This concludes the story about yesterday's walk through the territory of the KAF base in the northern part of the city. I showed only a part of the objects I took away and removed, but a detailed narration, as already mentioned above, will follow later, since not everything has been investigated in the light of the negative factors mentioned. By the way, the gloomy cloudy sky can be attributed to such number only in part - it became a suitable mood background for a walk through the ruins of the once vast base of the formidable Red Banner Amur flotilla.

AMUR VOENNAYA FLOTILIYA - formation in the navy. Created in 1900 to defend the border along the Amur and Ussuri rivers. During the Civil War, the ships were captured by Japanese invaders. Recreated in 1920. Participated in hostilities during the Soviet-Chinese conflict in 1929, in the Manchurian operation of 1945 during the Soviet-Japanese war.

The flotilla was created as a temporary formation to protect the outposts of Russia in the Far East. It consisted of armed commercial steamships that carried out military transportation, since before the construction of the CER, the r. Cupid was the only way of communication. The B 4904 flotilla was reinforced with armed steamers and destroyers. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05, the ships of the flotilla transferred troops and cargo to Manchuria.

In July 1906, a decree was adopted on the establishment of the Amur military flotilla to defend the border line of the Amur basin and provide communications along the river. Cupid and the construction of special military ships for her. 10.5 1907 the first gunboats became part of the flotilla. In 1910 it consisted of 8 turret seaworthy gunboats (monitors), 10 shallow draft gunboats, 10 messengers and several auxiliary vessels. The main base was Khabarovsk.

In December 1917, the Soviet Amur military flotilla was created. It consisted of ships and vessels, whose crews went over to the side of Soviet power. The flotilla took an active part in the struggle against the Japanese interventionists and White Guards, in the establishment of Soviet power in Khabarovsk and Blagoveshchensk. In March 1918 the gunboat Orochanin and the messenger ship Pika, as well as a detachment of sailors from the flotilla, successfully operated against Gamow's gangs in Blagoveshchensk. In April, a combined detachment (about 1000 people) of sailors of the Siberian and Amur flotillas fought against the detachments of Ataman Semyonov in the Chita region. 2 monitors and 5 gunboats of the flotilla carried out patrol service on the Amur and Ussuri rivers and provided assistance to the troops of the Red Army. At the end of June 1918, when parts of the rebellious Czechoslovak corps occupied Vladivostok, a detachment of Amur sailors and two armored trains arrived at the Ussuriysk front. The ships of the flotilla provided significant assistance to the troops in repelling the enemy offensive.

After the seizure of the flotilla base in the Osipovsky backwater (near Khabarovsk) by the Japanese interventionists on September 7, 1918, some of the ships were scuttled by the crews. The gunboat "Orochanin", as part of the Blagoveshchensk detachment, fought stubborn battles with the interventionists until the end of September, then retreated up the river. Zeya, where she was rendered worthless, and her crew switched to partisan actions. In October 1920, the Japanese were taken to about. Sakhalin has the best ships of the flotilla - the Shkval monitor, the Buryat, Mongol and Votyak cannon boats, 2 steamships and several barges with cargo worth more than 13 million rubles in gold.

8.5 1920, the reconstruction of the Amur Flotilla began in Blagoveshchensk. From 19.4 1921 it was subordinated to the headquarters of the Naval Forces of the Far Eastern Republic and in May relocated to Khabarovsk. By the summer of 1921, the Storm and Hurricane monitors, the Sibiryak, Vogul and Kalmyk cannon boats, 4 armed steamers, and 2 floating batteries were commissioned. In October, in connection with the threat of the capture of the city by the White Guard and Japanese troops, the ships moved to Blagoveshchensk. The Amur flotilla took part in the defeat of the White Guards in Primorye. On September 10, 1922, a landing party was landed in Nikolaevsk from two gunboats, which took part in the liberation of the Lower Amur from the White Guards and interventionists. 30.9 a detachment of ships of the flotilla defeated the White Guard ships on the lake. Hanka. The sailors of the flotilla played a significant role in eliminating the last hotbeds of counter-revolution in the Far East. From January 9, 1922, the flotilla was part of the People's Revolutionary Fleet of the Far East Republic, from November 1922 to September 1926 it was part of the Naval Forces of the Far East, then, in April 1927, it was renamed into the Far Eastern Naval Flotilla (the main base of Khabarovsk) and subordinated to the Office of the Red Army Navy. In 1929, on the eve of the conflict on the Chinese Eastern Railway, the flotilla consisted of 3 battalions of ships (4 MN, 4 KL, 3 BKA, 1 ZM), a group of minesweepers, an airborne battalion, and a seaplane detachment (14 seaplanes). In the course of hostilities during the Soviet-Chinese conflict, the flotilla successfully landed a number of tactical landings, broke into enemy defenses with ship fire, and destroyed the Sungaria river flotilla. On 23 April 1930 she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In the 30s, the flotilla was equipped with new ships. On June 27, 1931, it was renamed the Amur Red Banner Flotilla.

During the Great Patriotic War, battalions of marines and other units formed in the flotilla (more than 9.5 thousand sailors in total) fought on land fronts against the Nazi invaders. During the war with Japan in 1945, the flotilla (6 MN, 11 KL, 7 MCA, 52 BKA, 12 TSC, 36 KATSH and auxiliary vessels) provided operational transportation for the landing of troops, forcing the Amur, Ussuri, and Sungari rivers. Together with units of the 1st and 2nd Far Eastern Fronts, she participated in the capture of a number of strongholds of the Japanese and the cities of Manchuria. Subsequently, the flotilla was disbanded.

The flotilla was commanded by G.G. Ogilvi (December 1917 - September 1918), V.Ya. Kanyuk (May 1920 1920-June 1921), N.V. Tretyakov (August - October 1921), N.P. Orlov (October 1921 - January 1922), E.M. Voeikov (November 1922 - January 1923), P. A. Tuchkov (January-December 1923), S. A. Khvitsky (December 1923-April 1926), V. V. Selitrennikov (May-September 1926), Ya.I. Ozolin (September 1926-November 1930), D. P. Isakov (November 1930 - October 1933), I. N. Kadatsky-Rudnev (October 1933 - March 1938), F.S. Oktyabrsky (March 1938 - February 1939), D. D. Rogachev (1939, interim), A.G. Golovko (July 1939 - July 1940), P.S. Abankin (July 1940 - June 1943; March - September 1944), F.S. Oktyabrsky (June 1943 - March 1944), F.S. Sedelnikov ( September 1944 - June 1945), N.V. Antonov (June - December 1945).

History of the Amur military flotilla

The formation of the flotilla

The first Russian warships appeared on the Amur River in the summer of 1644 - these were the plows of the Cossack head V.D.
The second expedition led by the ataman E.P. Khabarov, who reached the Amur in 1650 also on plows, managed for a time to create Russian settlements along the Amur, but after unsuccessful hostilities with Ch'ing China in 1689, under the conditions of the unequal Nerchinsk peace, the Russians were forced to leave Cupid for 160 years.

Model of the steamer "Argun" (Khabarovsk Regional Museum named after N. I. Grodekov)

On July 10, 1850, as a result of the expedition of Lieutenant-Commander G. I. Nevelskoy (later transformed into the Amur expedition), the lower reaches of the Amur became again accessible to Russia, and on May 18, 1854, the Argun steamer of the Siberian military flotilla, built on the Shilka River, sailed to the Amur and for the first time carried out rafting to the lower reaches, becoming the first ship of the Russian Navy in the upper and middle reaches of this river.
Almost simultaneously, in 1855, the helical schooner Vostok of the same flotilla and the steam longboat Nadezhda of the Amur expedition sailed in the lower reaches of the Amur.

