The Kuril amphibious operation began on Shumshu Island 80 years ago

An amphibious operation began in the Far East 80 years ago, as a result of which a large group of Japanese troops was defeated. The Kuril Islands came under the control of the Soviet forces. Search engines are currently working at the site of fierce fighting, and an Eternal Flame will soon light up there. Denis Kulaga, a correspondent for Izvestia, spoke about the changes in this territory.

The main aviation base of the Imperial Navy is located on Shumshu Island, where all the Japanese military power was once located. Japanese fighters and bombers were based on the runway, which is located on this territory. Currently, there is only concrete here, and all the power of the Imperial aviation has disappeared.

In the thickets of dwarf trees, you can find barely discernible fragments of Japanese aircraft, including parts of the fuselage and engines. During the Second World War, the US air force tried to attack this island several times, but each such attempt failed. During the war, experts estimate that the United States lost up to 20 aircraft.

On Shumshu Island, which is approximately 20 by 30 km long, there were military and naval bases, the 11th Tank Regiment of Japan and an infantry brigade with reinforcement units. As the director of the Pobeda Museum and Memorial complex, Yuri Filippenko, noted, powerful corps structures were formed on this territory, which the Red Army found difficult to eliminate.

"Everything is quite complicated and tense, but they (Soviet fighters. — Ed.) they did it," he said.

It is noted that the storming of the island was the last major operation of the Soviet troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to perpetuate the memory of this operation last year.

The search engines working on the island are divided into two conditional groups: one is engaged in the study of artifacts related to the fighting, the other is lifting up the remains of Red Army soldiers, those who, as a result of the heroic landing, managed to break the defenses of Shumshu, which was considered indestructible.

During World War II, Japanese troops planned to capture Kamchatka, and then develop an offensive in other directions — either to explore the Soviet Far East, or to move east through the Aleutian Islands towards Alaska.

However, these plans did not materialize. The Japanese navy did not coordinate access to Kamchatka, considering the operation "suicidal." After the successful landing of Soviet troops on the island and the American bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the emperor had to capitulate.

Timeless amnesia: Japan is trying to forget Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the role of the United States in the strikes

However, the alliance between Tokyo and Washington is facing difficulties.

Military personnel of the army Corps of the Eastern Military District (VVO) found more than 3,500 explosive objects during the demining of Shumshu Island. On July 23, it became known that 28 hectares had been cleared, and 3,514 explosive objects were found, which are destroyed by detonation. In addition, sappers have completed the cleaning of a section of the runway reconstruction sector near the village of Baykovo.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.