August 22: i was coming back from the battlefield .This time it was a small village just five kilometers from our base. We landed safely no one was following as. We were a troop of 5 planes. I was the leader. When I was entering the building we were staying during the operations I was stopped by our lieutenant colonel, and he ask how the operation went. I replied as positive Colonel, we destroyed one enemy tank, two enemy planes, and about 35 German soldiers. He then said to me well done lieutenant I'm giving you three hours of rest. I went to my bed, I slept for two and a half hours, when I heard our colonel talking to one of my friends, he said that we need to get ready, but I didn't know for what. Them my friend came to me and said wake up Stephan we need to go and get ready. I asked him to get ready for what my friend?. He then said: The German are heading to Kiev. Kiev? I said. Yes Stephan Kiev, We need to be there in couple hours. I said okay lets go Dimitri. We packed our things, and ran to our planes. After three hours we were nearly there. But we had to land couple kilometers away from the city. So we landed in a small town called Ploske. It was 51 kilometers away from the city.
They had an airport, so we landed there. As we landed we were welcomed by the Ukrainian soldiers. We told them that we were asked to help you in the battle against the Germans. They replied good we always welcome people who want to join no matter if your'e Russian or Ukrainian, we are all from the USSR. They showed us our dorms, where we stayed for the night. The next day I woke up from the siren, I was told that the Germans are close to the city. I stood up from my bed and told Dimitri to woke up, and head to our planes. He was very sleepy that morning, he asked me what's the matter Stephan, I told him the Germans are near the city, we need to be ready for their attack. its was August 23rd when the Germans attacked Kiev. Me and my buddies fought till the end. We never retried. The battle was hard, the enemy was strong. We destroyed about 20 tanks, 45 planes, and we killed about 345 Germans. But they just kept coming, more and more tanks, troops and aircraft were coming. There army was huge. we left with no ammunition. WE had to go back to Ploske. When we landed, we were asked: why did you guys came back? I said we have to ammunition, the Germans are strong they have a huge army that will be hard to defeat. We were fighting against the Germans for a month. Even with all the power we had we couldn't defeat the Germans. And on September 26 The Germans won, we were defeated. They occupied the city of Kiev, and we had to go back home defeated. But at least all my friends were with. we landed in our base airport after three hours of flight, I had to report out colonel about the operation, and we were defeated. He gave as time to rest. We said the Germans are attacking every city now and sooner or later they will come to us. We can't rest colonel, I said. He said, you need to rest guys you had a really hard day, and you need to rest because I need you fresh an d ready for the next operation that might be. I said alright guys lets go rest, we need the power for our next battle with the Germans. After almost a year, after The Germans defeated as, and occupied Kiev, on 30 of September 1941, its was reported to as all that the Germans are planing to attack Moscow. It was Hitlers plan. After plan Barbarossa failed. That was a lot more serious then all the other battles we had before. The Germans wanted to occupy the capital of Russian because it was the largest Soviet city. Moscow was one of the primary military and political objectives for Axis forces in their invasion of the Soviet Union. All the Russian soviet forces came to defend Moscow, as I think If Russia was defeated by the Nazis, it would be the end of the war. Because everyone were send to Moscow, we as part of the aircraft force we came to Moscow before the battle started. We arrived Moscow September 30. It was huge. The Nazis fought with all the power they had. They were strong. all The people we killed, all the tanks and aircraft we destroyed... its was unbelievable. But the most important thing was, that the Nazis couldn't reach Moscow . Our force was much stronger then theirs. And we won one of the most important battles we had in our lives. We did it we defeated the Nazis, and saved Moscow from occupation. The battle continued for four long months. But we were happy that we defeated the Nazis and the battle was over. We stayed in Moscow, we were awarded for fighting the Nazis and defending Moscow. But the battles didn't stop there. After the battle on Moscow the Nazis didn't stop and continued attacking the Soviet cities. On May 12th the Nazis attacked Kharkov. The battle continued for 16 days. The soviet army tried to take the city back after the Nazis captured it on October 24, 1941. It took them four days to capture the city , and now the soviets tried to capture it back. After 16 long days we failed to capture the city back. The Nazis were to strong, and our loses were bigger compared to their loses. And they defeated us even though their army was much smaller then ours. For me forever remain in the memory not only Nazi attacks , but also the names of those who were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
We got back to our base two days after we were defeated. When I got back I got a letter. I opened it and quickly read through the small hand writing, and then I knew it was from you my family, my most important and close people, that I really care and miss. And one of your questions were: Where are you? we want to know where have you been, because we miss you so much. And then I started writing this letter, so you can know that I'm still alive, and I really miss you all, and I will get back home as soon the war ends.