By the time of the conclusion of the Aigun treaty in 1858 and a little later (by 1863), Russia had on the Amur and Ussuri rivers a pair of wooden gunboats and the Sungach and Ussuri steamers for sailing on the Ussuri, Sungach rivers and Lake Khanka. All these ships were organizationally part of the Siberian Flotilla of the Naval Department.

Nevertheless, the permanent formation of the Navy on the Amur did not exist for about 60 years, despite the aggravation of relations with China in 1860 and 1880.

Along the Amur and its tributaries since the 1860s. private and state-owned steamers went, some of which belonged to the Military Department and could arm themselves: "Zeya", "Onon", "Ingoda", "Chita", "Konstantin", "General Korsakov". On the Amur there were also unarmed steamers of the Siberian flotilla "Shilka", "Amur", "Lena", "Sungacha", "Ussuri", "Tugs", "Polza", "Success", propeller boats and barges. Steamships were mainly engaged in economic transport and supply. By the end of the 19th century, 160 steam ships and 261 barges sailed along the Amur and its tributaries.

1895-1905 years

The first unit appeared in 1895-1897, although it was not a naval one.

For the defense of the border line, servicing the Cossack villages located on the banks of the Amur, Ussuri and Shilka, was created Amur-Ussuriysk Cossack flotilla.

It originally consisted of the Ataman (flagship), Kazak Ussuriysky steamers, Dozorny steam boat, Lena and Bulava barges. the crews included the Transbaikal, Amur, Ussuri Cossacks.

Senior commander (a position equated in status to the position of commander of a separate Cossack hundred) until 1901 - Lukhmanov, Dmitry Afanasyevich.

The flotilla was based on the Iman River and was subordinate to the Amur Cossack troops and quite successfully defended Russian subjects from attacks by Chinese hunhuz, carried cargo and passengers until 1917.

The boxing uprising of 1900, during which boxing and Khunhuz gangs fired at Russian ships on the river, showed the need for actual ownership of the waters of the Amur and its tributaries. In addition, the suppression of this uprising turned into a real war for Russia with regular Chinese troops, during which Russian troops defended the Chinese Eastern Railway, Harbin and occupied Manchuria. In the course of these hostilities, the military command took a number of urgent measures: they were armed with field artillery on the steamers of the Waterway Administration Khilok, Trety, Gazimur, Amazar, Selenga and Sungari. The steamers were subordinate to the army command. Their crews, as well as the Cossacks of the Amur-Ussuriysk flotilla, under the fire of the Chinese had to escort civilian steamers along the Amur, and also break through to Harbin along the Sungari.

During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. there were 6 armed steamers on the Amur (Selenga, Khilok of the Military Department, Third, Sixth, Eighteenth, Askold of the Border Guard), border boats Arthur and Sentry, 7 152-mm two-gun floating non-self-propelled batteries of the Siberian Flotilla (Berkut, Oryol, Lungin, Chibis, Grif, Sokol, Krokhal), 17 obsolete torpedo boats (No. 3, No. 6, No. 7, No. 9, no. 18, no. 47, no. 48, no. 61, no. 64, no. 91, no. 92, no. 93, no. 95, no. 96, no. 97, no. 98, no. 126) and the semi-submarine ship (torpedo boat) "Keta »Siberian flotilla. Based mainly in Nikolaevsk, these ships carried out military transport, carried out antiamphibious defense of the Amur estuary and the De-Kastri bay, although they did not directly participate in hostilities (except for the Keta).

Even before the Russo-Japanese War, in 1903, the Naval Department decided to create a permanent naval flotilla on the Amur River and build special warships for it. Shortly before the end of hostilities, on April 2, 1905, the A separate detachment of ships of the Siberian flotilla, which included all warships on the Amur River.

1906-1917 years

After the end of the unsuccessful war for Russia, the importance of warships on the Amur increased even more. For a separate detachment, 4 seagoing gunboats of the "Gilyak" type were laid to protect the mouth of the Amur. However, they did not hit the Amur, but remained in the Baltic, since due to deep precipitation they could only swim in the lower reaches of the Amur - from Khabarovsk to the mouth.

But the construction of 10 river gunboats with a shallow deepening began (Buryat, Orochanin, Mongol, Vogul, Sibiryak, Korel, Kirgiz, Kalmyk, Zyryanin and Votyak "). River gunboats were built at the Sormovo plant, transported by rail and assembled in 1907-1909. in Sretensk. The boats turned out to be quite powerful artillery ships capable of operating in the difficult conditions of the Amur and Ussuri. Upon completion of the construction of boats, the plant began to build steamships and barges for private customers.

Then the construction of even stronger tower gunboats began (later called river monitors). Built in 1907-1909 Baltic shipyard and assembled in the village of Kokuy, Chita province, they all entered service in 1910. These gunboats ("Shkval", "Smerch", "Whirlwind", "Typhoon", "Storm", "Thunderstorm", "Blizzard "And" Hurricane ") were the most powerful and perfect river ships in the world for their time.

In addition, the flotilla included 10 armored messenger ships of the "Bayonet" type - the world's first armored boats (although this term did not yet exist).

By order of the Maritime Department of November 28, 1908, all Amur ships assigned to the Siberian Flotilla were united into Amur river flotilla with operational subordination to the commander of the troops of the Amur Military District.

The flotilla was based in the Osipovsky backwater near Khabarovsk. The main disadvantage was the weakness of the basing system. The flotilla did not have a shipbuilding base, since the workshops in Kokui (the future Sretensky plant) provided only the assembly of ships built in the European part of Russia, as well as the construction of small steam civilian ships. The ship repair base existed in the form of handicraft port workshops in the same Osipovsky backwater.

The existence of the flotilla helped greatly in 1910 when revising the treaty with China on shipping along the Amur and its tributaries. However, the outbreak of the First World War forced to carry out a partial disarmament of the main warships of the flotilla - they were removed and sent to the Baltic and the Black Sea acutely scarce diesel engines, 152- and 120-mm guns. Most of the ships were transferred to the Khabarovsk port for storage.

