Iturup Island position of the ship. Problems of the Kuril Islands

The object will be located on the island of Matua in the central part of the archipelago. The reasons for which the specialists of the Russian Ministry of Defense stopped here are more political than geographical or economic. Matua Island is not among those claimed by Japan.

The base itself is given great military-strategic importance. The existing runway will be overgrown with infrastructure and will be used as a jump airfield for Tu-22M3 bombers capable of carrying the Kh-101 CRBD. From here they will be able to fly to areas remote from our coast. Pacific Ocean in order to strike at the territory of the United States if necessary. This will seriously enhance the US and NATO strategic non-nuclear deterrence capabilities.

The base will play important role for the deployment of Russian nuclear missile carriers, since the aircraft stationed here will be able to monitor American submarines in the region. Thus, there will be additional protection for the base of the submarine fleet in Vilyuchinsk. And anti-submarine helicopters will take control of the passage to the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and minimize the possibility of NATO submarines penetrating it.

Former Commander of the Northern Fleet Admiral Vyacheslav Popov I agree that a naval base in the Kuriles is needed. The ridge closes the water area Sea of ​​Japan, ships from a base on the mainland must pass through the straits between our islands and Hokkaido. “The base located here means direct access to the Pacific Ocean. If we talk about military significance, then it is one thing when there is only a base, from which ships have the opportunity to enter the ocean through the narrow neck of the straits. It turns out that these forces are locked. Another thing is with access to the ocean directly, in this case the coefficient of defense is significantly increased.

From a political point of view, one of the alleged reasons for the creation of the base could be the prospect of a compromise on the Kuril Islands. It is possible that part of the military forces currently concentrated in the southern part of the archipelago will need to be moved to Matua. Perhaps, as a compromise between Russia and Japan, the "northern territories" will receive the status of a demilitarized zone.

Unfortunately, the powerful infrastructure created on Matua by the Japanese in the last century, including an underground complex, a large airfield, a network highways and the railway line, has fallen into disrepair and cannot be restored. Until 2001, there was a frontier post on the island, but in the subsequent period it remained uninhabited.

Matua is not the most comfortable place to live. Strong winds blow here, there are no large convenient bays on the coast. Finally, the entire northern part of the island is a volcano that last erupted quite recently, in 2009. Matua is located at a great distance from the supply bases, and communication with it, especially during the winter months, is difficult due to the fact that the Sea of ​​Okhotsk freezes in this place. Building a large naval base here is an extremely costly business.

At present, the 18th Machine Gun Artillery Division is stationed in the Kuril Islands - the only unit of its kind in the Russian Army - with reinforcement units on Iturup and Kunashir. Recently, coastal missile systems "Bal" (Kunashir) and "Bastion" (Iturup), air defense systems "Buk" were placed on the islands. However, these forces are not enough to provide antiamphibious defense of the entire Kuril archipelago. Naval and air components are needed. And this is a complex complex for ensuring the conduct of hostilities, as well as the operation of early warning radar systems and all types of target guidance systems.

It can be assumed that the Borey-A SSBN will be involved in the base - two or three units, one or two divisions of Lada diesel-electric submarines. Projected need for surface ships: Sarych destroyers, project 20380 corvettes, one or two divisions of coast guard boats of the Neptune-Leopard type. The island location of the base will require a variety of support vessels: icebreakers, tugboats, floating workshops. Unmanned boats will be widely used as surface patrol means in the coastal waters of the Kuril ridge. A special role is given to uninhabited underwater vehicles - they are all controlled from the shore and are submarines without crews that are able to sail indefinitely. They are difficult to notice, while they collect all the information about the situation, they can carry combat charges on board, including those in nuclear equipment.

In an antiamphibious operation, the importance of means of remote detection and tracking of the enemy's naval forces along his advance routes is growing. To perform these tasks, as well as to bring combat aircraft into the salvo area and identify large targets, the base will be assigned one or two A-50U airborne radar systems with Shmel radar.

The Naval Base on Matua will possibly include the Tu-22M3 regiment, and the coastal air group will include long-range anti-submarine Tu-142, as well as Il-20, Il-38 and Il-38N, MiG-31 fighter-interceptors, An- 12, An-24, An-26, Mi-8, Mi-24, Ka-31 helicopters.

The tasks of air defense and anti-missile defense of the islands should be solved by such means of destruction as "Ball" and "Bastion", S-300 and S-400, which are already available in this operational direction. These complexes, combined with the capabilities of the base, essentially turn the Kuriles into an impregnable naval fortress.

Finally, the naval base will meet the main task of the fleet - covering the strait zones of the island and peninsular parts of the combined arms operational areas, such as Kamchatka and Sakhalin-Kuril, protecting the naval infrastructure of the Pacific Fleet, strategic facilities on the Pacific coast and civil navigation in the northwestern part of the water area.

The comprehensive security of the Russian islands and outlets to the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, according to experts, is due to the constant growth in the number of external threats, the hand in which Japan's sworn friends, the United States, often have a hand in creating.

The position of our scandalous neighbors may change over time, but advanced weapons, as well as a full-fledged naval base located in the Kuriles, will definitely not be superfluous in any political situation.

If your path lies on the Kuril Islands, Iturup Island, of course, should be part of your trip. After all, this is a very beautiful and original place. No wonder many consider it a real pearl of the Kuriles. Today we propose to find out what the island of Iturup is, find out where it is located, what is the climate here and what are the features of flora and fauna. We will also figure out how you can get to this interesting place.

Iturup Island: photo, description

Iturup is the largest Great Kuril chain, which is part of the Kuril Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean. Iturup belongs Russian Federation, however, Japan has been claiming its rights to it for a long time. The authorities of this country consider it as the prefecture of Hokkaido. As for the name of the island, it is believed that it comes from the word "etorop", which can be translated from the Ainu language as "jellyfish".

Geography and map of Iturup Island

As already mentioned, this island is located in the Pacific Ocean. On the north side, it is washed by the waters. Iturup Island on the map of Russia can be found in the southeast of our large country. The map clearly shows how close Iturup is to Japan.

The length of the island from northeast to southwest is 200 kilometers, and its width in different parts varies from seven to twenty-seven kilometers. The area of ​​Iturup is 3200 square kilometers. The island consists of mountain ranges and volcanic massifs. There are about twenty volcanoes here, nine of which are active (Curly, Lesser Brother, Chirip, and others). In addition, such a seemingly small island of Iturup boasts many picturesque waterfalls, including Russia - Ilya Muromets (141 meters). In addition, there are lakes, as well as hot and mineral springs.

Flora

Iturup Island is rich not only in volcanoes, waterfalls and geysers, but also in a number of representatives flora. So, most of its territory is covered with coniferous forests, consisting of small-seeded spruces and Sakhalin firs. AT central area islands you can see the Kuril larch. In the southern part of Iturup, broad-leaved species also grow: thin-curly oak, calopanax, maple. Also on the island are very developed thickets of bamboo - Kuril saz, which makes the slopes of the mountains and forests almost impassable.

Climate

Iturup Island has a moderate summer here is humid and rather cool. The warmest month is August, when the average daily temperature reaches +14 degrees Celsius. Therefore, when going to Iturup, be sure to bring warm clothes even in summer. As for winter, it is much milder here than on the continent, and is characterized by frequent snowfalls followed by thaws. The average temperature in the coldest month - February - is -3 degrees Celsius.

Inhabitants of the island and settlements

About six and a half thousand people live on Iturup today. In the central region of the island on the shores of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, there is the only city and administrative center here - Kurilsk. Its population is about 1800 people. The rest of the islanders live in the rural settlements of Kitovoe, Reidovo, Rybaki, Goryachiye Klyuchi and a number of others.

Minerals

In 1992, the world's only economically viable rhenium deposit was discovered on Iturup Island. It is located on the Kudryavy volcano. According to scientists, about twenty tons of rhenium are ejected from the depths of the volcano to the surface every year. Interestingly, the world production of this metal per year does not exceed forty tons. One kilogram of rhenium costs about 10 thousand US dollars. This metal is strategically valuable, as it is used by enterprises of the military-industrial complex (primarily in the aerospace field). In addition to rhenium, the bowels of Iturup are rich in bismuth, indium, germanium, gold, silver, and selenium. There is also a large deposit of native sulfur.

