SOVIET WWII PARTISANS IN WINTER DRESS

The term Soviet partisan (or partisan units) in World War II (period 1941-1945) is defined as all irregular units fighting against the German occupier in the territories of the USSR, Polish lands incorporated into the USSR in 1939 and in those areas of Finland that were annexed to the Soviet Union as a result of the Winter War (1939-1940). Often the partisan units included former soldiers and officers of the Red Army, who during the German operations of 1941 did not manage to break into their own troops, and at the same time did not get captured by the Germans. Interestingly, from mid-July 1941, partisan troops were treated by the command of the Red Army as a fairly important military formation in the war with the Third Reich. In May 1942, even the Central Staff of the Partisan Movement was established, and at the end of 1942 the Soviet partisans took their final shape. An NKVD officer was assigned to each larger unit of this type, and efforts were made to closely coordinate activities with the Red Army movements. Virtually every major unit also had a radio station. The nature of the activities of the Soviet partisans until the end of 1941 was primarily intelligence and sabotage activities on a relatively small scale. Over time, however, partisan troops played an increasing role in the plans of the Soviet military staffs and were taken into account when planning the operation near Kursk (1943) or during Operation Bagration (1944), as those forces that were to play a significant role in delaying German transports. troops and supplies to the front line.