Amur military flotilla during the Revolution, Civil War and intervention

In December 1917, the flotilla raised red flags, joining the fleet of the Russian Soviet Republic. In July-September 1918, the flotilla took part in the struggle against the Japanese interventionists, White Guards, and Czechoslovak military units. On September 7, 1918, the main forces of the flotilla, which were laid up in Khabarovsk, were captured by the Japanese and became part of the Japanese flotilla on the river. Amur, and the gunboat Orochanin, the messenger ship Pika, together with 20 civilian steamers and 16 barges, went to the upper reaches of the Zeya, where they were destroyed by the crews at the end of September 1918 in order to avoid capture. The Amur flotilla as a unit ceased to exist. The Whites tried to create their own flotilla on the Amur, but the Japanese actively prevented this. late 1919 - early 1920 the Japanese partially blew up the ships of the flotilla, the rest were captured in Khabarovsk by red partisans on February 17, 1920. Some gunboats were commissioned, included in the organized on May 8, 1920. Amur Flotilla of the People's Revolutionary Army of the Far Eastern Republic(from 04/19/1921 - Amur Flotilla of the Far East Marine Forces) and took part in the civil war until October 1922. Initially, they were based in Khabarovsk, but after its capture by the Japanese in May 1920 - in Blagoveshchensk, and from October 1920 - again in Khabarovsk. However, before leaving Khabarovsk in October 1920, the Japanese took 4 gunboats, a messenger ship and several auxiliary vessels to Sakhalin. Most of the gunboats of the former Amur flotilla throughout 1920 continued to be in a destroyed and half-submerged state in Khabarovsk. On December 22-23, 1921, they were captured there by the White Insurgent Army of the Amur Territory, and in February 14, 1922 - again by the red units of the NRA DVR. The combat-ready forces of the (red) flotilla by the summer of 1921 after repair consisted of six gunboats, five armed steamers, six boats, six minesweepers and up to 20 auxiliary vessels. Since April 1921, the flotilla was subordinate to the headquarters of the Naval Forces of the Far Eastern Republic. The flotilla interacted with ground forces on the Amur and Ussuri rivers, defended a mine-artillery position in the Khabarovsk region. From 01/09/1922 it was called People's Revolutionary Fleet of the Far East... The last operation of the flotilla during the civil war was the cruise of a detachment of ships as part of the Northern Group of Land and Sea Forces in September-October 1922 in order to liberate the lower reaches of the Amur from the Japanese and pro-Japanese authorities. Soon after the occupation of the NRA DVR Vladivostok, on November 7, 1922, the NRF DVR was again divided into the Naval Detachment, which included the remnants of the Siberian Flotilla captured by the Reds in Vladivostok, and Amur flotilla NRF FER... But a few days later the Far Eastern Republic announced its accession to the RSFSR, and, accordingly, the flotilla began to be called 11/17/1922 Amur River Military Flotilla of the Naval Forces of the Far East RSFSR. In May 1925, through diplomatic means, it was possible to obtain from Japan the river ships it had taken away.

Interwar period

After the intervention and civil war, the flotilla was in a deplorable state, having lost more than half of its combat strength, but in the mid-1920s. began to recover with great enthusiasm through repairs, modernizations and re-equipment of river ships inherited from the Russian Empire, as well as the transfer of several armored boats by rail from the Baltic and Black Seas. Basically, this was done by 1927-1935, when the flotilla had monitors "Sun-Yat-Sen", "Lenin", "Kirov", "Far East Komsomolets", "Dzerzhinsky", "Sverdlov", "Krasny Vostok" (former river gunboats of the Shkval type, which changed their names several times), gunboats Buryat, Mongol, Krasnaya Zvezda, Red Banner and Proletarian (former gunboats of the Buryat and Vogul "), as well as 7 armored boats of the" Partizan "," Spear "," K "and" N "types.

From September 6, 1926, in connection with the abolition of the Naval Forces of the Far East, the flotilla was directly subordinate to the Chief of the Naval Forces of the Red Army. From September 29, 1927 to June 27, 1931 it was called Far Eastern military flotilla, like the entire future Pacific Fleet.

In 1929 she took part in battles with Chinese militarists during the "Conflict on the Chinese Eastern Railway". In July 1929, immediately after the Chiang Kai-shekists seized the CER, shelling of Soviet ships and coastal settlements on the Amur and its tributaries began. October 1929, by the beginning of the active phase of hostilities, the Far Eastern military flotilla had 4 monitors led by "Lenin", 4 gunboats, a seaplane floating base, 3 armored boats and several other ships. They were opposed by the Chinese Sungaria flotilla of one seagoing gunboat, 3 river gunboats, 5 armed steamers, a floating battery and armed transport, and other ships. Until the end of October, the Amur flotilla advanced along the Sungari to the city of Fujin. For the first and last time in the history of Russian and Soviet river flotillas, on October 11, 1929, a full-scale artillery battle of the main forces of river flotillas took place near Lahasusu (Tongjiang) at the mouth of the Sungari, which ended in a complete defeat of the enemy, the Sungaria flotilla. the battle destroyed three gunboats, two armed steamers and a floating battery, the rest were finished off two weeks later by naval hydro aviation. On May 20, 1930, for excellent actions in defeating the "White Chinese" (as they were then called), the flotilla was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and began to be called Far Eastern Red Banner Military Flotilla.

Armored boat project 1124 of the Amur flotilla, 1937

In the 1930s. in the course of a large-scale campaign for the development of the Far East, the base of the flotilla was significantly improved. In 1932 the shipbuilding plant "Osipovskiy Zaton" was opened in Khabarovsk (Shipyard No. 368, later the shipyard named after S. M. Kirov). Since 1934, the interests of Rechflot were served by the Sretensky shipyard, created in Kokui on the basis of small civil shipyards and branches of factories. For the Navy and border guards, this plant built auxiliary ships and boats. But the largest shipbuilding enterprise on the Amur was the shipyard No. 199 named after Leninsky Komsomol (now Amur shipyard) in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, building ships since 1935. Repair bases operated in Khabarovsk and Komsomolsk.

Amur military flotilla before the war and during World War II

On June 27, 1931, the flotilla was renamed to Amur Red Banner Military Flotilla... pre-war years, from 1935-1937 began to be actively replenished with special river warships of new construction. their number included one of the first-borns of the Soviet monitor program - the Active monitor (1935), large "Amur" armored boats of project 1124 with two tank turrets (or installations of the "Katyusha" type) and small "Dnieper" armored boats of project 1125 with one tank tower. The first by 1945, there were 31 units, the second - 42 units. In addition, by 1941, the flotilla was replenished with eight gunboats converted from river steamers, as well as mine and bono-net minelayers, river minesweepers, mine boats, floating anti-aircraft batteries and other necessary ships.

By the time of the zenith of its military power in 1945, the flotilla consisted of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd brigades of river ships based in Khabarovsk (each brigade consisted of a detachment of 2-3 monitors or two divisions of 2-4 gunboats, two detachments of armored boats of 4 units, a division of 4 minesweepers, one or two detachments of boat minesweepers and individual ships), as well as the See-Bureyskaya brigade of river ships based in Blagoveshchensk (1 monitor, 5 gunboats, two divisions of armored boats, a total of 16 BKA , a division of 3 minesweepers, a detachment of boat minesweepers, two detachments of gliders), Sretensky detached detachment of river ships (8 armored boats in two detachments and two gliders), Ussuriysk detachment of 3 armored boats based in Iman, Khanka detached detachment of 4 armored boats and Guard raids of the main base of the flotilla. The Amur River Flotilla had nine separate anti-aircraft artillery battalions, which were armed with 76-mm guns - 28, 40-mm Bofors anti-aircraft machine guns - 18 and 20-mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns - 24. In addition, the flotilla had its own air force in the composition of the fighter regiment, separate squadrons and detachments. In total there was LaGG-3 - 27, Yak-3 - 10, Il-2 - 8, I-153-bis - 13, I-16 - 7, SB - 1, Po-2 - 3, MBR-2 - 3, Yak-7 - 2, Su-2 - 1. At the same time, despite the advance preparation for war with Japan and the presence of a prepared reserve in the form of two European flotillas, the Amur flotilla was staffed with officers only by 91.6%, and petty officers and privates - by 88.7%. The situation was leveled by the fact that four relatively large ships were in repair, as well as good special training of personnel. The latter is partly due to the fact that during the Great Patriotic War, even in comparison with the Pacific Fleet, the Amur Flotilla was in constant readiness to repel aggression, and therefore they tried not to "take away" its personnel. Starshinsky and most of the rank and file by that time had served for 6-8 years, and most of the officers came to the flotilla 10-15 years ago.

