avdeev

Worthy successors and continuers of the heroic exploits of the Sevastopol residents were the soldiers of the Red Army during the second Sevastopol defense of 1941 - 1942. They not only repeated the feat of those who fought on the bastions of the famous Russian city in 1854 - 1855, but also showed even greater steadfastness and mass heroism in the fight against the Nazi invaders.

Leaving Sevastopol, Gorchakov positioned his troops on the Inkerman and Mekenzi heights. Urgent measures were taken to strengthen the engineering defense of the Northern side. Together with the arriving reserves, Gorchakov had about 50 thousand people and was ready to continue the fight.

Colonel Dmitry Vorobiev,
Deputy Head of the Research Department
Institute of Military History of the Military Academy of the General Staff
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

The organizer of the defense was Admiral V. A. Kornilov. Kornilov's closest assistants were Admiral P. S. Nakhimov, Rear Admiral V. I. Istomin and military engineer Colonel E. L. Totleben.

Impregnable from the sea, Sevastopol was easily vulnerable from land. Therefore, it was necessary to quickly erect an entire system of suburban fortifications, in the construction of which the entire military and civilian population of the city, young and old, participated. On October 5, 1854, the Allies launched the first bombardment of Sevastopol, sending 1,340 guns against it (more than the French and Russians combined had at Borodino) and firing 150 thousand shells at its fortifications, but achieved nothing. The Sevastopol fortifications withstood the fire of heavy guns, and the garrison retained its presence of mind and was ready to repel the assault. Without risking an assault, the allied army, whose number had already reached 120 thousand people, began to besiege the city. 35 thousand soldiers defended him.

The defensive conditions were incredibly difficult. There was a shortage of everything - people, ammunition, food, medicine. The defenders of the city knew that they were doomed to death, but they did not lose either dignity or restraint.

Under such conditions, the Sevastopol garrison held out for 11 months, putting 73 thousand enemy soldiers and officers out of action.

On June 18, 1855, on the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, the Allies launched an assault on Sevastopol, hoping that a joint Anglo-French victory over a common enemy would give this day a new historical coloring. Dressed in full dress uniform, 30 thousand French and 15 thousand British attacked 9 times that day and were repulsed all 9 times.

Only on August 27, 1855, the French finally managed to take the Malakhov Kurgan that dominated the city, after which Sevastopol became defenseless. That same evening, the remnants of the garrison sank the surviving ships, blew up the surviving bastions and abandoned the city.

Vice Admiral Vladimir Alekseevich Kornilov (02/13/1806 - 10/17/1854)

Kornilov organized the defense of Sevastopol, where his talent as a military leader was especially clearly demonstrated. Commanding a garrison of 7 thousand people, he set an example of skillful organization of active defense. Kornilov is rightfully considered the founder of positional methods of warfare (continuous attacks by defenders, night searches, mine warfare, close fire interaction between ships and fortress artillery).

The enemy outnumbered and outgunned the defenders. The besieged suffered from a lack of food, medicine and ammunition. The supply of the army was so poor that soon the batteries were ordered to respond to 50 shells fired by the enemy with only 5 shots. Attempts to lift the siege of the city did not yield any results, and Sevastopol rested solely on the fantastic mass heroism of the soldiers.

While touring the troops, Vice Admiral Kornilov greeted the soldiers with these words: “Great, guys! You have to die, guys, will you die?” - and the troops shouted: “We will die!!!”

Kornilov himself had to die. He died at the very beginning of the siege. He was replaced by the hero of Sinop, Vice Admiral Nakhimov, who enjoyed enormous authority among soldiers and sailors.

Vice Admiral Nakhimov Pavel Stepanovich (06/23/1802-06/30/1855)

Together with Admiral V.A. Kornilov, he prepared Sevastopol for defense; after the death of Kornilov in February 1855, he headed the Sevastopol defense. A brave and talented military leader, Nakhimov enjoyed enormous authority among sailors and soldiers. On June 28, 1855, during the next attack of the Anglo-French troops besieging Sevastopol, Nakhimov was mortally wounded by a bullet in the temple and died two days later without regaining consciousness. Buried in Sevastopol next to the heroes of Sevastopol V. A. Kornilov and V. A. Istomin who died before him

Rear Admiral Vladimir Ivanovich Istomin (02/21/1810 - 03/19/1855) - rear admiral of the Russian fleet, hero of the Sevastopol defense.

Commanded the defense of Malakhov Kurgan. “The distance is great, there are 105 guns,” Istomin wrote to his brother, “and I had to be an artilleryman, an engineer, and a commander of troops.” From the first bombing of Sevastopol on October 5. 1854 and until the day of Istomin’s death he did not leave the bastion for a day. On March 7 he was killed.

Totleben, Eduard Ivanovich, participant in the defense of Sevstopol

(count, May 8 (20), 1818 - June 19 (July 1), 1884 - Russian military leader, famous military engineer adjutant general (1855), engineer general (1869).