How to get to Iturup

Air communication of the island is carried out through the Burevestnik airfield located here, which belongs to Russian Ministry defense. Passenger and cargo sea communication is carried out with the help of two motor ships: "Polaris" and "Igor Farkhutdinov".

I would like to note that if you decide to visit the Iturup Island, then most likely you will have to go by plane. Canadian Bombardier DHC-8 aircraft fly here. For example, a ticket from the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk will cost you four and a half thousand rubles. Travel time is about an hour. Moreover, keep in mind that the plane does not always depart on schedule. This is due to the variability of weather conditions on Iturup. It even happens that people who want to get to the island wait two or even three days for flying weather.

Arriving at Burevestnik, you will most likely be very surprised. After all, luggage here (without tags) will be unloaded from the plane directly to the ground, where each passenger must pick up their things. As for the airfield itself, it is located about 60 kilometers from Kurilsk. Moreover, you will drive 50 kilometers along a dirt road, and another 10 along the shore of Kasatka Bay (which can only be done at low tide). This is due to the fact that the airfield was built by the Japanese. It was from here that their fighters were sent to bomb Pearl Harbor. A new airport is under construction not far from Kurilsk.

According to the most common version, the name of the island of Iturup goes back to the word "etorop", which in translation from the Ainu language means "jellyfish".

Iturup
ain. Etopor, Jap. 択捉島
Satellite image of the island
Characteristics
Area	3174.71 km²
Population	6485 people (2019)
Population density	2.04 people/km²
Location
45°00' s. sh. 147°53′ E d. HGI AMOL
Archipelago	Great Kuril Ridge
Country
Media files at Wikimedia Commons

Geography

The island is stretched from the northeast to the southwest for 200 km, the width is from 7 to 27 km. Area - 3174.71 km². The length of the coastline reaches 581.9 km. Consists of volcanic massifs and mountain ranges. There are 20 volcanoes on the island, nine of them are active: Curly (986 m), Lesser Brother (562 m), Chirip (1589 m), Bogdan Khmelnitsky (1585 m), Baransky (1134 m), Ivan the Terrible (1159 m) , Stockap (1634 m), Atsonupuri (1205 m), Berutarube (1223 m). There are many waterfalls on the island, including one of the highest in Russia - the Ilya Muromets waterfall (141 m), located on the Bear Peninsula; lakes, hot and mineral springs. At the entrance to the Lion's Mouth Bay, there is an island Stone-Lion 162.4 meters high. On the Pacific side is located about. Lonely .

Flora

There are 872 species of vascular plants recorded on the island. Most of the island's territory is covered with coniferous forests of Ayan spruce and Sakhalin fir, and Cajander larch grows in the central part. In the south of the island there are broad-leaved species: curly oak, maples, calopanax, as well as bird cherry ssori, Kuril cherry and several types of woody vines: Kaempfer grapes, wood pliers, oriental toxicodendron, Chinese magnolia vine, actinidia kolomikta. Bamboo thickets are developed - Kuril saz, because of which forests and mountain slopes are often impassable. In the north of the island, which has a more severe climate, cedar elfin, shrub alder, different kinds shrub willows and birches.

The endemics of the island are Kavakam astragalus, island wormwood, Kuril edelweiss. Among the rare plants of Iturup, the following can be distinguished: endangered Asiatic half-flower, continental and heart-shaped aralia, seven-lobed calopanax, Japanese kandyk, Wright's viburnum, Glen's cardiocrinum, obovate peony, Fori rhododendron, Sugeroki holly, Gray's two-leaf, pearl marsh, low wolf-leaf , mountain peony, Sargent's juniper, spiky yew, Japanese glossodium lichens and naked stereocaulon, bryophyte bryoxiphium savatier and alpine atractylocarpus growing near Baransky volcano.

In the extreme south of the island, the Ostrovnoy State Nature Reserve is located.

Fauna

In the northern part of Iturup, between the rivers Glorious and Glush, there are many brown bears. A feature of the fauna of Iturup is the disharmony of the theriofauna, i.e. a pronounced predominance of predatory mammals. The ratio of predators (fox, mink, sable, bear) to potential land prey (rat, red-backed vole, house mouse, white hare) here reaches 1:1. As a result, predators are forced to diversify their diet with seafood and seabirds, which is one of the features of their diet in the Kuriles in general.

Transport

Air communication is carried out through the Burevestnik airfield, which belongs to the Russian Ministry of Defense. Sea communication (passenger and cargo) is carried out by the motor ship "Igor Farkhutdinov". On September 22, 2014, the Iturup civil airport was opened on the island. On the morning of September 22, the first flight of the Aurora airline from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk was made there. The governor of the Sakhalin region Alexander Khoroshavin took part in the opening of the airport. In the near future, the airport will only accept flights from Primorye, the Khabarovsk Territory and the Magadan Region, but international flights are also planned in the future.

Population

The indigenous people of the island are the Ainu. At present, some have been fully assimilated, while others have been repatriated to Japan as subjects of the former Japanese Empire along with ethnic Japanese in the period from 1947 to 1949.

The current population is 6387 people. (2007) - formed as a result of migration exchange with the continent in the second half of the 20th century.

Settlements

In the central part of the island on the shores of the Kuril Bay of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, the city of Kurilsk is located - the administrative center of the region and the only urban settlement on the island. Rural settlements: Reidovo, Kitovoe, Rybaki, Goryachiye Klyuchi (2025 people), Burevestnik, Shumi-Gorodok, Gornoye (1757 people). Non-residential settlements: Active, Glorious, September, Wind, Hot Waters, Pioneer, Iodnaya, Lesozavodskoye, Berezovka.

Economy

In 2007, within the framework of the federal target program "Socio-economic development of the Kuril Islands for 2006-2015", plans were announced to build an international airport on the island. The administration of the municipality "City District" Kuril "" planned to allocate 1.2 billion rubles for the construction of the airport. Chapter federal agency Air Transport Alexander Yurchik said that the new airport will be the main airport in the Kuril Islands. On September 22, 2014, the airport received its first regular flight of the Aurora company from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk with 50 passengers on board.

Minerals

There is a rhenium deposit on Iturup. Discovered in 1992 on Kudryavy volcano. The field is represented by a fumarole field with permanent sources of high-temperature deep fluids - fumaroles. Rhenium is in the form of the mineral rheniite ReS 2 , with a similar structure to molybdenite.

According to the Institute of Volcanology and Geodynamics of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, the Kudryavy volcano emits 20 tons of rhenium every year (by the way, the world production of rhenium in 2006 was about 40 tons; the price of 1 kg of rhenium is up to 3.5 thousand dollars). In 2003, Russian scientists successfully carried out experimental work on the extraction of rhenium from disulfide emitted by a volcano. Commenting on the success of Russian specialists, Rossiyskaya Gazeta noted that rhenium is a strategically valuable metal that is used in the military-industrial complex (primarily in the aerospace sector). The largest specialist in the field of rare refractory metals E. M. Savitsky wrote: “Many rare elements are still little used in industry due to insufficient knowledge of their properties. Rhenium, on the other hand, has so many positive qualities that it has become an acutely scarce metal. Any quantities of it will be absorbed by industry. Rhenium is reliability, strength, quality.” The high-temperature rare-metal steam-gas system of Kudryavy volcano on Iturup Island has been attracting the attention of researchers for a quarter of a century, since the discovery of rare-metal mineralization in fumarole products.

Deputy Director of the Institute of Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Crystal Chemistry of Rare Elements (IMGRE) of the Ministry natural resources and RAS, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences A. Kremenetsky noted that the extraction of rhenium on the island is economically feasible. According to the scientist, in addition to rhenium, there is also the possibility of extracting bismuth, indium, germanium, silver, gold and selenium. Kremenetsky emphasized: "If only the unique volcanic deposit on the island of Iturup did not also appear abroad."