They had an airport, so we landed there. As we landed we were welcomed by the Ukrainian soldiers. We told them that we were asked to help you in the battle against the Germans. They replied good we always welcome people who want to join no matter if your'e Russian or Ukrainian, we are all from the USSR. They showed us our dorms, where we stayed for the night. The next day I woke up from the siren, I was told that the Germans are close to the city. I stood up from my bed and told Dimitri to woke up, and head to our planes. He was very sleepy that morning, he asked me what's the matter Stephan, I told him the Germans are near the city, we need to be ready for their attack. its was August 23rd when the Germans attacked Kiev. Me and my buddies fought till the end. We never retried. The battle was hard, the enemy was strong. We destroyed about 20 tanks, 45 planes, and we killed about 345 Germans. But they just kept coming, more and more tanks, troops and aircraft were coming. There army was huge. we left with no ammunition. WE had to go back to Ploske. When we landed, we were asked: why did you guys came back? I said we have to ammunition, the Germans are strong they have a huge army that will be hard to defeat. We were fighting against the Germans for a month. Even with all the power we had we couldn't defeat the Germans. And on September 26 The Germans won, we were defeated. They occupied the city of Kiev, and we had to go back home defeated. But at least all my friends were with. we landed in our base airport after three hours of flight, I had to report out colonel about the operation, and we were defeated. He gave as time to rest. We said the Germans are attacking every city now and sooner or later they will come to us. We can't rest colonel, I said. He said, you need to rest guys you had a really hard day, and you need to rest because I need you fresh an d ready for the next operation that might be. I said alright guys lets go rest, we need the power for our next battle with the Germans. After almost a year, after The Germans defeated as, and occupied Kiev, on 30 of September 1941, its was reported to as all that the Germans are planing to attack Moscow. It was Hitlers plan. After plan Barbarossa failed. That was a lot more serious then all the other battles we had before. The Germans wanted to occupy the capital of Russian because it was the largest Soviet city. Moscow was one of the primary military and political objectives for Axis forces in their invasion of the Soviet Union. All the Russian soviet forces came to defend Moscow, as I think If Russia was defeated by the Nazis, it would be the end of the war. Because everyone were send to Moscow, we as part of the aircraft force we came to Moscow before the battle started. We arrived Moscow September 30. It was huge. The Nazis fought with all the power they had. They were strong. all The people we killed, all the tanks and aircraft we destroyed... its was unbelievable. But the most important thing was, that the Nazis couldn't reach Moscow . Our force was much stronger then theirs. And we won one of the most important battles we had in our lives. We did it we defeated the Nazis, and saved Moscow from occupation. The battle continued for four long months. But we were happy that we defeated the Nazis and the battle was over. We stayed in Moscow, we were awarded for fighting the Nazis and defending Moscow. But the battles didn't stop there. After the battle on Moscow the Nazis didn't stop and continued attacking the Soviet cities. On May 12th the Nazis attacked Kharkov. The battle continued for 16 days. The soviet army tried to take the city back after the Nazis captured it on October 24, 1941. It took them four days to capture the city , and now the soviets tried to capture it back. After 16 long days we failed to capture the city back. The Nazis were to strong, and our loses were bigger compared to their loses. And they defeated us even though their army was much smaller then ours. For me forever remain in the memory not only Nazi attacks , but also the names of those who were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
We got back to our base two days after we were defeated. When I got back I got a letter. I opened it and quickly read through the small hand writing, and then I knew it was from you my family, my most important and close people, that I really care and miss. And one of your questions were: Where are you? we want to know where have you been, because we miss you so much. And then I started writing this letter, so you can know that I'm still alive, and I really miss you all, and I will get back home as soon the war ends.