Published on: 2026-09-16
Source: Official website of the State –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On September 16, we remember an important date: in 1943, Soviet soldiers liberated Novorossiysk from the Nazi fascist invaders. To achieve this goal, the fighters had to operate at the limit of human capabilities.
The Germans sought to gain access to the southern port and transport military cargoes by sea. They did not manage to fully capture Novorossiysk: Soviet troops held the defense on the eastern shore of Tsemess Bay. But most of the city and the port remained in enemy hands. The Soviet army still had to retake them from the enemy.
In February 1943, Soviet paratroopers landed on the outskirts of Novorossiysk and captured a bridgehead – Malaya Zemlya. At that time, liberating the city was unsuccessful. Months of fighting, shelling, and bombing followed.
In September, the Soviet troops launched a new assault. The invaders did not expect the army to strike the most fortified and mined area – the center of the port. It seemed impossible. Firing positions were set up on the piers, and a cable was stretched underwater that prevented boats from passing through. But this did not stop the fighters.
On the night of September 9 to 10, 1943, Soviet forces began the assault on Novorossiysk from three directions. On land, they advanced from the direction of the cement factories and Malaya Zemlya. From the sea, boats delivered landing forces to the port to capture positions within the city. The decision was not the most conventional – they struck the coastal fortifications with torpedoes. Exploders were quickly modified specifically for this task. The boats were covered by night bombers: the noise of their engines masked the movement of the vessels and they attacked enemy positions. The boats destroyed obstacles and hit the coastal fortifications. Finally, the way was opened for the landing forces.
Vasily Botylyov’s fighters held the area around the dockworkers’ club, while Alexander Raykunov’s company defended the train station and the elevator. But reinforcements from the land were delayed: the advancing units could not immediately link up with the paratroopers. The marines had to hold out for several days with shortages of water, food, and ammunition. They conserved ammunition, firing single shots at visible targets, and used captured weapons. The number of wounded increased, and there was no possibility to regularly supply the units or evacuate the soldiers.
While the paratroopers repelled counterattacks, Soviet artillery supported them with fire, and pilots dropped ammunition. The land forces continued to break through German fortifications. Gradually, the enemy defense was breached. Under the threat of encirclement, the German troops began to retreat. On September 16, 1943, Novorossiysk was completely liberated.
The battles for the city lasted more than a year—from August 19, 1942, to September 16, 1943. The liberation of Novorossiysk was the result of joint actions by the ground forces, navy, and aviation. The Soviet fighters accomplished the task: they broke into the fortified port, held their positions while surrounded, and shattered the enemy’s defense. They achieved the impossible. And we remember the price that was paid.
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