Previously, the USSR mined rhenium in Kazakhstan and Central Asia. Emphasizing the importance of mining rhenium, Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote: “God sent Russia the Kudryavy volcano on Iturup Island, where this rhenium is a real storeroom!” .

There is a large deposit of native sulfur (more than 4 million tons) on Iturup, which is clearly visible from the sea when approaching Kurilsk between Chirip and Bogdan Khmelnitsky volcanoes.

Climate

The island's climate is generally classified as temperate maritime. However, it is complicated by the monsoon component, as well as a significant difference in the microclimate between the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean. The latter is explained by the fact that the Sea of ​​Okhotsk coast is warmed by the warm waters of the Soya current, the Pacific coast is noticeably colder. There are fewer fogs on the Sea of ​​Okhotsk coast of the island, therefore the number of clear and warm days a year is noticeably higher than on the Pacific coast, which is why the flora and fauna here are richer and more diverse. In general, summers on the island are humid and rather cool. Due to high humidity, the warmest month of the year is august, when average daily temperatures reach +14°C. This is higher than on Urup, but a little cooler than on Kunashir. The sum of active temperatures on Iturup is 1350°С compared to 1700°С on Kunashir, 1650°С on Shikotan and 700°С on Urup. Winters on the island are much milder than on the continent, characterized by frequent snowfalls and thaws [ ] . Thanks to the huge reserves of snow, many southern plants successfully survive during the cold period, and in summer, melting snowfields maintain an optimal water supply for moisture-loving species. The arborist N. A. Popov called these climatic conditions "snowy subtropics". This definition is not widely accepted by researchers in the region, but some sources use it.

• The average annual air temperature is 4.9 °C.
• Relative humidity - 74.7%.
• The average wind speed is 6.9 m/s.

Average daily air temperature according to NASA
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	sen	Oct	But I	Dec	Year
-2.0°C	-3.7°C	-2.3°C	1.4°C	4.2°C	7.7°C	11.2°C	13.6°C	12.8°C	10.0°C	5.2°C	0.5°C	4.9°C

Hydrography

History

in disputed status

In 1643, between the islands of Iturup and Urup, the Dutch navigator De Vries discovered the strait, which was later named after him. Frieze named Iturup Island Land of the States- in honor of the States General, the then unofficial name of Holland.

As part of the Russian Empire

From 1947 to 1949, subjects of the former Japanese Empire (including the native Ainu) were repatriated to Japan.

Since 1991, it has been part of Russia, as the successor country of the USSR. At present, the Japanese side is constantly returning to the problem of the "Northern Territories" (Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan, the Habomai group of islands), insisting on their transfer under its jurisdiction. The lack of visible progress on this issue hinders the conclusion of a peace treaty between the countries.

see also

Notes

1. Iturup Island is the subject of a territorial dispute between Russia, which rules the island, and Japan. In accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the island is part of the territory of the Russian Federation, according to the administrative-territorial division of Japan, it is part of the Nemuro District of the Hokkaido Prefecture of Japan.
2. Autumn on Urup, sakhalin.info. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
3. Russian National Library. Atlas of the Russian Empire in 1745. Atlas maps. (indefinite) . expositions.nlr.ru. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
4. 税務署所在地・案内(北海道) (Japanese)
5. Map of Nemuro Subprefecture(jap.).
6. Administrative map of Japan (As of April 1, 2009)(English) .

The ridge of the Kuril Islands extends for 640 miles from the southern tip of Kamchatka to the island of Hokkaido. It consists of 30 large and many small islands and rocks. The largest islands are Iturup, Urup, _ Kunashir (in the south) and Paramushir (in the north).

Most of them are mountainous, covered with dense thickets of bamboo and reeds, which are occasionally cut by dirt and country roads. Communication between the islands, separated by deep-water straits, was supported by fishing vessels. Frequent fogs, numerous reefs and rocks, a limited number of anchorages, strong currents in the straits, reaching 5-7 knots, make it difficult to navigate in the coastal waters of the Kuril ridge.

The shores of the islands are predominantly rocky, steep, often turning into sheer walls of great height. There are few harbors and bays suitable for basing and mooring ships.

Profitable geographical position The Kuril Islands allowed the Japanese imperialists to control the exit of Soviet ships into the ocean and create here a springboard for aggression against the USSR. By August 1945, 9 airfields were equipped on the Kuril ridge, 6 of them on the islands of Shumshu and Paramushir - in the immediate vicinity of Kamchatka. Up to 600 aircraft could be based on these airfields.

Shumshu Island

The most fortified in the Kuril ridge was Shumshu Island, separated from Kamchatka by the First Kuril Strait, 6.5 miles wide. This island, measuring 20 by 13 kilometers, was considered by the Japanese as a springboard for the conquest of Soviet Kamchatka. In its southeastern part, the well-equipped naval base of Kataoka was located, and 3 miles from it on the island of Paramushir was the naval base of Kashiwabara. Before the war, light forces were based here. Two airfields on Shumshu Island could base up to two air regiments. In addition, a base for hydroaviation was equipped on Lake Bettobu.

All sections of the coast available for landing were covered by pillboxes and bunkers.

They were interconnected by underground passages and trenches, which were used not only for maneuvering forces and means, but also as shelters for various warehouses, power plants, communication centers, hospitals and other facilities. Depth underground structures, reaching 50 meters, ensured their invulnerability from artillery shells and bombs. The main line of defense of Shumshu Island took place in its northeastern part, in the region of heights 171 and 165.

In the event of the landing of sections of the coast, the Japanese could secretly withdraw from this line into the depths of the island. The Shumshu garrison consisted of the 73rd brigade of the 92nd infantry division, the 31st air defense regiment, the Kuril fortress artillery regiment, and a subdivision of the 11th tank regiment (60 tanks) - a total of 8,500 people. Due to the transfer of troops from Paramushir Island, it could be increased to 23 thousand people. The total length of roads on the island of Shumshu reached 120 kilometers, which provided the enemy with the possibility of a wide maneuver of troops inside the island.

Thus, the island of Shumshu and the north-eastern part of the island of Paramushir were a strong anti-landing fortified area.

The troops of the Kamchatka defensive region consisted of the 101st Rifle Division, separate units and subunits scattered along the entire coast of the peninsula. They were covered by the 128th mixed air division, numbering 42 aircraft. In Petropavlovsk there were about 30 ships, mostly small ones.

On August 15, the Kamchatka defensive region (commanded by Major General A. R. Gnechko) and the Petropavlovsk naval base (commander Captain 1st Rank D. G. Ponomarev) were tasked with capturing the islands of Shumshu and Paramushir and, subsequently, the island of Onekotan. Major General A. R. Gnechko was appointed commander of the landing operation, Captain 1st Rank D. G. Ponomarev was appointed commander of the landing, and Major General P. I. Dyakov, commander of the 101st Infantry Division, was appointed commander of the landing.

A.R. Gnechko

D.G. Ponomarev P.I. Dyakov

Major General Gnechko decided to land troops in the northeastern part of Shumshu Island (Cape Kokutan, Cape Kotomari), deliver the main blow in the direction of the Kataoka naval base, capture the island and, using it as a springboard, subsequently capture the Paramushir and Onekotan islands. In order to mislead the enemy about the place of landing of the main forces, it was supposed to land a demonstrative landing in Nanagawa-wan Bay. To implement this plan, units of the 101st Rifle Division and a naval infantry battalion formed from units of the naval base were brought together into a forward detachment, two echelons of the main forces and a demonstrative landing detachment.

The landing ship consisted of 64 units, including 2 patrol ships, a minelayer, 4 minesweepers, 17 transport and 16 special landing craft.

Detachments of ships were formed to deliver the landing force to the island of Shumshu and ensure its operations.

