01:33For news purposes only. Onscreen RGAKFD logo must remain visible and intact. No access news agencies
Archive footage filmed in July-August 1943 features Soviet tanks participating in the Battle of Kursk, in areas around the city in western Russia.
Red Army servicemen can be seen receiving their orders, getting into the tanks and moving towards the battlefield through woodland.
Footage also shows heavily-armoured machines firing during the advancement while dozens of servicemen can be seen during the ground offensive.
The Battle of Kursk, the largest tank battle in history, began when Hitler launched Operation Citadel. It marked Germany's final attempt to regain dominance on the Eastern Front following defeat at Stalingrad in February 1943.
According to Western sources, there were up to 800,000 Soviet casualties compared to some 200,000 German ones, although precise numbers are difficult to ascertain. According to Soviet data, from July 5 to September 5, 1943, up to 420,000 Nazi troops were killed.
The Soviets ultimately won the Battle of Kursk with Germany unable to break through the Red Army's fortifications.
This archive footage is released as part of the '100 Key Events in Russia in the 20th and 21st Centuries', a project with the Russian State Documentary Film and Photo Archive (rgakfd.ru).
For the Motherland! Watch Soviet tanks during Battle of Kursk *ARCHIVE*
Archive footage filmed in July-August 1943 features Soviet tanks participating in the Battle of Kursk, in areas around the city in western Russia.
Red Army servicemen can be seen receiving their orders, getting into the tanks and moving towards the battlefield through woodland.
Footage also shows heavily-armoured machines firing during the advancement while dozens of servicemen can be seen during the ground offensive.
The Battle of Kursk, the largest tank battle in history, began when Hitler launched Operation Citadel. It marked Germany's final attempt to regain dominance on the Eastern Front following defeat at Stalingrad in February 1943.
According to Western sources, there were up to 800,000 Soviet casualties compared to some 200,000 German ones, although precise numbers are difficult to ascertain. According to Soviet data, from July 5 to September 5, 1943, up to 420,000 Nazi troops were killed.
The Soviets ultimately won the Battle of Kursk with Germany unable to break through the Red Army's fortifications.
This archive footage is released as part of the '100 Key Events in Russia in the 20th and 21st Centuries', a project with the Russian State Documentary Film and Photo Archive (rgakfd.ru).
For news purposes only. Onscreen RGAKFD logo must remain visible and intact. No access news agencies
Archive footage filmed in July-August 1943 features Soviet tanks participating in the Battle of Kursk, in areas around the city in western Russia.
Red Army servicemen can be seen receiving their orders, getting into the tanks and moving towards the battlefield through woodland.
Footage also shows heavily-armoured machines firing during the advancement while dozens of servicemen can be seen during the ground offensive.
The Battle of Kursk, the largest tank battle in history, began when Hitler launched Operation Citadel. It marked Germany's final attempt to regain dominance on the Eastern Front following defeat at Stalingrad in February 1943.
According to Western sources, there were up to 800,000 Soviet casualties compared to some 200,000 German ones, although precise numbers are difficult to ascertain. According to Soviet data, from July 5 to September 5, 1943, up to 420,000 Nazi troops were killed.
The Soviets ultimately won the Battle of Kursk with Germany unable to break through the Red Army's fortifications.
This archive footage is released as part of the '100 Key Events in Russia in the 20th and 21st Centuries', a project with the Russian State Documentary Film and Photo Archive (rgakfd.ru).