The FSB published documents about the exploits of women during the Second World War on the eve of March 8.

During the Great Patriotic War (WWII), almost half a million women at the front took part in the fight against the Nazi invaders. On the eve of the March 8 holiday, the FSB's Public Relations Center published on March 6 documents on military exploits performed during the Second World War by female employees of the Smersh military counterintelligence.

The ministry said that women mostly performed administrative and technical tasks, but if necessary, they participated in combat operations shoulder to shoulder with men. They often participated in counterintelligence support, as well as worked on the search and detention of enemy spies and saboteurs.

"As of January 1, 1944, more than 450 women worked in operational positions in military counterintelligence, 43 of them were senior operatives, 170 were operatives and 237 were operatives' assistants," the FSB noted.

There were also units almost entirely staffed by female military personnel. These were mainly communications and air defense units, women's aviation regiments, medical battalions and hospitals.

One of the documents tells about the feat of a senior operative of the Special Department of the NKVD of the Southwestern Front, State Security Lieutenant Zinaida Yakusheva. From the first days of the war, she took part in the fight against the invaders, led the operational staff of the regiments. In 1941, she spent more than a month surrounded, showing courage during the breakthrough.

"By her personal example, courage and bravery of the Guards, Major Yakusheva participated more than once and led the search and liquidation of the remnants of enemy groups," the documents say.

For her personal courage and military services, Yakusheva was awarded the Order of the Red Star and the Patriotic War II degree, medals "For Courage", "For Military Merit", as well as a number of other awards.

A detachment of special significance: unique documents about the partisan special operation that turned the tide of the battle of Moscow have been released

Izvestia publishes details of the most daring raid on the German headquarters in the first year of the Great Patriotic War

On March 5, the Popular Front movement, together with Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Tatyana Golikova, handed over the necessary equipment to female military doctors, including ATVs, motorcycles and anti—fragmentation suits, ahead of March 8. Golikova stressed that the main purpose of the meeting is to support women, whose work often goes unnoticed, but warms the fighters and gives them confidence in victory.

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