The detachment of transports and landing craft, commanded by Captain 2nd Rank G.V. Bogorodsky, included the mother ship "Sever", the hydrographic vessels "Polyarny" and "Swan", the transports "Pugachev", "Chapaev", "Kokkinaki", "Uritsky ”, “Menzhinsky”, “Turkmen”, “Petrel”, “Far East”, “Red Banner”, “Moskalvo”, refrigerator No. 2, “General Panfilov”, “Maxim Gorky” and “Volkhov”, 16 landing craft, two self-propelled barges and four Kawasaki boats.

The security detachment, headed by the captain of the 3rd rank Skiba, consisted of eight patrol boats of the MO-4 type.

The trawling detachment (commander Lieutenant Commander P.P. Oleinik) included the minesweepers Vekha, TShch-155, TShch-156 and TShch-525.

patrol ship "Kirov"

Patrol ships "Kirov" and "Dzerzhinsky", the mine layer "Okhotsk" constituted an artillery support detachment (commander captain 3rd rank I. D. Sizov). In addition to this detachment, the landing force was supposed to be supported by a battery at Cape Lopatka, the 128th mixed air division and six basic MBR-2 aircraft.

An extremely limited time was allotted for the preparation of the operation - about a day. Nevertheless, the headquarters of the Kamchatka defensive region and the Petropavlovsk naval garrison managed not only to ensure the regrouping and concentration of troops scattered along the coast, but also to develop, reproduce and bring to the executors the most important combat documents - combat and organizational orders, a planned table of interaction, an order for the passage of ships by sea, instructions to commanders of ships and captains of transports to cross by sea, according to the disposition in the landing area, on the battle for the landing, the use of communications and naval artillery.

Due to lack of time, special training of landing units and ship personnel was excluded. Under these conditions, the command paid special attention to organizing firm and continuous command and control of forces, coordinating the actions of troops, ships and aircraft, as well as ensuring combat operations. The fact that the commander of the Kamchatka defensive region managed the forces assigned to participate in the Kuril landing operation through the operational headquarters, created from representatives of the headquarters of the defensive region, the naval base and the 128th air division, made it possible to purposefully and promptly resolve all issues related to preparation and conduct of hostilities.

To organize party-political work among the personnel of the landing force at the sea crossing and during the landing battle, an operational group was created headed by the head of the political department of the Petropavlovsk naval base, Colonel P. I. Smirnov.

The command and the political department of the base paid special attention to the preparation of the marine battalion, which was to be the first to land on the unequipped coast of the Kuriles. The battalion was led by an experienced officer, a participant in the Great Patriotic War Major T. A. Pochtarev. Major A.P. Perm, senior instructor of the political department of the base, was appointed his deputy for political affairs, and senior lieutenant V.N. Bykasov was appointed party organizer. Of the 783 people who made up the battalion, 493 were communists and Komsomol members.

On the sea crossing, in order to conceal the landing force, it was planned to use only means of visual communication and radio on VHF, and during the battle for landing and actions on the coast - radio.

At the direction of Major General A. R. Gnechko, two command posts were being prepared - at Cape Lopatka and on the minesweeper "TShch-334".

Our troops, ships and aviation did not experience a shortage of material and technical means, their stocks significantly exceeded the probable needs associated with hostilities. More difficult, given the lack of time and transport, was the delivery of military equipment to the places of basing and deployment of ships, aircraft and ground units. However, this difficulty was overcome thanks to the well-coordinated and selfless work of the rear services, which were greatly assisted by the party and public organizations of Petropavlovsk, which mobilized all their vehicles for military transportation.

Navigational and hydrographic support for the landing was entrusted to the navigational combat units of the ships and specially formed hydrographic groups. Military pilots who had experience in guiding ships through the First Kuril Strait were also involved in the operation. Ship commanders and ship captains received a description of approaches from the sea to Shumshu Island and a map of routes from the deployment area to the landing sites of landing units. The advance detachment of the landing included hydrographic parties, which were to make reconnaissance measurements of the coastal front of the landing, install fencing facilities on the water and on the coast, and thereby ensure the safe approach of ships to the coast.

The landing on the ships ended by the end of 16 August. In total, 8363 people, 95 guns, 123 mortars and other military equipment and equipment were taken on board. At 5 o'clock on August 17, the ships weighed anchor, lined up in a marching order and left Avacha Bay for the ocean with the expectation of approaching Shumshu Island in the morning of the next day. Most path they had to follow in the fog. Poor visibility caused significant difficulties in driving a large number ships, but favored the secrecy of the operation.

At the crossing, commanders and political workers told the paratroopers about the situation on the Soviet-Japanese front, and explained the features of the upcoming landing.

Late at night, in fog, the ships approached the First Kuril Strait. Only occasionally the silence of the night was broken by the firing of an artillery battery from Cape Lopatka. For the fourth day already, this battery (commander Senior Lieutenant S. I. Sokolyuk) periodically fired at the Japanese fortifications on Shumshu Island, so it could not prevent the suddenness of the landing.

The commander of the operation, due to the difficult meteorological situation, transferred his command post to the minesweeper "TShch-334". He canceled the landing of a demonstrative landing in Nanagawa-wan Bay, fearing that ships could run into coastal rocks in continuous fog.

In difficult conditions of a long passage, the crews of the ships of the Pacific Fleet demonstrated high seamanship, excellent navigational training, ensuring an accurate landing in the deployment area. The general favorable situation on the eve of Japan's surrender also contributed to the success of the transition. In addition, the Japanese command of the Kuril group, as it turned out later from a survey of prisoners, knowing that we had limited forces in Kamchatka, considered it impossible for Soviet troops to land on the islands in the near future.

At 4 o'clock 20 min. On August 18, the ships approached Shumshu and on the Cape Kokutai - Cape Kotomari section, under cover of fog (visibility did not exceed 100 m), began the landing of the first amphibious assault, consisting of a battalion of marines (without one company), a company of submachine gunners and a mortar company, platoons of chemists and scouts of the 302nd rifle regiment and one company of the 119th separate engineer battalion. Due to overload and heavy draft, the ships stopped 100-150 meters from the coast, and the paratroopers threw themselves into the water along the ladders and over the side and, with a heavy burden behind them, rushed to the enemy coast.

Among the first to land on the shore was the commander of a platoon of submachine gunners, the communist foreman A.P. Belov, the Komsomol organizer of the marine battalion, the communist senior sergeant G.P. Pankratov, the commander of the department, the communist sergeant G.V. M. Ya. Nesterov and other sailors.

Stunned by the sudden appearance of paratroopers on the shore, the Japanese opened indiscriminate rifle and machine-gun fire. The advance detachment of the landing force landed on the shore by 5 o'clock in full strength and without loss. His main forces under the command of Major P.I. Shutov began to move inland, and one company Marines led by Major T. A. Pochtarev launched an offensive in the area of ​​​​Cape Kotomari in order to destroy the artillery batteries located here. The hydrographers and spotters who landed with the forward detachment ensured the approach of the ships to the landing sites and the accurate firing of naval artillery.

The enemy, having come to his senses, began to actively resist. At 5 o'clock. 30 minutes, when ships with the main forces of the landing force headed for the shore, Japanese pillboxes and bunkers met them with heavy fire. Batteries from Capes Kokutan and Kotomari and from the tanker "Mariupol" fired especially effectively, shooting at the entire coastal landing area. Our ships of the artillery support detachment and the coastal battery from Cape Lopatka concentrated all the fire on them. With the very first volleys, they destroyed a battery on the Mariupol tanker, which was clearly visible from the sea. Shooting at the batteries on Capes Kokutan and Kotomari proved to be ineffective: they were hidden here in deep caponiers.

The Japanese had large stocks of shells. As soon as the main landing forces approached the shore, a flurry of artillery fire fell upon them.

From a direct hit by enemy shells, two landing craft caught fire, three others received from 5 to 10 holes. Several ships, due to damage to the control mechanisms, became a fixed target for Japanese gunners. Ammunition began to explode on the damaged ships. The paratroopers got to the shore by swimming through the water boiling from shells. The crews of the ships, without weakening the fire on the enemy, put out the fires, sealed up the holes.

