Attack!.

Back on defence line of the fortified area.

Smaller bunkers have been good only when they worked as a single unit with soldiers in a trenches, tanks and cannons. They were not built to stand an extended siege separately.

As soon as they were cut off from the rest of the army, the soldiers in a smaller bunkers become trapped. May be they were good fortifications in WW1, but in 1941 they were hopelessly outdated.

Vent was one of a most vulnerable part. Many died of a toxic gas.

Below is a German carabine, cleaned already.

This is exploded tunnel over the tank ditch.

General Vlasov tactic was attacking from any position. No matter what your situation, attack, he said. Vlasov's counter-attacks were devastating, but losses were equal for both sides.  The fields were covered with dead soldiers of both armies, not just with soviet soldiers, like in the other battles in my area.

At the beginning of war the army of general Vlasov was stationed on the border of Soviet Union and Poland. As war began he asked Stalin's permission to attack and fight Germans on their territory. It was a very courageous idea and I think, it would have embarassed Hitler.  However, the order was to fall back to the fortified area and take their positions here. Stalin couldn't believe Germans could overcome the bunkers and ditches of Kiev's defence line.

This tactics was successful for general Vlasov in other battles and eventually caused his capture by the Germans in 1942.

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