The Smolensk Operation: August - October 1943

June-August
German trains, vehicles and road repair could be seen along the road and rail lines from Orsha to the front lines at Safonovo. Excellent coverage of Yartsevo, 50 km northeast of Smolensk gives a good look at German logistics activity immediately behind the front lines (Graphic). On 1 June a group of 20 trucks were observed at a train at a rail siding; other loaded vehicles were parked in dispersed revetments nearby. Two bridges across the Vop’ River, including a road/rail span were in good condition, but a ferry crossing with three rafts was in use (Graphic).

Coverage from July or August 1943 showed two well-developed sets of trenches that comprised the front lines from Safonovo and Shugailovo, a distance of 120 km. Evidence of shelling could be seen near the village of Verdino (Graphic). The town of Dukovshchina, immediately behind the front lines had been fortified (Graphic).

Earlier, very good-quality coverage from 23 April showed German defenses in the vicinity of Zamosche were already well-developed (Graphic). A wire barrier in the vicinity of a strongpoint appeared to define the forward defense line; a possible command post site with two buildings or large tents was 1.5 km to the rear. Elsewhere, a group of at least three mortar batteries were 2 km to the southwest.

September

Smolensk city was liberated on 25 September. There was no coverage of German facilities there prior to the Soviet arrival, but imagery from the 30th revealed little provision had been made for defense of the city. A nearly contiguous tank ditch defined the perimeter, but no other defensive trenching had been prepared (Graphic). Rail and road beds on the eastern approaches had been blown up. Although facilities at Smolensk airfield had been thoroughly demolished, 20 Soviet aircraft were present (Graphics).

One of two major airfields at Shatalovo, 57 km southeast of Smolensk were destroyed between 18 and 26 September (Graphic). The fresh craters on the runway of Shatalovo West showed the demolition had just occurred. The other airfield, Shatalovo Ost, was still in use by the Luftwaffe on 18 September, but by the winter had been occupied by the Soviet Air Force.

October 1943

On 2 and 3 October 1943 imagery showed the Germans hastily constructing defenses from the Dnieper along the Mereya River less than 30 km east of Orsha; only the forwardmost set of trenches had been started (Graphic). Soviet lines were not visible in much of this area, but by 27 October both sides had constructed impressive multi-layered defense lines at least as far south as the town of Horki (Graphic). From the Dnieper, the line appeared to run north, crossing the rail line and road east of Osinovka. Major Soviet deployments, including artillery concentrations were seen opposite Horki and between the towns of Lenino and Baevo; German artillery could also be seen.

The culminating battle of the Smolensk Operation --involving Polish and Soviet troops-- took place along the Mereya River in the vicinity of Lenino on 12-13 October. The battle resulted in a 2.5 km bridgehead northwest of Lenino and coverage from the 27th showed the aftermath of the fighting. The front line was hard to distinguish, but evidence of fighting could be seen over the entire area, with vehicles and other activity around the perimeter. Vehicle tracks along the river indicated crossing points and two bridges could be seen at the north end of the incursion.

At Orsha (Süd), the main Luftwaffe base in the area, aircraft comprising at least two Ju 88 - equipped fighter-bomber and one reconnaissance (Aufklärung) Staffels were present on 7 October.
By March 1944 the Soviet lines were in the vicinity of Osinovoka, 20 km northeast of Orsha. The coverage showed a command post located near the front line between the road and rail bed. The Soviet lines may have been only lightly manned, since only a few areas with dugout living shelters appeared to show activity.

Airfields

In addition to Shatalovo and Smolensk, imagery showed the Soviets used at least nine tactical airfields directly behind the front lines in 1943 and 1944. Seven of these were newly-constructed tactical fields. An existing field at Khlamovo was vacant in February 1944, but may have been recently active; it may have been used by elements of the Soviet 1st Air Army prior to the offensive.