Having landed the unit of the first throw, the crew of landing craft No. 1 took another group of fighters from the transport and again headed for the shore. This time the ship had to overcome a zone of dense artillery fire. Almost simultaneously, four enemy shells exploded on it. There was a fire, there were wounded. The crew calmly fought for the survivability of the ship. Lieutenant I. I. Permyakov, who was in charge of extinguishing the fire, having discovered that the fire was approaching the shells, rushed to the fire hose, but he was killed. Then the lieutenant, without hesitation, shielded the shells with his body and, despite the burns, rolled them out of the dangerous place.

On landing craft No. 2, a strong fire also broke out from a direct hit by enemy shells. Part of the team died, and the survivors could not cope with the fire. The minelayer Okhotsk, commanded by Lieutenant Commander V.K. Moiseenko, hastened to help the ship. Thanks to the selfless actions of the commander of the electromechanical warhead, senior engineer-lieutenant V. A. Mandor, chief boatswain midshipman Vasiliev, sailors Kolesnikov, Korobin and other crew members, the fire was extinguished.

Landing craft No. 43 was thrown ashore, which received heavy damage and caught fire. The Japanese, noticing that they were continuing to extinguish the fire on the ship, opened fire on it from a bunker. Sailor Androshchuk returned fire with tracer bullets, thus marking the target location for artillery support ships. Soon the Japanese bunker was destroyed. The surviving members of the crew desperately fought the fire, the danger from which became threatening. It was difficult to operate in the caustic and hot air, clothes caught fire, but the sailors persistently put out the flames with water, fire extinguishers and asbestos mats. With incredible difficulty, the fire was extinguished.

On landing craft No. 8, commanded by Senior Lieutenant I. D. Yastrub, the main engine was damaged by enemy shells, and a fire broke out. Many crew members were injured, but remained in service in order to land paratroopers as quickly as possible.

Simultaneously with the units of the first throw, hydrographers and spotters were landed. Their task was to ensure an accurate approach to the coast of ships and vessels with the main forces of the landing force and to organize the adjustment of artillery fire on coastal targets.

Hydrographers were able to establish two light landmarks that were of great help to the ships. The correctors failed. They landed with the equipment directly into the water. Therefore, all their radio stations were out of order. Of the 22 radio stations delivered by the paratroopers to the shore, only the equipment of the corps of the Dzerzhinsky patrol ship turned out to be serviceable, which the senior sailor Musorin managed to save from the water.

The crews of the ships did everything possible to speed up the landing of troops and the unloading of military equipment. Vessels tried to get as close to the shore as possible.

The crew of a self-propelled barge under the command of foreman of the 1st article V.I. Sigov acted promptly and selflessly. Under enemy fire, the barge made several trips from the ships to the shore, delivering paratroopers, weapons, ammunition and evacuating the wounded. The foreman himself was wounded in the head and arm, but remained at his combat post until the end of the operation. For skillful and courageous actions, foreman of the 1st article Vasily Ivanovich Sigov was awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union, and the rest of the crew were awarded orders and medals.

Despite the great efforts of the paratroopers, the pace of the landing was low due to the strong opposition of the Japanese and the limited number of landing craft.

The first echelon, consisting of the 138th Rifle Regiment (without two companies), the 1st Battalion of the 428th Howitzer Artillery Regiment, and the 169th Separate Anti-Tank Battalion (without one PTR company), landed for about two and a half hours. At the same time, the paratroopers took only small arms with them, leaving field artillery on the ships. The commander of the 138th Infantry Regiment and his staff remained on the damaged ship for a long time, so the first echelon of the landing force was virtually uncontrollable. The divisions of the regiment, instead of blocking and destroying the enemy batteries on the capes Kokutan and Kotomari, rushed into the interior of the island after the advance detachment of the landing.

Due to the loss of communications, command and control of the landing force was disrupted. This greatly hampered the effective use of naval artillery, the only real means of supporting the landing (non-flying weather did not allow air strikes against the enemy). The first contact of the coast with the ships was established only 35 minutes after the start of the landing through the surviving radio station of the senior sailor Musorin.

In this extremely difficult situation, the irresistible offensive impulse, high morale and combat qualities of the paratroopers were clearly manifested. The fighters of the first echelon continued to land directly into the water and rushed to the shore. The crews of the ships fired intensely at the enemy and at the same time extinguished fires and patched up holes.

At 9 o'clock, the landing of the second echelon of the landing began (373rd rifle regiment, marine infantry company, 279th artillery regiment without a division). It also took place with strong artillery opposition from the Japanese. In the battle for the landing, the landing force lost a patrol boat and four landing craft; eight landing craft were badly damaged.

Our aviation, in the afternoon of August 18, in groups of 8-16 aircraft, bombed and assaulted the naval bases of Kataoka and Kashiwabara in order to prevent the transfer of Japanese troops from the island of Paramushir to the island of Shumshu. However, due to bad weather, she could not help the landing directly in the battle area, where the situation was still tense.

The Japanese also used their aircraft based at the Kataoka airfield to attack our ships. However, they were not successful. Around noon on August 18, seven enemy aircraft attacked the Soviet minesweeper TShch-525, which was conducting reconnaissance off the western coast of Shumshu Island. The attack did not last long. In the very first minutes of the battle, the Japanese lost two vehicles from naval artillery fire. The rest of the enemy planes withdrew from the area. In the future, they acted mainly against our unarmed ships and watercraft.

Thus, the battle for the landing, which began so successfully for the landing force due to the achieved surprise of actions, subsequently took place with fierce opposition from the Japanese garrison.

Fighting on the coast began at about 5 o'clock. The advance into the interior of the island without securing on the coastal sector was a tactical mistake of the forward detachment. A company of marines on the outskirts of the heavily fortified Japanese artillery positions at Cape Kotomari was stopped and went on the defensive.

At about 6 o'clock, the advance detachment approached the heights 165 and 171 dominating in the northeastern part of the island. Here he met the first strong opposition from the Japanese with artillery, mortar and machine-gun fire. Stubborn battles began for the heights, which continued throughout the day. In the fight against the paratroopers, armed only with machine guns and grenades, the enemy relied on a large number of pillboxes and bunkers. Communication with the ships had not yet been established, and therefore they could not support the forward detachment with artillery. Attempts by our fighters to suppress enemy firing points with bundles of hand grenades failed. The blocking groups created during the battle, which included sappers, operated more successfully. They managed to blow up several Japanese gun emplacements, but this could not decide the outcome of the battle for the heights.

The Japanese command, convinced that the forces of the detachment were small, soon threw an infantry battalion into the counterattack, supported by 20 tanks. By this time, the paratroopers, despite heavy enemy fire, had almost reached the peaks of both heights. The unequal fight lasted for about two hours. At the cost of heavy losses, the Japanese managed to push the advance detachment to the foot of the heights, but they themselves, having lost up to 15 tanks and up to 100 soldiers, were forced to dig in.

Soviet soldiers in this battle showed amazing courage. When the company of senior lieutenant I.V. Kashchei was blocked by an enemy pillbox, the communist foreman of the 1st article Nikolai Vilkov, without hesitation, closed his embrasure with his body. As a result, the unit was able to block and then destroy the enemy firing point. It is to him, Nikolai Vilkov, a glorious patriot of the socialist motherland, that the wonderful words said at a meeting before the landing of troops on ships belong: the Motherland and the command have entrusted us with a great, honorable task. We are going into battle to finish off the fascist beast in the East. Every person has a feeling of fear, but everyone is able to overcome it, because above all human feelings is military duty, love for the Motherland, the desire for military success. In the name of victory over the enemy, we will give our lives without hesitation.

In the name of victory over the enemy, Red Navy sailor Pyotr Ilyichev also gave his life. He, like Nikolai Vilkov, in a difficult moment of battle closed the embrasure of the enemy pillbox with his body.

The boatswain from the mother ship "Sever" foreman of the 1st class Nikolai Alexandrovich Vilkov and the helmsman from the boat "MO-253" Red Navy sailor Pyotr Ivanovich Ilyichev were posthumously awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union. They are forever enrolled in the lists of the crews of the ships on which they served.

