Archive footage filmed in July-August 1943 features Red Army and German Nazi soldiers during the Battle of Kursk, the World War II conflict fought in and around the city in western Russia.

Soviet soldiers can be seen inside trenches and hiding positions as well as running on the battlefield during an advance.

Footage also features servicemen throwing grenades and firing machine guns. Smoke, explosions and damaged buildings are also shown, as well as captured German soldiers being escorted by the Red Army.

The Battle of Kursk, the largest tank battle in history, included the use of manpower, artillery and air support on both sides. It began when Hitler launched Operation Citadel, marking Germany's final attempt to regain dominance on the Eastern Front following its defeat at Stalingrad in February 1943.

During the battle, Germany amassed 500,000 servicemen, while the Red Army dug in and accumulated almost 1,300,000 men.

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).