🗓 June 8, 1920

#ThisDay in Glukhov, Chernigov province, Ukrainian SSR, Ivan Kozhedub, the future chief ace of the Soviet Union and the most effective pilot of the Great Patriotic War, was born.

▫️During the war the legendary pilot took part in about 330 sorties, took part in 120 air battles. More than 60 enemy airplanes were shot down on Kozhedub's account.

▫️He is remembered in history as skilful air fighter who tried to be the first to attack the enemy and seize the initiative. Kozhedub developed a number of new techniques and methods of aerial combat.

#Aviation @mod_russia_en

https://yangx.top/mod_russia/16581

🗓 September 12, 1941

#ThisDay the famous Road of Life, a unique set of ice road routes across Lake Ladoga, commenced its operation.

It was a water road during the time of navigation, but once the ice period came, it transformed into an ice road.

◽️ The siege of Leningrad started on September 8, 1941. Nazi troops captured Shlisselburg and blocked the land communication with Leningrad and the rest of the world. 2.5 million residents, including 400,000 children, remained in the city. The last opportunity for supplying the besieged Leningrad was Lake Ladoga.

◽️ From September 1941 to March 1943, Leningrad had been supplied through the only military-strategic transport route across Lake Ladoga. It was called the Road of Life.

◽️ Over the first, the most complicated winter of 1941-1942, more than 360,000 tonnes of shipment, 6 rifle divisions and 1 tank brigade had been transported through the Road of Life to Leningrad. 539,400 residents of Leningrad had been evacuated.

◽️ On January 27, 1944, Leningrad was fully liberated. A total of more than 1.6 million tonnes of shipment had been delivered through the Road of Life to Leningrad within all of its operation period. About 1.4 million people had been evacuated from the city.

@mod_russia_en

https://yangx.top/mod_russia/19794