At 9 o'clock. 10 minutes. after establishing contact between the forward detachment and the ships through the radio station of the senior Red Navy soldier Musorin, artillery support ships and a battery at Cape Lopatka launched a fire raid on heights 165 and 171. Encouraged by support from the sea, the paratroopers again went on the attack. Their actions were so quick and decisive that within 10 minutes the dominant heights were taken. However, it was not possible to keep them: after a few minutes, the Japanese launched another counterattack with superior forces and again threw the landing units to the foot of the heights. From that time on, the enemy counterattacked continuously, but the forward detachment, with heroic efforts, managed to hold back the onslaught of the enemy.

The Japanese hurriedly pulled up to heights 165 and 171 forces from the depths of the island and from the island of Paramushir, and due to the low rate of landing of the main landing forces, their build-up in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe heights was slow. Only by 11 o'clock the subunits of the first echelon approached the forward detachment, and by 13 o'clock - the second. Colonel P. A. Artyushin led their actions.

The Japanese command carefully prepared another attack on the landing. At 2 pm, it launched a counterattack from the area of ​​the southwestern slopes of Hill 171 with forces of up to two battalions, supported by 18 tanks. The enemy hoped to cut the landing forces and then destroy them piece by piece. But he did not succeed. By the beginning of the counterattack, Colonel P. A. Artyushin already had sufficient intelligence information about the enemy and unraveled his plan. He concentrated on the direction of the enemy counterattack up to 100 anti-tank rifles and four 45-mm guns - everything he had. Having suffered heavy losses in men and tanks, the enemy retreated. Only one enemy tank managed to hide behind the eastern slope of Hill 171.

In this battle, senior lieutenant S. A. Savushkin skillfully directed the actions of his subordinates, who personally blew up an enemy tank with an anti-tank grenade.

The party organizer of the company of anti-tank rifles, senior sergeant Cherepanov, destroyed two tanks and damaged one. Seeing that the damaged tank continued to shoot, Cherepanov rushed under it with grenades and blew it up at the cost of his life. Junior Sergeant Georgy Balandin burned two Japanese tanks, and when his anti-tank gun failed, he rushed towards the third tank and blew it up along with him. Junior Sergeant Sultanov jumped on the armor of an enemy tank and fired point-blank at its crew through a viewing slot. Submachine gunners under the command of foreman A.P. Belov acted bravely in battle. Steadfastly repulsed the attack of enemy tanks, foreman of the 2nd article Pyotr Babich and Red Navy sailor Ivan Kobzar.

In this difficult battle, the heroes of the Pacific Ocean, Lieutenant Technician A. M. Vodynin, Red Navy sailor Vlasenko and Sergeant Rynda repeated the wonderful feat of five Black Sea men: with bundles of grenades, they rushed under enemy tanks, and each at a cost own life destroyed by car. Heroically acted in battle and the commander of the vanguard of the landing force, Major P. I. Shutov, whose name is now one of the settlements of the island of Shumshu. Being wounded twice, he skillfully controlled the paratroopers and only after a heavy third wound was he carried away from the battlefield. A personal example of heroism was given to the sailors by the commander of the marine battalion, Major T. A. Pochtarev. He was wounded, but he continued to command the unit. For heroism and skillful leadership of the battle, P. I. Shutov and T. A. Pochtarev were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

During the reflection of the enemy counterattack, the wounded communists remained in the ranks. Their example was followed by all the soldiers of the landing. Everyone wanted to help a friend. When an enemy mine fell near the platoon commander, the wounded Red Navy soldier I. I. Volchenko covered it without hesitation. So did the sailor V.I. Tyurikov, shielding the deputy commander of the marine battalion for political affairs, Major A.P. Perm, from the fire of the Japanese sniper.

At 6 pm, supported by artillery from ships and batteries from Cape Lopatka, the landing force went on the offensive. A fierce battle broke out. By the end of the day, the landing force reached the line of the western slopes of heights 165 and 171. It held a bridgehead on the island along a front of up to 4 kilometers and a depth of up to 5-6 kilometers.

In the rear of the landing force and on the flanks of the landing site, there were still two unsuppressed strong strongholds, which made it extremely difficult to unload artillery and other military equipment.

At 8 pm on August 18, Major General A. R. Gnechko set the task for the landing force to capture the entire island. By 24 hours, specially created reinforced assault groups should have captured the enemy strongholds on Capes Kokutan and Kotomari by storm and thereby eliminate the threat to the landing force from the rear, ensure the unhindered unloading of military equipment ashore. The main landing forces were to advance in the general direction on the Kataoka naval base on the morning of August 19 and capture it by the end of the day. In this offensive, according to the plan of the commander of the operation, the field artillery unloaded during the night was supposed to participate. Artillery and air support for the offensive was assigned to the ships and the 128th air division. Aviation was preparing to deliver a bombing strike at the Kataoka naval base at night, and at dawn on the enemy’s battle formations.

The assault groups were defeated only by the morning of August 19, the strongholds on Capes Kokutan and Kotomari. The enemy offered them strong resistance. Meanwhile, the Japanese command continued to reinforce the garrison of the island, transferring troops here from Paramushir Island. By the morning of August 19, more than five infantry battalions, up to 60 tanks and 70 guns, were concentrated in front of our landing force. The enemy was preparing for a stubborn battle. But at that time, a message from the Japanese government was broadcast on the radio about unconditional surrender to the armed forces of the allies. Following this, a Japanese envoy arrived at the landing site on the island of Shumshu and handed over to the Soviet command a written statement that the units of the 91st Infantry Division "on the basis of an order from above, by 4 p.m. on August 19, cease all hostilities."

Negotiations began. The Japanese command was clearly dragging them out. Only by 18 o'clock was the act of unconditional surrender of the 91st Infantry Division, which defended the northern group of the Kuril Islands - Shumshu, Paramushir, Onekotan, signed. Based on this document, a plan was developed for the surrender of the Japanese garrisons. On the morning of August 20, our aviation was preparing to transfer one regiment to the Kataoka airfield, and the ships of the Peter and Paul naval base were to occupy the Kataoka naval base and transfer part of the landing force to the Paramushir and Onekotan islands.

By 6 o'clock on August 20, the Okhotsk mine layer, the Kirov and Dzerzhinsky patrol ships, the TShch-525 minesweeper, the Pugachev military transport and the Polyarny hydrographic vessel headed for the Second Kuril Strait. According to a preliminary agreement with the Japanese command, on the approach to the strait, they were to be met by a Japanese pilot for further escort to Kataoka Bay. However, the pilot was not at the appointed place, and our ships followed there on their own.

Naval Base Kataoka

At 8 o'clock. 10 minutes. the ships entered the Second Kuril Strait, where they were fired upon from a variety of guns installed on the coast. Under heavy Japanese fire, the ships began to retreat, hiding behind smoke screens.

The enemy managed to cause serious damage to the Okhotsk mine layer. Minzag, covering the retreat of other ships, took the brunt of the blow from the shore. For the first time in minutes of battle, the gunners of the mine layer suppressed one of the enemy batteries. Soon "Okhotsk" was attacked by a torpedo bomber that suddenly appeared. Only a timely and skillful maneuver allowed the ship to evade the dropped torpedo, which passed three meters from the side.

From direct hits of shells on the minzag, the steering, central lighting and electric telegraph were out of order. In this difficult situation, the personnel of the "Okhotsk" acted in a coordinated manner, quickly and accurately, showing exceptional restraint and courage. Just a few seconds later, the ship switched to manual control, and emergency teams began to fight for its survivability.

Skillfully and decisively led the personnel in battle, the commander of the Okhotsk, Lieutenant Commander V. K. Moiseenko. His assistant captain-lieutenant Yu. G. Thessaloniki, the commander of the artillery combat unit captain-lieutenant P. P. Trofimov, the foreman of the electromechanical warhead foreman of the 1st article N. V. Shorstkin, the navigational electrician foreman of the 1st article acted clearly and boldly N. N. Artamonov, the commander of the helmsman department, foreman of the 1st article Onipchenko, the machinist of the Red Navy P. N. Pecherskikh and many other sailors.

