The 3rd Ukrainian Front ( Russian: Третий Украинский фронт) was a

Front Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * '' The Front'', 1976 film Music *The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and e ...

of the Red Army during World War II. 3ci ukraiński

It was founded on 20 October 1943, on the basis of a

Stavka The ''Stavka'' (Russian and Ukrainian: Ставка) is a name of the high command of the armed forces formerly in the Russian Empire, Soviet Union and currently in Ukraine. In Imperial Russia ''Stavka'' referred to the administrative staff, a ...

order of October 16, 1943, by renaming the Southwestern Front. It included 1st Guards Army,

8th Guards Army The 8th Guards Order of Lenin Combined Arms Army (abbreviated 8th CAA) is an army of the Russian Ground Forces, headquartered in Novocherkassk, Rostov Oblast, within Russia′s Southern Military District, that was reinstated in 2017 as a succes ...

6th 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...

, 12th, and 46th Armies and 17th Air Army. Later it included 5th Shock,

4th Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

and 9th Guards Army, 26th, 27th,

28th 28 (twenty-eight) is the natural number following 27 and preceding 29. In mathematics It is a composite number, its proper divisors being 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14. Twenty-eight is the second perfect number - it is the sum of its proper diviso ...

, 37th, 57th Army, 6th Guards Tank Army, and the Bulgarian First,

Second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...

and Fourth Armies. The

Danube Flotilla The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

was assigned to the Front's operational control. This included the 83rd Naval Infantry Brigade.

Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk offensive operations

In the first half of October 1943, Southwestern Front (3rd Ukrainian Front from 20 October) commanded by Army General Rodion Malinovsky was tasked with attacking the German Panther-Wotan line, and later securing the bridgeheads on the eastern bank of the Dnieper on the Izyum -

Dnipropetrovsk Dnipro, previously called Dnipropetrovsk from 1926 until May 2016, is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, southeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the Dnieper Rive ...

axis during the Battle of the Lower Dnieper. But the first attempt to establish bridgeheads failed. Three infantry armies: 8th Guards, 3rd Guards and the 12th Army, and two corps, 1st Guards Mechanized and 23rd Tank with 17th Air Army providing air support were assembled for the new assault. On 10 October 1943 Chuikov's 8th Guards launched the attack, with the tank corps being inserted on the 13 October; the 12th Army attacked from the north, and 3rd Guards from the south of Zaporizhzhia. Germans retreated from Zaporizhzhia, destroying the railway bridge over Dnieper behind themselves. On 23 October

Malinovsky Malinovsky (russian: Малиновский; masculine) or Malinovskaya (; feminine) is a Slavic surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Mikhail Malinovsky, Hero of the Soviet Union * Rodion Malinovsky (1898–1967), Soviet military ...

, who wanted to take

, and trap the First Panzer Army in the eastern reaches of the Dnieper bend, inserted the newly arrived 46th Army into combat. Together with 8th Guards it was trying to trap German forces against the western bank of Dnieper between Dnipropetrovsk and

Dniprodzerzhynsk Kamianske ( uk, Кам'янське, ), formerly Dniprodzerzhynsk, is an industrial city in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast of Ukraine and a port on the Dnieper. Administratively, it serves as the administrative center of Kamianske Raion. Kamianske ho ...

, the site of the huge Dnieper Hydroelectric Station. The 46th Army units tried to get to the station in time to prevent the destruction of the dam by retreating German troops. On 25 October Dnipropetrovsk was taken, but the installations and the Dam were partly destroyed. At the same time the Koniev's

2nd Ukrainian Front The 2nd Ukrainian Front (2-й Украинский фронт), was a front of the Red Army during the Second World War. History On October 20, 1943 the Steppe Front was renamed the 2nd Ukrainian Front. During the Second Jassy–Kishinev O ...

was attacking towards the Kryvyi Rih from the north with the 7th Guards Army, but the 1st Panzer Army was saved for the moment as Koniev's assault on Kryvyi Rih stalled at