In 1945, she took part in the war with Japan, being in the operational subordination of the 2nd Far Eastern Front - in the Manchurian offensive operation on August 9 - 20, 1945. The Amur Flotilla ensured the advance of Soviet troops along the Amur and Sungari, landed assault forces in the rear of the Japanese troops, participated in the occupation of the Manchu cities of Fuyuan, Sakhalyan, Aigun, Fujin, Jiamusi and Harbin, shelled the Japanese fortified sectors, captured the ships of the Sungaria river flotilla Damanchuku-Digo in Harbin.

Post-war period

After the war, the flotilla was replenished with trophies, among which the most valuable were four Japanese-built gunboats that previously belonged to the Manchu Sungaria flotilla. In addition, 40 new, more protected and with better weapons, armored boats of project 191M, which could truly be considered "river tanks", entered service. Finally, for the mouth of the Amur in 1942-1946. three powerful Project 1190 monitors (of the "Hasan" type) were built, which for a short time were also in the Amur flotilla. However, since the early 1950s. in the USSR, the decline of river flotillas begins. New ships are not being built for them. The formation in 1949 of the initially friendly People's Republic of China also played an important role. By 1955-1958. all the existing river military flotillas were disbanded, and the ships and boats that were part of them were scrapped. This was extremely short-sighted, since armored boats do not require large expenses for their preservation - they are easy to store on the shore in a mothballed form, as a huge number of tanks, artillery and cars were once stored. The Amur Flotilla was disbanded in August 1955. Red Banner Amur River Military Base of the Pacific Fleet.

Since the beginning of the 1960s, relations between the USSR and China began to deteriorate sharply. The defenselessness of the Amur River became so obvious that the country's military leadership was forced to urgently revive the river military forces. 1961 created Amur brigade(later division) river ships of the Pacific Fleet... For her, it was necessary to build new ships: the basis of the river forces was made up of project 1204 artillery boats, which in 1966-1967. built 118 units, as well as 11 small artillery ships of project 1208, built in 1975-1985. The first were supposed to replace the old armored boats, the second - river monitors. However, according to experts and the military, a full-fledged replacement did not work: if the armored boats of the project 191M were created specifically for the war as "river tanks", then the new artillery boats are more likely to be peacetime patrol boats with bulletproof protection. MAK pr. 1208 for various reasons also turned out to be not very successful. In addition, specially for border guards in 1979-1984. built eleven border patrol ships of project 1248 (based on the IAC project 1208), and for headquarters and management purposes - in the same years eight PSKR of project 1249. In fairness, it should be noted that foreign analogues of Soviet river ships of projects 191M, 1204, 1208 either significantly inferior to them, or absent at all.

With this ship composition, the former Amur Flotilla took on the tension of the Soviet-Chinese border conflicts, which peaked in 1969, and entered with it in the 1990s. Reorganizations began again ... Amur border river flotilla as part of the border troops of the Russian Federation. However, soon by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation of June 7, 1998, the Amur border river flotilla was disbanded. Due to underfunding, the connection is divided into separate brigades of border patrol ships and boats... All warships and boats were transferred to the Federal Border Service. In 2000, 5 brigades and 1 division of border ships and boats were deployed on the Amur: 32 PSKR project 1204, 12 PSKR project 1248, 5 PSKR project 1249, 2 PSKA project 1408.1, 12 PSKA project 371, 3 IACs, 2 Saigaks, 3 tankers (2 large and 1 small), 2 self-propelled barges, 1 unarmed river boat, 2 tank carriers. In 2003, MACs (small artillery ships), part of the Murena landing ships were cut into scrap metal (the rest were sold to South Korea). As of 2008, in addition to several dozen border patrol ships (for example, Project 1248 "Mosquito") and boats, only one warship survived from the Amur military flotilla - the small artillery ship "Vyuga". In 2009, the Border Service on the Amur had 15 river artillery armored boats of project 1204 "Bumblebee" (possibly already decommissioned), 1 river small artillery ship of project 1208 "Blind", from 7 to 9 river artillery boats of project 1248.1 "Mosquito", 8 river armored boats management of the project 1249 and 3 artillery armored boats of the project 12130 "Ogonyok".

Flotilla composition

In 1910

• 8 river gunboats (later monitors) of the Shkval type (Storm, Hurricane, Smerch, Whirlwind, Typhoon, Blizzard, Thunderstorm, Shkval)
• 3 river gunboats of the Buryat type (Buryat, Mongol, Orochanin)
• 7 river gunboats of the Vogul type (Vogul, Votyak, Kalmyk, Kirgiz, Korel, Sibiryak, Zyryanin)
• 10 messenger ships (armored boats) of the "Bayonet" type ("Bayonet", "Broadsword", "Bullet", "Pistol", "Checker", "Dagger", "Rapier", "Saber", "Pike", "Spear" ).
• 3 armed steamers - "Strong", and 2 more (possibly "Khilok" and "Selenga").

May-June 1920

• 3 armed steamers (Karl Marx, Mark Varyagin, Trud)
• 2 boats

In the fall of 1921

• 2 monitors ("Storm", "Hurricane")
• 3 gunboats (Vogul, Kalmyk, Sibiryak)
• 5 armed steamers (Erofey Khabarov, Mark Varyagin, Moscow, Pavel Zhuravlev, Trud)
• 4 armored boats (Bars, Tiger, Darchi, Khivin)
• 5 armed boats ("Workers' Case", "Albatross", "Condor", "Krechet", "Falcon", "Arrow")
• 2 floating batteries
• minelayer "Muravyov-Amursky"
• 4 minesweepers ("Bureya", "Zeya", "Zheltuga", "Sometimes", "Onon")
• floating base of the Irtysh boat division
• tugs "Nerchinsk" and "Fireworks".

In October 1929

• 4 monitors ("Lenin" - former "Storm", "Red East" - former "Hurricane", "Sverdlov" - former "Blizzard", "Sun Yat-Sen" - former "Shkval")
• 4 gunboats (Buryat, Poornota - former Vogul, Red Banner - former Sibiryak, Proletarian - former Votyak)
• 3 armored boats ("Spear", "Pika", "Bars")
• 1 minelayer "Strong" (a former armed steamer, converted and retrained into a minelayer in 1926)
• group of minesweepers
• airborne battalion
• squadron (14 seaplanes MR-1 and the Amur seaplane floating base).

Early August 1945

126 ships in combat, including:

• 8 monitors (Lenin, Krasny Vostok, Sverdlov, Sun Yat-Sen, Kirov - former Smerch (under repair), Far Eastern Komsomolets - former Vikhr, Dzerzhinsky - former Typhoon (under repair), and Active - built in 1935)
• 13 gunboats (Buryat (under repair), "Mongol", "Red Banner" (under repair), "Proletarian", "Krasnaya Zvezda" - the former "Bednota", as well as KL-30, KL-31, KL -32, KL-33, KL-34, KL-35, KL-36 and KL-37)
• from 52 (by the beginning of the war) to 82 (by autumn) armored boats (of which 31 projects 1124 - BK-11..15, BK-20, BK-22..25, BK-41..48, BK-51. .56, BK-61..66, 42 project 1125 - BK-16 ... 19, BK-26..29, BK-31..38, BK-85..90, BK-104..111, BK- 141..152, "Alarm", "Partizan", BK-93, BK-94, BK-71, BK-73, BK-75, BK-81, BK-84)
• minelayer "Strong"
• Bono-net minelayer ZBS-1
• 15 river minesweepers (RTShch-1 ... 4, 50..59 and RTShch-64)
• 36 minesweeping boats
• 7 mine boats
• 45th Separate Fighter Aviation Regiment
• 10th separate squadron (68 aircraft in total), personnel of 12.5 thousand people.