The Red Navy sailor Kolchin, wounded in the legs, arms and back by fragments of an exploding enemy shell, did not move away from his gun and continued to control the fire until the battle was over. I found the strength to fix the damaged gun and the Red Navy Kurganov wounded in both legs. Until the end of the battle, the gunner Detkin, wounded in the arm, did not leave his place at the gun.

In this battle, the daily painstaking work of the party organization of the ship, which brought up a friendly and well-coordinated team, instilled in every sailor a sense of military duty to the Motherland, fully affected. A few days before this battle, she accepted gunners Kolchin, Kurganov and Detkin as candidates for members of the Communist Party. At the party meeting, they assured the communists that they would selflessly fight the enemy. And the sailors honorably kept their word.

Thanks to the quick and skillful actions of the crews, all ships got out from under enemy fire and at 11 o'clock. 15 minutes. anchored in the First Kuril Strait.

Meanwhile, the landing troops remained in their positions awaiting the surrender of the Japanese garrison. When it became known about the insidious actions of the enemy in the Second Kuril Strait, the paratroopers were seized by a feeling of indignation. In response to the treachery of the Japanese, the landing at 13 o'clock went on the offensive. The fighting impulse of the Pacific Ocean was so great that even powerful defensive structures could not save the enemy. He was thrown back 5-6 kilometers inland. This had a sobering effect on the Japanese, and they hastened to assure our command that they would immediately cease hostilities.

The commander of the Kamchatka defensive area, Major General A.R. Gnechko, highly appreciated the actions of the sailors of the Pacific Fleet in the battle for the island of Shumshu. In a telegram addressed to the commander of the Petropavlovsk naval base, he noted: "With such glorious sailors, you can beat any enemy."

By the end of the day on August 23, over 12 thousand Japanese soldiers and officers were captured on Shumshu. Following them, they laid down their weapons and units on Paramushir. The islands to the south were occupied by amphibious assaults. On the northern islands, up to and including Urup Island, the ships of the Petropavlovsk naval base were landed by the troops of the Kamchatka defensive region, and on the remaining islands, Soviet units were transferred from Sakhalin by ships of the Northern Pacific Flotilla and the main base of the Pacific Fleet.

The occupation of the islands south of Shumshu was carried out in conditions of incessant storms and thick fogs. Our navigators were not familiar with the peculiarities of navigation in the coastal waters of the Kuril Islands, replete with a large number of reefs, and the Japanese officers taken on board the ships as guides stated that they did not know these areas of the sea, and did not provide practical assistance. But, despite all these difficulties, the sailors of the Pacific Fleet successfully coped with the task assigned to them - in an extremely short time, from August 24 to September 1, 1945, they occupied the entire chain of the Kuril Islands, stretching for more than 600 miles.

For the Japanese command, such quick actions of the Soviet fleet were unexpected. All his plans to evacuate his garrisons and material assets to the islands of the metropolis were violated. It did not have time to evacuate its troops even from the island of Kunashir, separated from the island of Hokkaido by a narrow strait. At 6 o'clock on September 1, the Soviet troops landed on this island completed the liberation of the Kuril Islands.

Among the landing groups that landed in Furuka Mappu Bay was a detachment of sailors from the EK-4 frigate (frigate commander Lieutenant Commander M. L. Zvyagin). The sailors, led by engineer-captain-lieutenant Seleznev, having reached the shore, immediately rushed to the center of the military camp. On the highest building (it turned out to be a cavalry school), the commander of the helmsman's department, Sukhoyvanov, and the Red Navy man, Koshkin, hoisted the Soviet Naval flag. Meanwhile, the sailors Butakov, Urmanov, Gurov, Sedyshev, Demyanov and others were already in the barracks closest to the school. The Kunashir garrison laid down their arms. In total, 2250 soldiers and officers were captured on the island of Kunashir.

And six hours after the start of the landing, the sailors of EK-4, together with the whole country, listened to the voice of their native Moscow: the Soviet Information Bureau reported that our troops and ships of the fleet had occupied the island of Kunashir and the liberation of all the Kuril Islands from Japanese troops. Our Motherland has regained its primordially Russian lands, which from now on serve as a reliable outpost of its Far Eastern borders on the Pacific Ocean.

The Soviet people sacredly honor the memory of their sons who gave their lives in the struggle for the liberation of the Kuril Islands. A majestic monument was erected in their honor in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. One of the inscriptions on it reads: “Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in battles for the honor and victory of our Motherland. The memory of you, who returned the Kuril Islands to the Motherland, will survive for centuries. August 1945".

Along with the landing of amphibious assault forces, the Pacific Fleet attacked enemy sea lanes. This task was solved by submarines and aircraft. It must be said that the results of the actions of the submariners were insignificant. This was mainly due to the fact that the zone of combat activity of the Soviet fleet excluded the possibility of using our submarines in the southern part of the Sea of ​​Japan and off the coast of Japan, where enemy shipping was the busiest. Soviet boats deployed in the central part of the Sea of ​​Japan and off the coast North Korea, almost did not meet Japanese ships, since the navigation of Japanese ships actually stopped in these areas. Pacific submariners were more active in the northern part of the Sea of ​​Japan. They coped well with the tasks of conducting reconnaissance on the outskirts of South Sakhalin and the island of Hokkaido, and the L-12 under the command of Lieutenant Commander P.Z.

Naval aviation fought quite successfully against enemy shipping. In the first two days of hostilities alone, she made 551 sorties, destroyed and damaged over 30 ships with a total tonnage of 130 thousand tons.

The Pacific Fleet also carried out the protection of its sea ​​routes messages. During the war with Japan, its warships and aircraft provided escort for 28 convoys, numbering 69 transports. At the same time, military transportation occupied a significant place: three rifle divisions and one artillery regiment were transferred from Vladivostok to the port of Maoka, and one artillery regiment from De-Kastri to Aleksandrovsk-on-Sakhalin.

The Pacific Fleet successfully coped with all the tasks assigned to it. Its personnel in battles with the enemy showed excellent combat skills, high morale and combat qualities, selfless devotion to their people and the Communist Party.

The homeland highly appreciated the feat of the Pacific. More than 30,000 sailors were awarded combat government awards. The medal "For the victory over Japan" was awarded to 170 thousand people. Fifty-two sailors were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for special distinction in battles. Among them are Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union N. G. Kuznetsov, Admiral I. S. Yumashev, Major General V. P. Trushin, Captain 1st Rank D. G. Ponomarev, Colonel M. V. Bartashov, Captains 3rd Rank M. G. Bespalov, K. V. Kazachinsky, G. V. Terpovsky, Major M. P. Barabolko, lieutenant commander M. G. Malik, senior lieutenants V. N. Leonov (was awarded the second Golden Star of the Hero), I. M. Yarotsky, sergeant K. P. Biryulya, sailors V. G. Moisesenko, P. I. Ilyichev and others.

19 ships, units and formations of the fleet were converted into guards, 16 were awarded the Order of the Red Banner, 13 received honorary titles.

With their heroic deeds in the battles for the Soviet Motherland, the Pacific Oceanians have written bright pages in the annals of the military glory of our valiant Armed Forces.

Admiral of the Fleet of the USSR N.G. Kuznetsov Admiral I.S. Yumashev

memorial in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky

Since the 2000s, Russia has "returned" to the Kuriles and began to systematically develop them. At first pointwise, but in comparison with the complete paralysis and devastation of the 90s, this is "heaven and earth" - the pace increases from year to year. A comprehensive federal targeted program for the development of the islands up to 2015 was adopted, which provides for the systematic construction of large infrastructure. For the first time in their history, the Kuriles were personally visited by the head of state, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and federal ministers. In the current 2013, the Kuriles will be investedrecord funding - almost 7 billion rubles. Of these, within the framework of the federal target program "Kurils"— more than 5.2 billion rubles, of which 3.9 billion rubles. These are federal funds. The funds of the regional budget under the FTP and the non-program part will amount to more than 2.3 billion rubles, and almost 450 million rubles more will come from extrabudgetary sources. In addition, the government of the Sakhalin Region signed agreements with four government customers to open federal funding at a record short time. Documents have been signed with Rosavtodor, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Regional Development, and the Federal Agency for Fisheries. "Development Far East is one of the priorities, of course, and Sakhalin is one of the important regions. Since funding has not been carried out for a long time, its volume is now very large.