In Sevastopol, due to lack of time, it was impossible to even think about erecting strong and proper fortifications; I had to work simultaneously at all points, using all sorts of means, including, among other things, the weapons of the fleet, which had now lost its direct purpose. When organizing his defensive line, Totleben adopted the following principles as his basis: the position closest to the city is chosen, determined by the existing fortifications, and strong artillery is deployed at its main points; these points are connected by trenches for rifle defense and for placing cover; between the main points, separate batteries are placed here and there; thus, all approaches to the city should receive strong frontal and flank defense by cannon and rifle fire. Work was carried out continuously day and night. In a short time, where not long before enemy reconnaissance had revealed only weak fortifications with large unprotected gaps, a continuous defensive line grew up. The Allies were forced to abandon their intention to take Sevastopol with an open attack and began their siege work on September 28. The first bombardment of Sevastopol on October 5 showed the strength of the Sevastopol fortifications and their advantageously directed artillery fire. Then the enemy turned to underground warfare and planned to blow up the 4th bastion, but here, too, Totleben warned him, meeting him with an unexpectedly skillfully prepared network of mine galleries. On June 8, Totleben was wounded in the leg by a bullet right through, but, despite his painful condition, he continued to lead the defensive work until his health deteriorated so much that he was forced to leave Sevastopol.

Nikolai Ivanovich Pirogov (November 13 (25), 1810, Moscow - November 23 (December 5), 1881

Famous surgeon.

For the first time in the history of medicine, Pirogov began to operate on the wounded with ether anesthesia in the field. In total, the great surgeon performed about 10 thousand operations under ether anesthesia.

In 1855, during the Crimean War, Pirogov was the chief surgeon of Sevastopol, besieged by Anglo-French troops. While operating on the wounded, Pirogov used a plaster cast for the first time in the history of world medicine, giving rise to cost-saving tactics for treating limb wounds and saving many soldiers and officers from amputation. During the siege of Sevastopol, to care for the wounded, Pirogov supervised the training and work of the sisters of the Holy Cross community of sisters of mercy. This was also an innovation at that time.

Pirogov’s most important merit is the introduction in Sevastopol of a completely new method of caring for the wounded. This method consists in the fact that the wounded were subject to careful selection already at the first dressing station; depending on the severity of the wounds, some of them were subject to immediate surgery in the field, while others, with milder wounds, were evacuated inland for treatment in stationary military hospitals. Therefore, Pirogov is rightly considered the founder of a special direction in surgery, known as military field surgery.

Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy (09.09.1828 - 20.11.1910)

During the defense of Sevastopol he was a lieutenant and battery commander.

(More off-topic) Unable to bear profanity, he tried to wean his subordinates from swearing. To replace it, he suggested that they use German words - “donnerwetter”, etc. The effect was amazing. Many years later, retired soldiers told their fellow villagers: “Count Tolstoy served in our battery.

Sailor Cat (1828 - 1882)

Pyotr Markovich Koshka (1828 - 1882) - sailor of the Black Sea Fleet, hero of the Sevastopol defense of 1854-1855, participant in the Battle of Sinop.

In 1828, in Ukraine, in the village of Ometintsy, Kamenets-Podolsk province, a child was born into the family of a serf peasant, who was destined to become famous far beyond the borders of his native village. As a boy, the future hero of Sevastopol herded cows, as a young man he traveled around the country with the Chumaks, and at the age of 21, for his free-thinking and love of freedom, he was recruited by the landowner Dokedukhina.

The cat became the most famous “night hunter” of Sevastopol. He participated in 18 night attacks and made solo forays into the enemy camp almost every night. During one of the night campaigns, he brought three captured French officers, whom, armed with one knife (Koshka did not take any other weapons with him on a night hunt), he led straight from the campfire.

No one bothered to count how many “languages” Koshka brought for the entire company. Ukrainian economy did not allow Pyotr Markovich to return empty-handed. He brought with him rifled English rifles, which shot further and more accurately than smooth-bore Russian guns, tools, provisions, and once brought a boiled, still hot leg of beef to the battery. The Cat pulled this leg right out of the enemy cauldron. It happened like this: the French were cooking soup and did not notice how the Cat got close to them. There were too many enemies to attack them with a cleaver, but the troublemaker could not resist mocking his enemy. He jumped up and yelled “Hurray!!! Attack!!!". The French fled, and Peter took the meat from the cauldron, turned the cauldron over onto the fire and disappeared into the clouds of steam.

One day Pyotr Koshka saved Admiral Kornilov by grabbing a bomb that had fallen under the commander’s feet and throwing it into a cauldron of porridge. The bomb's fuse went out and there was no explosion.

Kornilov thanked the Cat, and the sailor answered him with a phrase that later became popular: “A kind word is also pleasant for the Cat.”

Count Tolstoy, who met Koshka, who was wounded in the arm, at the crossing, recalled that, leaving the city, Pyotr Markovich cried and repeated: “How can this be? Pavel Stepanovich ordered everyone to stand until death... What will he think about us, there in heaven? What will people on earth say about us?”

At the end of his service he was entitled to a pension of 60 rubles a year.

After serving, Pyotr Markovich returned to his native village, but did not live to see old age. What the enemies could not do, the cold did.

One autumn, returning home, the Cat saw that two girls had fallen under thin ice on a pond. Without hesitation, he rushed to the aid of the children and saved them. Since then, he began to suffer from frequent colds and on February 1, 1882, he died of a fever.

Daria Lavrentievna Mikhailova. Dasha Sevastopol (1836 -1910)

Strangely enough, extremely little is known about this girl, who became a legend during her lifetime. She was born in 1837 in Sevastopol in the family of a sailor of the Black Sea Fleet. She was left without a mother early, and in November 1853 she also lost her father, who died a heroic death in the Battle of Sinop. In the autumn of 1854, the hot flames of the Eastern (Crimean) War came close to the native coast: an enemy landing landed off the coast of Yevpatoria and moved towards Sevastopol.