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BATTLE // January 1, 1943

Battle of Smolensk

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Overview

The second Smolensk operation was a Soviet strategic offensive operation conducted by the Red Army as part of the Summer-Autumn Campaign of 1943. Staged almost simultaneously with the Lower Dnieper Offensive, the offensive lasted two months and was led by General Andrei Yeremenko, commanding the Kalinin Front, and Vasily Sokolovsky, commanding the Western Front. Its goal was to clear the German presence from the Smolensk and Bryansk regions. Smolensk had been under German occupation since the first Battle of Smolensk in 1941.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Forces & casualties

Troop strength

  • Germany850,000
    medium
  • Soviet Union1,252,600
    medium

Soviet Union fielded a 1.5 : 1 numerical advantage

Casualties

  • Germany70,593
    medium8% loss rate
  • Soviet Union451,466
    medium36% loss rate
Order of battle →Casualties in detail →

Commanders (3)

Germany

Soviet Union

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6 sibling battles · 6 factions

Last verified June 2026
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