Early 1950s

• 3 marine monitors ("Hasan", "Perekop", "Sivash") (in 1955)
• 8 river monitors "Suchan" (formerly "Sun Yat-Sen"), "Lenin", "Kirov", "Far Eastern Komsomolets", "Dzerzhinsky", "Sverdlov", "Krasny Vostok", "Active") (until 1952 -1953)
• 7 river gunboats (Buryat, Krasnaya Zvezda, Krasnoe Znamya, KL-55, KL-56, KL-57, KL-58) (until 1951-1953)
• 40 armored boats of project 191M
• a certain number of armored boats of projects 1124 and 1125.

In 1969

• artillery boats - project 1204
• river minesweepers
• landing boats and other ships.

In the mid 1980s

• 8 small artillery ships of project 1208 (MAK-2, MAK-6, MAK-4, MAK-7, MAK-8 "Khabarovsk Komsomolets", MAK-10, MAK-3, MAK-11 (listed in the order of construction) and 3 IAC as part of the border troops.
• several dozen project 1204 artillery boats (AK-201, etc.)
• 11 border patrol ships of project 1248
• 8 border patrol (command) ships of project 1249 (PSKR-52 ... 59)
• border patrol boats of projects 1496, 1415, etc.
• air-cushion assault boats - project 1205
• air cushion landing craft project 12061
• river minesweepers, base supply vessels, etc.

In 1997

• 10 PSKR pr. 1208 ("Whirlwind", "Blizzard", "Thunderstorm", "Smerch", "Typhoon", "Hurricane", "Shkval", "Storm", "60 years of the Cheka", "Named 60 years of border troops ")
• 6 PSKR pr. 1248 (PSKR-312 ...)
• 8 PSKR pr. 1249 (PSKR-52 ... 59)
• 31 border patrol boat pr. 1204 (P-340..344, P-346..351, P-355..363, P-365..368, P-370..372, P-374..377)
• 2 border patrol boats, project 1496
• 4 border patrol boats, project 1415
• 13 assault boats (D-419, 421, 425, 428, 429, 433, 434, 437, 438, 442, 446, 447, 448)
• 8 landing craft projects 12061 (D-142, 143, 259, 285, 323, 447, 453, 458)
• tankers, crew boats, etc., not counting the ships of army formations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Fish Protection, etc.

In 1999

11 OBRPSKR (Dzhalinda), PSK Division as part of Skovorodinsky POGO was disbanded

In 2000

• PSK division (Dzhalinda) relocated to Blagoveshchensk (Astrakhanovka)
• 12 OBRPSKR (Blagoveshchensk)

PSKR project 1248, PSKR project 1249, 18 PSKR project 1204, PSKR project 1408.1, PSKA project 371

• 13 OBRPSKR (Leninskoe)

9 PSKR project 1248, PSKR project 1249

• 14 OBRPSKR (Kazakevichevo)

2 PSKR of project 1248, 2 PSKR of project 1249, PSKR of project 1208, 12 PSKR of project 1204, PSKA of project 1408.1, PSKA of project 371, 3 IACs, 2 “Saiga”, 3 tankers (2 large and 1 small), 2 self-propelled barges, 1 unarmed river boat, 2 tank carriers

• 15 OBRPSKR (Dalnerechensk)

PSKR project 1249, PSKR project 1204, 9 PSKR project 371

• ODnPSKa (Sretensk)

PSK of various projects, PMK project 1398 "Aist", as well as the PMK group in the village. Priargunsk (subordinate to the commander of the ODNPSK)

• Since 2008, ODnPSKa (Sretensk) was reorganized into a PSK division and reassigned to the Border Guard Service in the village. Kokuy.

Flotilla commanders

• 1905-1910 - Captain 1st Rank A. A. Kononov
• 1910-1913 - Rear Admiral K.V. Bergel
• 1913-1917 - Vice Admiral A. A. Bazhenov
• December 1917 - September 1918 - Captain 1st Rank G.G. Ogilvy
• May 1920 - June 1921 - V. Ya. Kanyuk
• June - August 1921 - V.A. Poderny (wreed)
• August - October 1921 - N. V. Tretyakov
• October 1921 - January 1922 - N.P. Orlov
• November 1922 - January 1923 - E.M. Voeikov
• January - December 1923 - P.A.Tuchkov
• December 1923 - April 1926 - S. A. Khvitsky
• May - September 1926 - V.V.Selitrennikov
• September 1926 - November 1930 - Ya.I. Ozolin
• November 1930 - October 1933 - D.P. Isakov
• October 1933 - January 1938 - 1st rank flagship I.N.Kadatsky-Rudnev
• February 1938 - February 1939 - flagship of the 2nd rank F.S. Oktyabrsky
• February - July 1939 - Captain 1st Rank D. D. Rogachev
• July 1939 - July 1940 - 2nd rank flagship (from 06.1940 - Rear Admiral) A.G. Golovko
• July - August 1940 - Captain 2nd Rank M.I.Fyodorov
• August 1940 - June 1943 - Rear Admiral P. S. Abankin
• June 1943 - March 1944 - Vice Admiral F. S. Oktyabrsky
• March - September 1944 - Rear Admiral (from 07.1944 - Vice Admiral) P. S. Abankin
• September 1944 - July 1945 - Vice Admiral F.S. Sedelnikov
• July 1945 - October 1948 - Rear Admiral N.V. Antonov
• October 1948 - January 1949 - Captain 1st Rank A.I.Tsybulsky
• January 1949 - February 1951 - Vice Admiral V.G. Fadeev
• February 1951 - November 1953 - Rear Admiral G.G. Oleinik
• January 1954 - September 1955 - Rear Admiral A.A.

• February 1995 - November 1997 - Vice Admiral V.A.Nechaev
• December 1997 - June 1998 - Rear Admiral A. A. Manchenko

Notes (edit)

1. Russian-Ships.info - Border patrol ships Project 1249, Board numbers ... PSKR-54: 056? (1986), 139 (1994), 146 (2000)
2. Order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR No. 106. June 27, 1931. Moscow. - M: Central Printing House of the NKVM named after Klim Voroshilov, 1931 .-- 1 p. - 415 copies.
3. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 07.02.95 N 100 "On the creation of the Amur border river flotilla as part of the Border Troops of the Russian Federation"
4. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 07.06.98 N 662 "On the disbandment of the Amur border river flotilla"
5. Russian Navy of the 20th century. Ships and boats that are part of the divisions, brigades and divisions of the MCHPV of the KGB of the USSR and the FPS (FSB) of Russia
6. Khabarovsk news. Warships are being handed over for scrap on the Amur
7. Social and political newspaper "Tikhookeanskaya zvezda". Only "Blizzard" sailed to the anniversary
8. Chuprin K.V.The Armed Forces of the CIS and Baltic States: a Handbook / Ed. ed. A.E. Taras. - Minsk: Modern school, 2009 .-- S. 290-291. - 832 p. - ISBN 978-985-513-617-1.
9. History of the Russian fleet
10. Shirokorad A. B. Russia and China - Conflicts and Cooperation. LLC "Publishing house" Veche 2000 ", 2004
11. Amur military flotilla // Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. Encyclopedia. - 1985 .-- S. 49.

Literature

• Amur military flotilla // A - Bureau of military commissars /. - M.: Military publishing house of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, 1976. - (Soviet military encyclopedia:; v. 1).
• Amur military flotilla // Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. Encyclopedia / ed. M. M. Kozlova. - M .: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1985. - P. 49. - 500,000 copies.

