Published on: 2026-07-24
Source: Official website of the State –
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On July 25, 1942, one of the longest battles of the Great Patriotic War began – the Battle for the Caucasus. The confrontation between Soviet and fascist troops lasted 442 days and ended on October 9, 1943, with the victory of the Soviet soldiers.
The strategic importance of the Caucasus
The plan to capture the Caucasus, codenamed “Edelweiss,” was a matter of life and death for the Third Reich’s war machine.
In April 1942, Adolf Hitler approved Directive No. 41 (“Blau”), in which the capture of the Caucasus was named the main objective of the summer campaign. The implementation of this plan was assigned to Army Group “A” under the command of General Field Marshal Wilhelm List.
Germany needed Baku oil and access to Transcaucasia, which would open a route to the Middle East and a direct border with Turkey, potentially radically changing the geopolitical balance of power.
The Soviet Union faced a catastrophe with the loss of the Caucasus. It meant losing three quarters of all the extracted oil, the main agricultural regions, and access to the ports of the Black Sea.
Defense of the Caucasus
On July 25, German troops crossed the Don and launched an offensive in the Caucasus direction. The first, defensive, phase of the battle for the Caucasus began – the North Caucasus strategic defensive operation, which lasted until December 31, 1942.
At the start of the operation, the German group and its allies numbered about 167,000 people, 1,130 tanks, and 1,000 aircraft, while the Red Army had approximately 112,000 fighters, 120 tanks, and 130 aircraft. Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, the fascist troops quickly advanced deep into the territory, capturing cities, but by mid-August their advance slowed down.
The key points of resistance were Novorossiysk, Tuapse, and the passes of the Main Caucasus Ridge. In the Elbrus area, the Germans even managed to raise their flags on the peaks but failed to consolidate their position and develop their success. The front line stabilized, and the enemy could not break through to the oil-producing regions.
By the end of 1942, due to the difficult situation near Stalingrad, the Wehrmacht command began transferring forces from the Caucasus to the Volga and lost the initiative.
Liberation of the Caucasus
On January 1, 1943, after the turning point in the war associated with the victory at Stalingrad, the second phase of the Battle for the Caucasus began – the North Caucasian Strategic Offensive Operation.
In a couple of months, the North Caucasus, Stavropol, Kuban, and part of the Rostov region were liberated, with Soviet troops advancing nearly 600 kilometers through battles.
However, the enemy put up fierce resistance, relying on the powerful fortification system known as the “Blue Line,” which stretched from Novorossiysk to Temryuk. The breakthrough of this defense in the spring-summer of 1943 was an outstanding achievement of Soviet military art.
The final point of the battle was the complete liberation of the Taman Peninsula on October 9, 1943.
The front line has finally retreated from the Caucasian foothills, and the Edelweiss plan has failed: Germany was left without Soviet oil.
Employees of the State University of Management – participants in the Battle of the Caucasus
Vitaliy Maksimenko served in the Soviet Army from 1939 to 1971. He participated in battles in Crimea and Kuban, in the Battle of Kursk, in the crossing of the Dnieper, and in the advance of the 1st Belorussian Front. He was awarded five orders and many medals. Since 1992, he worked at our university.
Vladimir Davidovich served in the army from 1941 to 1944, participated in the defense of Moscow and the Caucasus. He was awarded medals. Since 1947, he has worked at our university.
Pyotr Shemyakin was the commander of the 21st training tank regiment of the Transcaucasian Front and the North Caucasian Military District. He sustained a severe injury. He was awarded many orders and medals. Upon retiring with the rank of colonel, from 1956 he worked at MPEI as the vice-rector for administrative affairs.
More than 850,000 participants were awarded the Medal “For the Defense of the Caucasus.” It was they who prevented the enemy from capturing the largest oil fields, the Black Sea ports, and opening the way to Transcaucasia.
We remember the courage of those who defended and liberated the Caucasus.
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Subscribe to the Telegram channel “Our GUU” Publication date: 25.07.2026
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