Ingulets The Inhulets () is a river, a right tributary of the Dnieper, that flows through Ukraine. It has a length of 557 km and a drainage basin of 14,460 km². The Inhulets has its source in the Dnieper Upland in a ravine (balka) to the wes ...

river north of Kherson. However,

Vatutin Vatutin (russian: Ватутин) is a Russian masculine surname, its feminine counterpart is Vatutina. Notable people with the surname include: *Alexey Vatutin Alexey Vatutin (russian: Алексе́й Дми́триевич Вату́тин; ...

commanding the 1st Ukrainian Front located north of

Poltava Poltava (, ; uk, Полтава ) is a city located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the capital city of the Poltava Oblast (province) and of the surrounding Poltava Raion (district) of the oblast. Poltava is administratively ...

sent the 5th Guards Tank Army which penetrated north of Kryvyi Rih, and was only halted by the stubborn German defence and length of its own logistic tail. On conclusion, both operations allowed the two Fronts to create a single Krementchug-Dnipropetrovsk bridgehead expanded to Zaporizhzhia due to the breaching of the Wotan Line by the Southern Front. Later, units of the 6th Army seized bridgeheads south of Zaporizhzhia, and by the end of December, along with

held on the Dnieper major strategic stronghold. After the liberation of right-bank Ukraine by troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, in collaboration with

4th Ukrainian Front The 4th Ukrainian Front (Russian: Четвёртый Украинский фронт) was the name of two distinct Red Army strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The front was first formed on 20 October 1943, by ...

by making Nikopol-Krivoy Rog Operation 1944, the took to the district

, where in March–April launched an offensive at the Nikolayev-Odessa area. After carrying out the Bereznegovatoye–Snigirevka Offensive operation, the front readied itself for an attack on

Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...

. Before the Odessa Offensive 3rd Ukrainian received substantial reinforcements. It now fielded seven Armies: 5th Shock Army, 6th Army, 8th Guards Army, 28th Army, 37th Army, 46th Army and 57th Army. Malinowsky also formed a cavalry-mechanized group consisting of 4th Guards Cavalry Corps and 4th Mechanized Corps under Lt. Gen. Pliev. The target was port Nikolayev and large Black Sea port Odessa. The attack opened on 6 March 1944 when Soviet troops forced the Ingulets, the Visun and the Ingul rivers. They assisted the

Black Sea Fleet Chernomorskiy flot , image = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet , dates = May 13, ...

completing the liberation of southern Ukraine, and liberated a large part of the Moldavian SSR and moved to Dniester and, seizing bridgeheads on its right bank, including Kitskansky bridgehead.

Romania and Bulgaria

In August 1944 the 3rd Ukrainian Front engaged in the Iassy-Kishinev Offensive, which resulted in the release of all the Moldavian SSR, and Romania declaring war on Germany. On 8 September, after breaking diplomatic ties and declaring war on Bulgaria, Soviet troops entered the territory of Bulgaria and by the end of the month occupied the country. From 28 September - 20 October 1944 3rd Ukrainian Front in collaboration with the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia with the participation of troops of the Fatherland Front in Bulgaria carried out the Belgrade Offensive, which resulted in the liberation of the capital of Yugoslavia,

Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...

, and most of Serbia. In October 1944 - February 1945, the 3rd Ukrainian Front had forces involved in the Siege of Budapest, including 46th Army. Its troops crossed the Danube and seized a bridgehead on its right bank. In January 1945, they repelled the enemy counter-attacks, trying to relieve the forces surrounded in Budapest, and in March, during the German Operation Frühlingserwachen, a counter-offensive broke the German troops in the area of Lake Balaton. The successful completion of this battle made possible the beginning of the Vienna Offensive on 16 March, in conjunction with the left wing

. Thereafter the front's forces completed the liberation of Hungary, expelled the enemy from the eastern part of Austria and took its capital, Vienna. The Front included 57th Army from October to December 1944. On 15 June 1945, the on the basis of a Stavka directive on May 29, 1945, the front was disbanded, and reorganised as the Southern Group of Forces. 26th Army was grouped with 37th Army into the SGF.

