Made in the post-war period by the Soviet film bureau, this historic propaganda movie shows the Battle of the Dnieper in 1943. This operation took place in Ukraine on the Eastern Front and was one of the largest operations of the war. Over the course of four months, the German Wehrmacht was pushed back from the eastern bank of the Dnieper by the Red Army.

The film begins with images of Soviet equipment and troops marching through mud, a patriotic song (0:20 – 0:40): “You write you have rains in 1941, you write “I miss you very much / You write I’ll be back soon, wait / I’m still waiting.”

Narrator: Victories of the Soviet Army near Stalingrad, in the Caucasus, on the Orel-Kursk Bulge changed the course of the war (0:46 – 0:55).

Narrator: Soviet troops (including some shown in winter clothing) and artillery began the liberation of Left-Bank Ukraine. (1:01 – 1:05)

Narrator:The enemy was sure that the powerful fortification of the so-called Eastern Wall, the main part of which ran along the Dnipro, was impregnable. “The Dnipro will flow back faster than the Russians will overcome it,” he boasted. (1:15 – 1:31)

Narrator:And here is how Lieutenant Yuri Malkov understood it. He wrote: “We are facing the Dnipro, a natural obstacle. I will not say that it is a trifle: a steep, high bank. The Germans fortified it for two years. But there are no obstacles for us. Kyiv is waiting for us – we will come.” (1:32 – 1:56

Narrator: Yurii, like you now, was 18 years old. But he already commanded a unit of the famous “Katyusha” and was a holder of the Order of the Red Star, a candidate of the CPSU (Communist Party of the Soviet Union). (1:58 – 2:12

Narrator:Oh, and fierce were the battles, as soon as the nerves could withstand the devil knows. The Germans killed our commander in battle and now I am the commander. (2:13 – 2:22)

Narrator:The general told me: “Young commander, you need to ***” (2:23 – 2:28)

Narrator:Well, we gave the Krauts a light. The enemy wanted to steal a piece and choked. Exhausted, he went on the defensive. (2:29 – 2:39)

Narrator:The fascists were frantic from powerlessness. They retreated, leaving only ruins and warnings. (2:43 – 2:53)

Narrator:It was important not to let the enemy recover, to force the Dnipro from the east and capture bridgeheads on its right bank. And now these days have come. (2:56 – 3:08)

Narrator:In late September 1943, the main forces of the Voronezh Front began to cross the Dnipro near Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi. The troops of the Central Front from the east forced the Dnipro and captured a bridgehead at the mouth of Pripyat. (3:10 – 3:27) Images of a woman in tears, seeing her home aflame, buildings destroyed by artillery fire, and an entire city on fire.

Narrator:Crossing, crossing: white shore, white red. To whom the feat, to whom the glory, to whom the dark water. (3:31 – 3:41

Narrator:Units of the Steppe Front reached the Dnipro River near Kremchug. The troops of the South-Western Front began crossing near the city of Dnipropetrovsk. As a result of fierce fighting, the troops of four fronts, with the active help of the local population and partisans, captured 23 bridgeheads on the right bank of the Dnipro. Two of them, Krymsky and Lyutysky, played a decisive role in the liberation of Kyiv. (3:46 – 4:15)

Narrator:Hitlerites tried to push our troops into the Dnipro. (4:20 – 4:24)

Narrator:Every piece of this land was watered with the blood of Soviet soldiers. (4:25 – 4:31)

Narrator:On October 10, 1943, Lieutenant Yuriy Malkov died a brave death in the battles for the Lyuty bridgehead. (4:34 – 4:46)

Narrator:The Motherland will never forget the names of all living and fallen heroes. Just as it will not forget the name of Yuriy Malkov. (4:49 – 5:02)

Narrator:A monument to him was erected here in Liutizh. The school museum contains his personal belongings, letters, and all the photos of Yuri that have survived. (5:03 – 5:16)

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com