molotov–ribbentrop pact
The USSR and Nazi Germany sign a non-aggression pact with a secret protocol on spheres of influence in Eastern Europe.
Operation Barbarossa: German invasion of the Soviet Union
Nazi Germany breaks the pact and attacks the Soviet Union along a broad front, marking the beginning of the Eastern Front.
Siege of Leningrad begins
German and Finnish troops surround Leningrad, leading to one of the longest and deadliest sieges in history.
Battle of Moscow
The Soviets withstand the German advance on the capital and repel a major German offensive for the first time.
Battle of Stalingrad
One of the bloodiest battles in history ends in a decisive Soviet victory and turning point in the war.
battle of kursk
The largest tank battle in history definitively breaks Germany's offensive capability on the Eastern Front.
Lifting of the Siege of Leningrad
After 872 days, the city of Leningrad is finally freed from the German encirclement.
Operation Bagration
A massive Soviet offensive drives the German armies out of Belarus and destroys Army Group Centre.
Warsaw Uprising and the stalling of the Soviet offensive
The Soviet army reaches the eastern bank of the Vistula, while a large-scale uprising against the German occupiers breaks out in Warsaw.
Soviet advance in the Balkans and liberation of Bucharest and Belgrade
The Red Army advances through Romania and Bulgaria and supports the liberation of Belgrade, bringing most of the Balkans out of German hands.
Vistula-Oder Offensive
A massive Soviet offensive through Poland toward Germany, resulting in the liberation of Warsaw and a rapid advance to the Oder.
Battle of Berlin
The Red Army storms the German capital in the last major battle of the war in Europe.
German unconditional surrender and Victory Day
Nazi Germany surrenders unconditionally, marking the end of the Great Patriotic War.
Victory Parade on Red Square
The Soviet Union celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany with a grand military parade in Moscow.
Soviet Union declares war on Japan
The USSR opens the eastern front against Japan and invades Manchuria, in line with the agreements of Yalta.
Operation Barbarossa: German invasion of the Soviet Union
In the early morning of 22 June 1941, more than 3 million German soldiers launched a surprise attack on the Soviet Union, supported by tanks, air power and allies such as Romania and Finland. Stalin was caught off guard despite earlier warnings. The Soviet forces suffered enormous losses in the first weeks, with entire armies being encircled. This beginning of the 'Great Patriotic War' would eventually become the bloodiest military confrontation in history.