Links

• CAF base. Part 1. Ground buildings. Part 2. Boiler room. Part 3. Shore
• A seed walk through the CAF base
• Khabarovsk. Day of the city. River parade

Amur military flotilla Aleut, Amur military flotilla ZhK, Amur military flotilla river, Amur military flotilla radisson

Amur Military Flotilla Information About

S. Zakharov, member of the Military Council of the Pacific Fleet during the war, candidate of historical sciences, admiral of the reserve

The Soviet Far East is from time immemorial the Russian land, discovered and developed by the Russian people. Five seas - East Siberian, Chukchi, Bering, Okhotsk and Japanese - wash its shores. The sea border of our Motherland stretches for more than 15,000 kilometers in the northeast and east. With the development of this region, the Pacific Fleet grew and strengthened.

During the years of the revolutionary movement in Russia, the Pacific sailors were the loyal support of the Bolshevik Party in the struggle against the autocracy and the provisional government. During the difficult years of foreign intervention and civil war, naval sailors fought in the forefront of the defenders of Soviet power in Primorye.

The Pacific Navy was established in 1932. MV Viktorov was appointed commander. In 1937, the 1st rank flagship G.P.Kireev took over command of the fleet. He was replaced by the flagship of the 2nd rank N.G. Kuznetsov. In March 1939, the 1st rank flagship I.S.Yumashev became the commander of the Pacific Fleet.

The Lenin Komsomol made a great contribution to the construction of the fleet. On May 20, 1932, the Central Committee of the Komsomol adopted a resolution on the patronage of the West Siberian, East Siberian and Far Eastern Komsomol organizations over the naval forces of the Far East. The Pacific Fleet was practically re-created. In 1933, the fleet began to receive new types of submarines, new patrol ships, minelayers, minesweepers and auxiliary vessels. The fleet of combat aircraft increased. In 1936, the first destroyers "Stalin" and "Voikov", transferred from the Baltic by the Northern Sea Route, entered the fleet.

During the war with Nazi Germany, the Pacific Fleet was a reliable guardian of the sea borders of our Motherland in the Far East and a source of personnel for the fleet. More than 150 thousand sailors - envoys of the Pacific Fleet - fought on the land fronts with the German fascist invaders. In 1942, in order to reinforce the Northern Fleet from Vladivostok to Polyarnoye, the leader "Baku" and the destroyers "Razumny" and "Enraged" were transferred from Vladivostok to Polar by the Northern Sea Route, and five submarines across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

On August 8, 1945, the Japanese fleet included a large number of ships, including: 6 aircraft carriers, 4 battleships, 7 cruisers, 22 destroyers and 44 submarines.

The Sungaria military river flotilla consisted of up to 30 ships and boats. By this time, the Pacific fleet consisted of 2 cruisers, a leader, 10 destroyers, 2 destroyers, 19 patrol ships, 78 submarines, 10 minelayers, 52 minesweepers, 49 submarine hunter boats, 204 torpedo boats and 1549 aircraft.

The Red Banner Amur Flotilla included 8 monitors, 11 gunboats, 52 armored boats, 12 minesweepers and other ships. The campaign of the Soviet Armed Forces in the Far East was fleeting - from August 9 to September 2, 1945.

In the course of the Manchurian offensive operation, the forces of the Pacific Fleet captured important Japanese strongholds on the northeastern coast of Korea - Yuki (Ungi), Rasin (Najin) and Seishin (Chongzhin). The seizure of Seishin had a significant impact on the acceleration of the surrender of the Japanese troops and the end of the war in the Far East.

On August 19, the port of Odetsin (Etetin) was occupied by amphibious assault forces, and on August 21, the Genzan naval base (Wonsan). In the Sakhalin direction, the Northern Pacific Flotilla (commander - Vice Admiral V.A.Andreev), which was part of the fleet, conducted combat operations. Its main task was to assist the 56th Rifle Corps of the 16th Army in the attack on the southern part of Sakhalin. The ships of the flotilla landed assault forces at the ports of Toro, Esutora, Maoka and the Otomari naval base.

On August 18, the landing of the troops of the Kamchatka defense region (commander - Major General A.R. Gnechko) from the ships of the Peter and Paul naval base on the island of Shumshu began a landing operation to liberate the Kuril Islands. On August 23, after fierce fighting, Shumshu Island was completely occupied by Soviet troops. 12,000 Japanese soldiers and officers were captured, and large trophies were captured. By September 1, 1945, the amphibious assault forces also occupied other islands of the Kuril ridge. The Red Banner Amur Flotilla (commanded by Rear Admiral N.V. Antonov) made a significant contribution to the defeat of the troops of imperialist Japan. She assisted the troops of the 2nd Far Eastern Front in crossing water obstacles and in the offensive.

On the Sakhalin and Sungaria directions, ships were the only means of ensuring a high rate of advance of ground forces. They were in the vanguard of the advancing units and in twelve days they fought from Fuyaan to Harbin for 930 km. On August 21, the ships of the flotilla landed troops in Harbin, captured and disarmed the Japanese Sungaria military flotilla.

The successes of the Pacific Fleet and the Red Banner Amur Flotilla were the result of high morale and massive heroism of sailors, their unlimited devotion to their people and the Communist Party. The Motherland highly appreciated the feat of the Pacific and Amur people. More than 30,000 sailors have received military government awards. 52 people received the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Senior Lieutenant V. N. Leonov received the second Gold Star of the Hero. Twenty-five ships and units of the Pacific Fleet and the Red Banner Amur Flotilla were transformed into guards, 23 ships, units and formations were awarded orders, 17 formations and units were given honorary names. On May 7, 1965, the fleet was awarded a high award - the Order of the Red Banner - for the courage and perseverance shown by the seamen of the Pacific Fleet in defending their socialist homeland.

The Soviet people and their valiant Armed Forces under the leadership of the Communist Party played a decisive role in the defeat of militarist Japan, which hastened the end of World War II and rendered international assistance to the peoples of China in their liberation. A favorable environment was created for the development of the revolutionary and national liberation movement in Asia. The experience of history teaches naval sailors high vigilance, the need to be in constant readiness to defend our Motherland. Fulfilling their military duty, the Pacific people sacredly cherish and multiply the glorious traditions of their fathers in their daily work.

The Pacific Fleet and the Red Banner Amur Flotilla in the Defeat of Imperialist Japan

Issue VII

Postcard packaging cover

Torpedo boat attack

Bomb strike of naval aviation

Amphibious assault in the port of Yuki (Ungi)

Amphibious assault in the port of Racine (Najin)

Landing by torpedo boats of the first assault force

Artillery fire of ships

Amphibious assault in the port of Toro (South Sakhalin)

Paratrooper attack

Amphibious assault at the port of Maoka (South Sakhalin)

Landing of amphibious assault on Shumshu island

The feat of foreman I article Nikolai Vilkov and sailor Pyotr Ilyichev

Landing of troops in Fuyuan city

The armored boats of senior lieutenant K.S. Shnyanin and junior lieutenant S.F. Yakushenko at full speed approached the Fuyuan pier and disembarked the paratroopers. Following them, other armored boats began to disembark. Gunboat Proletary (commander - Senior Lieutenant IA Sornev), without stopping artillery fire on the enemy's fortifications, moored to the shore and landed 274 paratroopers. As a result of decisive actions of ships and landing forces, by 16.00 the city was completely liberated from the enemy. Senior Lieutenant I. A. Sornev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on September 14, 1945.