3rd Ukrainian Front in October 1943 during Zaporizhzhia–Dnipropetrovsk operation

Front Commander: General of Army Rodion Malinovsky 1st Guards Army :''

6th Guards Rifle Corps The 6th Danube Guards Rifle Corps was a Rifle Corps of the Soviet Armed Forces during World War II. During the war, it formed part of the 8th, 2nd Shock, 1st Guards, 46th, 37th, and 57th Armies. History The corps was part of the 'operation ...

'' :: 20th Guards Rifle Division ::

152nd Rifle Division Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number), the natural number following 14 and preceding 16 *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music *Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak album) ...

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34th Rifle Corps The 34th Rifle Corps was a corps of the Soviet Red Army. It was part of the 19th Army. It took part in the Great Patriotic War. Organization * 129th Rifle Division * 158th Rifle Division * 171st Rifle Division Commanders * Divisional comma ...

'' :: 6th Rifle Division :: 24th Rifle Division :: 228th Rifle Division :: 195th Rifle Division

3rd Guards Army The 3rd Guards Army () was a field army of the Soviet Red Army that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The army fought in the Battle of Berlin, during which it mopped up German resistance around Cottbus. 1942 to 1945 It was formed o ...

: :'' 34th Guards Rifle Corps'' ::

59th Guards Rifle Division The 59th Quartermaster Company is a bulk petroleum company designed to provide semi-portable storage for of fuel and to provide distribution of fuel to military units within a specified geographic area while deployed overseas. Its secondary missi ...

:: 61st Guards Rifle Division ::

279th Rifle Division The 279th Rifle Division () was an infantry division of the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II, formed twice. The division was first formed in the summer of 1941 and was in the Bryansk pocket. The division was reformed in June 1942 and s ...

(Unit listed twice) :''

32nd Rifle Corps The 32nd Rifle Corps was a corps of the Red Army during World War II, formed twice. Each formation was a distinct unit, unrelated to the other. First formation The corps headquarters formed in the Transbaikal Military District in September 1939 ...

'' ::

259th Rifle Division The 259th Rifle Division was formed from reservists as a standard Red Army rifle division, very shortly after the German invasion, in the Moscow Military District. It was largely based on what would become the ''shtat'' (table of organization and e ...

266th Rifle Division The 266th Rifle Division was a rifle division of the Soviet Red Army during World War II. The 266th was formed three times during the war. It was first formed in July 1941 from an NKVD division and destroyed during the later stages of the Battle ...

(Unit listed twice)

: :''

28th Guards Rifle Corps The 28th Guards Rifle Corps () was an elite Guards rifle corps of the Red Army during World War II. It existed from 1943 to 1956. History The corps headquarters was renamed from that of the 15th Rifle Corps (2nd formation) on 16 April 1943 and b ...

'' :: 39th Guards Rifle Division ::

79th Guards Rifle Division The 79th Guards Rifle Division () was an infantry division of the Red Army during World War II. It was created on 1 March 1943 from the remnants of the 284th Rifle Division, in recognition of that division's stalwart defense against the German ...

88th Guards Rifle Division The 88th Guards Rifle Division was reformed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in April 1943, based on the 1st formation of the 99th Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War. It would become ...

:''

29th Guards Rifle Corps 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...

'' ::

27th Guards Rifle Division 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...

:: 74th Guards Rifle Division ::

82nd Guards Rifle Division The 82nd Guards Rifle Division was reformed as an elite infantry division of the Red Army in March 1943, based on the 2nd formation of the 321st Rifle Division, and served in that role until after the end of the Great Patriotic War, including brie ...