But a lot has already been done on the Kuril Islands. We provide a wonderful photo report of the user about the current view of the Russian Kurilestumanova , published in May 2011 on the resource "Made by us". Since that time, the Kuriles have certainly changed even more positively, because they, like the entire East of Russia as a strategic region, have received special attention from the first persons of the state.

We, from the editors of "RN", will also be glad to report or observations, reflections of you, our readers, possibly residents of the Kuriles or who have been to the Kuriles now. Write, share.

DETAILS ABOUT THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE KURIL ISLANDS

The Kuril Islands include 30 large and many small islands. The population lives permanently only in Paramushir, Iturup, Kunashir and Shikotan. The population of the Kuril Islands is 18,735 people.

The volume of the Federal Target Program "Socio-Economic Development of the Kuril Islands for 2007-2015" in effect until 2015 is 21 billion rubles. The bulk of this amount is allocated from the federal budget. The Sakhalin Region also plans to attract funds from private investors for the development of the Kuriles. Private investments in the economy of the islands now amount to a billion rubles a year, and by 2015 they will increase to 6 billion.

KUNASHIR ISLAND

Kunashir Island is the southernmost island of the Great Kuril Islands. The population is about 8000 people. Yuzhno-Kurilsk is the administrative center of the South Kuril Okrug.

Social housing:

In August 2012, a ceremony was held in Yuzhno-Kurilsk to hand over warrants and keys to new apartments. The 10-apartment building was built with funds from the regional and local budgets under one of the regional programs:

House of Culture (medical and educational expedition "Frontiers of Russia", August 2010):

New Kindergarten:

Port of Yuzhno-Kurilsk:

New deep water berth:

The commissioning of modern deep-sea berthing complexes in Kunashir and Iturup will bring the transport infrastructure in the Kuriles to a qualitatively new level and improve the quality of life on the islands.

Motor ship "Igor Farkhutdinov" moored for the first time at the new berth (February 2011):

The federal program for the socio-economic development of the Kuril Islands and the budget of the Sakhalin Region financed the construction of a marine terminal on the territory of the mooring complex in the South Kuril Bay.

In this building, in addition to passengers, various services will be located - a border checkpoint, a customs post, port supervision, the administration and control room of the seaport. Completion of construction is planned for 2012:

Airport "Mendeleevo". The airfield was built by the Japanese when the island of Kunashir was still under the control of Japan and has not been rebuilt since then. In 2006 it was closed due to complete wear infrastructure and runway destruction. During the reconstruction, within the framework of the Federal Target Program for the socio-economic development of the Kuril Islands, a new passenger terminal, taxiways, a new apron, a runway (RWY), a landing system and lighting equipment were put into operation:

The Mendeleev Geothermal Power Plant operates on the island ( geothermal power plant), which provides the island with heat and electricity. The energy of a volcano as a source of heat and light for a person is the principle of operation of this station. Commissioning in 2007 of the second phase of the station provided 100% of the heat demand of Yuzhno-Kurilsk. The planned modernization of the Mendeleevskaya GeoTPP will increase its capacity from 3.6 MW to 7.4 MW:

On about. Kunashir has two fish processing facilities - LLC PKF "South Kuril Fish Processing Plant" and LLC "Delta".

The South Kuril Fish Processing Plant has modernized its production processing lines. All fish and seafood caught by our own trawl fleet are delivered to shore without loss of quality. A complex shift of 25 people successfully copes with large volumes of incoming raw materials:

In 2011, on about. Kunashir, the first kilometers of asphalt were laid:

ITURUP ISLAND

Iturup Island is an island in the southern group of the Great Kuril Islands, the largest island in the archipelago. The population is 6387 people. Kurilsk is the administrative center of the island.

In the village of Kurilsk last years built a modern microdistrict "Northern". Within its boundaries, it is planned to build a large palace of culture and sports, under the roof of which there will be a sports complex, a swimming pool, a house of culture and other institutions:

In 2006, a modern fish processing complex "Reidovo" was launched on the island:

Six air-freezing chambers ensure the release of 74 tons of finished frozen fish products per day:

On about. Iturup also has a fish processing shop "Yasny", equipped with a unique freezer tunnel for air freezing fish, which allows you to continuously freeze 210 tons of finished fish products per day. There is a caviar shop, where 3 tons of caviar are produced per day. In addition, a salting shop with a capacity of 25 tons per day and a refrigerator with a capacity of 2300 tons of one-time storage:

There are several more fishing enterprises, the largest of which are Skeet, Bug, and Continent.

The buildings of the Kurilskaya high school for 250 students, as well as a modern central district hospital with 50 beds with a polyclinic for 100 visits per shift.

New hospital:

Sports complex:

Improvement works:

In February 2012, two 8-apartment buildings were commissioned:

The new airport "Iturup" is located on the sunny side of the island, which will allow you to easily get to the island even in bad weather. The extended 2.2 km long runway will accommodate all types of aircraft operating in the region:

Near Kurilsk there is a geothermal source with radon waters:

A few years ago, the springs consisted of two concrete vats for salting fish, in which vacationers took baths, not forgetting to dot the neighborhood with broken bottle glass. landscaped geothermal springs company "Gidrostoroy":

SHIKOTAN ISLAND

Shikotan Island is the largest island in the Lesser Ridge of the Kuril Islands. Malokurilskoye is the administrative center of the island. The population is about 2100 people.

A deep-water pier has already been built and operated at the funds of the federal program in the Malokurilskaya Bay on Shikotan, and in the neighboring Krabozavodskaya Bay on the same Shikotan, the construction of a berth is nearing completion on the terms of co-financing - the own funds of Gidrostroy CJSC and the regional budget.

Fish processing complex "Krabozavodsk" is equipped with the most modern equipment.

The capacity of the workshop allows you to receive and process up to 300 tons of raw fish daily:

New kindergarten for 70 children (2010):

New School (2006):

On all the islands - Iturup, Kunashir and Shikotan, the construction of fuel supply systems is underway:

PARAMUSHIR ISLAND

Paramushir Island is one of the islands of the Northern Group of the Great Kuril Islands. The population is about 2500 people. Severo-Kurilsk is the administrative center and the only settlement of the island:

The fishing port and the fish processing plant are the main production facilities of Severo-Kurilsk:

New houses (before this, housing in Severo-Kurilsk had not been built for 20 years):

The diesel power plant that provides electricity to Severo-Kurilsk is now located in a new building:

A farm that supplies fresh vegetables to the local market. More than 30 people work here:

Fisherman's Day is one of the main holidays on the Kuril Islands:

Transportation of goods and passengers to the islands is carried out by motor ships "Igor Farkhutdinov" and "Marina Tsvetaeva":

P.S. Of course, not everything is as rosy and positive on the Kuril Islands as it looks in these photographs. I have collected here only new or renovated objects. In addition to large settlements, by the standards of the Kuril Islands, there are also very small settlements, where, nevertheless, people also live. But since the program for the development of the islands was adopted until 2015 and the positive trend is obvious, that is, there is every reason to believe that in all settlements all 4 inhabited Kuril Islands will have decent living conditions.

P.S.: Kuriles and Japan. Difficult topic. The well-known traveler and blogger Ilya Buyanovsky, who visited the Kuriles, writes in his wonderful post about the southernmost point of the islands of the Habomai archipelago: “I answer in advance: the locals are categorically against the transfer of the islands to Japan. And there is no need to make such crazy eyes: there are many thousands of kilometers from us to Japan , from them - a few dozen. They certainly know better where they would prefer to live. "