Breakthrough of armored boats to the pier of the city of Fujin

Armored boats fired from small distances with direct fire, suppressing enemy firing points on the embankment.

Despite fierce enemy resistance, the assault company captured a small bridgehead adjacent to the water's edge. Following it, the 3rd Battalion of the 364th Rifle Regiment landed from the Sun Yat-sen monitor (commander - Captain 3rd Rank VD Korner). By 9.00 am, the paratroopers captured the coastal strip of the landing area and began to advance into the depths of the enemy's defenses.

Artillery battle of river ships

The commander of the Sun Yat-sen monitor, Captain 3rd Rank VD Korner, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on September 14, 1945.

Fight on the Sanxing River

Capture and disarmament of the ships of the Sungaria military flotilla

Action Map of the Pacific Fleet and Amur Flotilla

In 1941, in view of the danger of imperialist Japan entering the war against the Soviet Union, personnel and equipment were transferred from the West of the USSR to the East. The Amur flotilla, despite its high combat readiness, was staffed by 80 percent, which caused Stalin's concern.

It so happened that fate threw my father, a native of the Kuban, in the very first months of the war to the Far East, to the Red Banner Amur Flotilla. In his rare stories about the war, dad recalled distant Khabarovsk and Harbin.

Old photo. 1926 year. Art. Medvedovskaya, Krasnodar Territory.
Father with mother, Martha Yemelyanovna Shakun.

My grandfather, Ivan Alekseevich Shakun, died in the Kuban in the middle of the 20s of the last century.
In this regard, my father addressed all his letters from the front to my mother, my grandmother.

1918. Grandfather is 22 years old.

Summer 1941. Father and mom (my grandmother) made a memory card
before sending it to the front.

Signature on the card:
Spring 1942, ACF. "To mother as a keepsake from her son and his friend."
Unfortunately the friend's last name is not indicated.

Ivan Ivanovich Shakun at the age of twenty. ACF, 04/01/1942.

ACF, April 14, 1943.

Reverse side of the previous card.
ACF, April 14, 1943.

Left Ivan Ivanovich Shakun.
I don’t know the name of the second sailor.
17.12. 1944 of the year.

War Council :)
1944 year.
Father is third from the left.

End of 1945.
Top row - Alexey Shakun and Ivan Shakun.
There are no grandfathers left in our family after the 20s,
In this regard, those who came from the front were greeted by their wives, mothers and aunts.
Family photography.
My grandmother, bottom row in the center, after the death of her husband during the collectivization period,
never married.
Let me tell you, the woman was kind but tough. Kingdom of Heaven to her.

I buried my father on August 22, 2002. He lived a little over 80 years. He was very strong in spirit.

1964 year.
Mom, older brother Igor, aunt Lucy (mother's sister, participant in the defense of Leningrad, anti-aircraft gunner) and father.
I wasn’t there at that time. I was born in 1968. I don’t know .... Respect bate.
The father lived several lives.

Dry facts:

Naval sailors in the liberation of Northeast China

In the defeat of the Kwantung Army and the liberation of Northeast China from the Japanese invaders, along with Soviet troops in the Far East, the sailors of the Pacific Fleet and the Red Banner Amur Flotilla took an active part. The success of the Manchurian operation in 1945 was largely facilitated by the successful hostilities of the Pacific Fleet and the troops of the 1st Far Eastern Front to capture in a short time the main ports and naval bases of the enemy on the Liaodong Peninsula (Port Arthur and Dalny) and in North Korea, which led the main forces of the Kwantung Army to complete isolation from their own mother country, deprived them of the ability to transfer reserves and evacuate.

The main command of the Soviet troops in the Far East on the Red Banner Amur Flotilla was entrusted with a very difficult and responsible task - to ensure the crossing of the river. Cupid troops of the 2nd Far Eastern Front and facilitate their offensive in the Sungari and Sakhalyan operations.

It should be noted that p. The Amur is the largest water communications in the Far East, navigable for almost its entire length (more than 2800 km). Its tributaries, the Sungari and Ussuri, are also full-flowing. In the most important directions along the state border of the USSR with Northeast China, which runs mainly along the Amur and Ussuri, the enemy created strong fortified areas. The main ones were: Sakhalyansky (opposite Blagoveshchensk), Sungaria (covering the entrance to the Sungari River) and Fujinsky (70 km from the mouth of the Sungari, which defended the approaches to Harbin). The fortified areas consisted of nodes of resistance and strongholds connected by communication passages, the basis of which was pillboxes, bunkers, and reinforced concrete structures. The Red Banner Amur Flotilla (commanded by Rear Admiral N.V. Antonov) by the beginning of hostilities had up to 150 warships and boats and significantly surpassed the Japanese Sungaria river flotilla in combat strength and armament.

In the Sungaria operation, which was led by the commander of the 15th Army, Lieutenant General K.S.Mamonov, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd brigades of river ships successfully operated (their commanders, respectively, Captain 1st Rank V.A.Krinin, Captain 1 rank L. B. Tankevich and captain 2nd rank A. V. Fadeev).

On August 9 and 10, 1945, the troops of the 15th Army and the 5th Separate Rifle Corps successfully crossed the Amur and Ussuri rivers, captured all the islands on the Amur and cleared the enemy from the opposite banks of these rivers in a 120-kilometer strip from the mouth of the river. Sungari to the mouth of the river. Khor and captured the cities of Lubei, Tongjiang, Fuyuan, as well as the centers of resistance of the Sungari fortified region. As a result, the opportunity was created for our troops to rapidly advance in the Harbin direction.

The personnel and warships of the Red Banner Amur Flotilla played an important role.

In a short time, tens of thousands of people, a huge amount of military equipment and various military equipment were transported through the Amur. Together with the soldiers of the armies, the Amur sailors bravely fought the enemy. They marched in the vanguard of the advancing troops, with accurate artillery and machine-gun fire of the ships suppressed enemy firing points on the coast and paved the way for the paratroopers.

In the battle for Fuyuan, the personnel of the gunboat Proletary (commanded by Senior Lieutenant I. A. Sornev) and armored boats under the command of Senior Lieutenant KS Shnyanin, Lieutenant P.S. Semenyak and Junior Lieutenant S.F. Yakushenko. Under enemy fire, they quickly landed troops on the shore and, with accurate shooting from ships, ensured the successful execution of the city by the paratroopers.

In this battle, a heroic feat was performed by the sergeant major of the 1st article, the communist Nikolai Golubkov. Participating in the landing along with the soldiers of the 630th Infantry Regiment, when attacking one of the enemy's targets, he destroyed an enemy firing point with grenades. Thus, the possibility of rapid advancement by our paratroopers was created. But at the same time he was mortally wounded. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, N.N. Golubkov was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

The residents of Fuyuan greeted their liberators warmly. Their crowds walked to the embankment, where our ships were stationed, their faces shone with joy. They warmly greeted and thanked the Soviet soldiers and sailors for their liberation from the Japanese colonialists.

A deeply symbolic inscription was made on the monument erected in Fuyuan by local residents in memory of the fallen Soviet sailors: "Soviet soldiers-liberators will forever remain in the hearts of the Chinese people."

Every Soviet soldier, having entered Chinese soil, knew well that he was fulfilling a high international duty, fighting for the liberation of the Chinese people from the Japanese oppressors, and this found a grateful response in the hearts of the Chinese workers.