:'' 33rd Rifle Corps'' ::

50th Rifle Division The 50th Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Red Army from 1936 to 1946. The division took part in the Soviet invasion of Poland and the Winter War. After Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the 50th fought in the Battle of Moscow, ...

:: 78th Rifle Division '' 6th Army:'' :

4th Guards Rifle Corps Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'' (1972 film), a Sovie ...

47th Guards Rifle Division 47th may refer to: Chicago Transit Authority stations * 47th station (CTA Green Line) 47th is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's "L" system, located in the Grand Boulevard community area of Chicago, Illinois and serving the Green ...

:: 57th Guards Rifle Division :''

26th Guards Rifle Corps 6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number. In mathematics Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...

'' ::

25th Guards Rifle Division The 25th Guards Rifle Division 'Chapayevskaya' was a division of the Soviet Red Army. The division was reorganised and reformed several times until the collapse of the Soviet Union, when it entered service in the Ukrainian Army as the 25th Mechanis ...

35th Guards Rifle Division The 35th Guards Rifle Division () was a division of the Soviet Red Army in World War II. Formed from an airborne corps in the summer of 1942, the division fought in the Battle of Stalingrad with the 62nd Army, then served through the war with th ...

12th Army :'' 66th Rifle Corps'' ::

203rd Rifle Division The 203rd Rifle Division was an infantry division of the Soviet Union's Red Army. World War II The division was formed in the Kuban near Labinsk, Kurgan and Mikhailovka from February to 20 May 1942. During the second half of May the division l ...

:: 333rd Rifle Division :: 60th Guards Rifle Division ::

244th Rifle Division The 244th Rifle Division was the second of a group of 10 regular rifle divisions formed from cadres of NKVD border and internal troops as standard Red Army rifle divisions, very shortly after the German invasion, in the Moscow Military District. ...

1st Guards Mechanized Corps The 1st Guards 'Vienna' Order of Lenin Order of Kutuzov Mechanized Corps was a Red Army armoured formation that saw service during World War II on the Eastern Front. After the war it continued to serve with Soviet occupation forces in Central E ...

'' :1st Guards Mechanized Brigade :2nd Guards Mechanized Brigade :3rd Guards Mechanized Brigade :9th Guards Tank Brigade ''

23rd Tank Corps Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (disambiguation) * Third Avenue (disambiguation) * Hig ...

'' :3rd Tank Brigade :39th Tank Brigade :135th Tank Brigade :56th Motorized Rifle Brigade ''

17th Air Army The 17th Air Army () was an Air army of the Red Air Force and Soviet Air Forces from 1942. World War II It was formed in October (Bonn et al.: November) 1942 on the basis of the Air Forces of the Southwestern Front. Bonn et al. say that it incl ...

'' :1st Guards Mixed Aviation Corps :1st Mixed Aviation Corps :9th Mixed Aviation CorpsBoevoi Sostav Sovietskoi Armii czast III januar-dekabr 1943 page 253 in the BSSA Front is listed under South Western Front name but it changed name in October to 3rd Ukrainian Front from November 1943 it is listed under name of 3rd Ukrainian Front

Command

Commanders: * General of the Army Rodion Malinovsky (Oct. 1943 – May 1944); * General of the Army, in September 1944, Marshal of the Soviet Union Fyodor Tolbukhin (May 1944 – end of the war). Member of the Military Council: * Lieutenant-General in September 1944, Colonel-General A. Zheltov (whole period). Chief of Staff: * Lieutenant-General Theodosius K. Korzhenevich (Oct. 1943 – May 1944); * Lieutenant-General in May 1944, Colonel-General Sergey Biryuzov (May–October 1944); * Lieutenant-General in April 1945, Colonel-General Simon P. Ivanov (October 1944 – end of the war).

Notes

External links

FrontAll fronts of the Great Patriotic War
{{DEFAULTSORT:3rd Ukrainian Front U de:Südwestfront (Rote Armee)#3. Ukrainische Front