Stubborn battles unfolded for the capture of the Funjin fortified region and the city of Funjin. On the morning of August 11, under cover of naval artillery fire, armored boats of the 1st brigade of river ships approached the berths at full speed, quickly moored and landed an assault company. Following them, the 3rd Battalion of the 364th Rifle Regiment landed from the Sun Yatsen monitor (commander 3rd Rank Captain VD Korner). At the same time, shipborne assault forces were sent from the monitors to cover the advancing troops from the rear.

The fight was intense. The Japanese met the landing force with powerful artillery fire, mortars and machine guns. The enemy fiercely resisted, repeatedly launched counterattacks, but could not withstand the onslaught of Soviet troops. The heroism of Soviet soldiers was massive. Each tried to fulfill the combat mission assigned to him as best as possible.

Our battleships-monitors, armed with 130-mm cannons and rocket artillery, had an advantage over the Japanese artillery, the caliber of which did not exceed 75 mm. None of the enemy's firing points could resist their fire. For example, the Sun Yatsen monitor destroyed and suppressed 5 bunkers, 12 bunkers, 6 mortar batteries, destroyed an ammunition depot and a large number of Japanese soldiers and officers.

The armored boats also provided great assistance to the paratroopers, which came close to the shores and at point-blank shot firing points and enemy manpower.

Our ships did not give any respite to the retreating enemy troops. On August 16, with their active support, our troops captured the city of Jiamusi, for which they received gratitude from the Military Council of the 2nd Far Eastern Front. Eliminating the centers of enemy resistance, the ships of the flotilla continued to successfully move up the Sungari to join the airborne assault that had landed in Harbin on August 18.

On the way from Sanxing to Harbin, the population of villages and villages, seeing our ships, gathered in crowds on the shore with red flags and warmly greeted the Soviet sailors. On the morning of August 20, the ships of the Red Banner Amur Flotilla arrived in Harbin. The Harbin embankment was filled with people for many kilometers. Thousands of Chinese people greeted their liberators with flowers, banners and flags. Soon a parade of Soviet sailors took place on the central square. Detachments of Amur residents walked with a clear step along the streets of the city to the thunderous applause of the residents. The day the Soviet sailors entered Harbin turned into a great national holiday.

Naval sailors were also active in the Sakhalin offensive operation. During August 10 and 11, the troops of the 2nd Red Banner Army (commanded by Lieutenant General of Tank Forces M.F. the area of ​​the cities of Sakhalyan, Aigun and Tsike. Thus, three large bridgeheads were created on the right bank of the Amur, and the further development of the operation depended on how quickly the main forces of the army would be transferred here. This task was entrusted to the sailors of the Red Banner Amur Flotilla, and they fulfilled it with honor.

From August 10 to September 1, the ships of the flotilla and ships of the Verkhne-Amur Shipping Company transported from Blagoveshchensk to Sakhalin 22,845 people, 1,459 vehicles, 161 tanks, 116 armored vehicles and tractors, 429 guns and mortars, over 4 thousand tons of various cargo.

During the same time, 64,861 people, 460 guns and mortars, 3,800 cars and tractors, 14,330 tons of various cargoes were transported through another crossing from the village of Konstantinovka to Khadagan (110 km below Blagoveshchensk).

All this contributed to the rapid advance of the army into the central regions of Manchuria.

The population of the liberated cities warmly greeted the Soviet soldiers. In Sakhalin, when our ships approached the pier, thousands of Chinese rushed to them. Many of them carried red flags and flags in their hands. A rally spontaneously arose. Captain 1st Rank M.G. Voronkov, speaking at the rally, said that Soviet troops had come to them not as conquerors, but as friends, to help them free themselves from Japanese domination. The speech was listened to with great attention. The rally was accompanied by stormy jubilation and cheers in honor of the Soviet soldiers-liberators.

In the battles with the Japanese invaders, the soldiers and officers of the Red Banner Amur Flotilla showed high combat training, discipline, courage, and a high understanding of the liberation mission.

During the operation, ships were the only means of ensuring a high rate of advance of ground forces. They were constantly in the vanguard of the advancing units and in 12 days they fought from Fuyuan to Harbin 930 km, of which more than 700 km along the Sungari.

The combat operations of the flotilla were highly appreciated by the Soviet command. The commander of the 2nd Far Eastern Front, General of the Army M.A.Purkaev, noted in the order: "The Red Banner Amur Flotilla, following the order of the Supreme High Command, in close cooperation with the troops of the 2nd Far Eastern Front, contributed to a decisive victory over imperialist Japan. The ships of the flotilla, being the vanguard of the troops 2nd Far Eastern Front, crossed such water barriers as the Amur, Ussuri and Sungari rivers, and thereby accelerated the capture of strong strongholds of the Japanese and the cities of Manchuria. "

For military services in the war against imperialist Japan, 3,315 sailors, foremen and officers of the flotilla were awarded orders and medals. Rear Admiral N.V. Antonov, Captain 1st Rank M.G. Voronkov, Captain 3rd Rank V.D. Korner, Captain-Lieutenant I.A. Sornev and I.A.Hvorostyanov, Captain S.M Kuznetsov and Petty Officer 1st Class NN Golubkov were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union. All four brigades of river ships of the flotilla were awarded orders and received honorary titles: 1st Harbin Red Banner, 2nd Amur Red Banner, 3rd Ussuriysk Order of Nakhimov and 4th Amur Order of Ushakov.

At the final stage of the Manchurian operation, following the airborne assault of army units in Dalny and Port Arthur under the command of Aviation Lieutenant General E.N.

The Chinese population of Dalny and Port Arthur greeted Soviet soldiers and sailors very friendly. These days, the streets of the cities were filled with thousands of lively and joyful people. The Chinese tried to render every possible assistance to our units. So, for example, when the first aircraft landed in the ports of Dalny and Port Arthur, the Chinese quickly brought boats and schooners to land. Cheers were heard everywhere in honor of the Soviet Army and the Navy. And when our warships soon came to Port Arthur, the city was literally transformed. The news of the arrival of Soviet warships flew around the city with lightning speed. Crowds of Chinese began to flock to the port with flags and banners. They enthusiastically greeted Soviet soldiers, sailors and officers - their liberators from the Japanese colonialists.

In the very first days of our stay in Port Arthur, the command of the naval base created in the city (commander of the base, Rear Admiral V.A.Tsipanovich) established the most friendly relations with the local administration and the Chinese population. Taking into account the need of the population for food and consumer goods, the command of the base met the requests of the local authorities and donated a significant amount of food, fabrics and various materials from their reserves.

In the city and in the clubs of the base, joint concerts of amateur performances, performances of Soviet and Chinese artists, and viewing of Soviet films were constantly organized. Sports games and competitions were systematically held.

I remember well how the population of Port Arthur, full of feelings of gratitude and gratitude to the Soviet Army and the Navy for their liberation, took an ardent part in the celebration of the 28th anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution.

During these days the Chinese did not work, the festive mood was felt everywhere. On November 7, a large number of people in festive clothes, with red bands on their sleeves, gathered in the city squares. Soviet and Chinese flags were posted everywhere. The mass procession did not stop in the streets of the city. Cheers were constantly heard in honor of the Soviet people, their army and navy.

In Dalniy and Port Arthur, a significant number of Chinese workers worked at ship-repair enterprises and in various workshops and institutions of the army and naval base. For their labor, they received the same pay as the Soviet workers. In conversations with us, the Chinese workers thanked the Soviet people for the work they had been given and for their brotherly attitude. You should have seen what joyful, friendly smiles their faces shone with.