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On September 4, 2025, the Сollection of digitized archival documents, film and photo materials World War II in Archival Documents, posted on the Presidential Library portal was replenished with 250 new documents from federal and departmental archives of Russia, which cover the events of the period from June 25 1945.
The majority of the documents presented reflect the preparation and course of the large-scale offensive of the Red Army in Manchuria on 9 August 1945, the complete defeat of the Kwantung Army, and the signing of Japan's Act of Surrender on 2 September 1945.
The following documents are presented from the Central Archives of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation: directives of the Supreme Command Headquarters on the conduct of the Manchurian strategic offensive operation (including the original order of the Headquarters dated 30 July 1945 on the appointment of Marshal of the Soviet Union A. M. Vasilevsky as Commander-in-Chief of Soviet troops in the Far East); reports, combat reports, summaries, reports, maps, diagrams and logs of combat operations of the Transbaikal, 1st and 2nd Far Eastern Fronts, as well as the Pacific Fleet and its Petropavlovsk naval base (including documents on the South Sakhalin offensive operation and the Kuril landing operation).
The Collection includes the Act of Surrender of Japan, signed on board the American battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay by representatives of the USSR, the USA, Great Britain, France, China, as well as Australia, the Netherlands and New Zealand. The Collection includes photographs from the collections of the Russian State Archive of Film, Photo and Audio Documents, capturing the signing of the Japanese surrender document that marked the end of World War II.
The Collection also includes orders from Supreme Commander-in-Chief I.V. Stalin Nos. 372 and 373 with greetings to the troops of the Transbaikal, 1st and 2nd Far Eastern Fronts and the Pacific Fleet, which occupied all of Manchuria, South Sakhalin and the islands of Shumshu and Paramushir from the Kuril Islands group (23 August 1945), and greeting the troops of the Red Army and Navy on the occasion of the victory over Japan (3 September 1945) – from the Russian State Military Archive (RGVA).
A significant part of the materials added to the Collection are documents on the interaction between the USSR and its allies in the anti-Hitler coalition in the summer of 1945 (mainly on the issue of the Soviet Union's entry into the war against Japan), as well as documents on the Potsdam (Berlin) Conference of the three great powers – the USSR, the USA and Great Britain (held between 17 July and 25 July 1945). Among the most important documents is a letter from US Secretary of State J. Byrnes to USSR People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs V. M. Molotov with the text of the Declaration of the Heads of Government of the United States, the United Kingdom and China (the so-called Potsdam Declaration) demanding the unconditional surrender of Japan (26 July 1945); the minutes of the Potsdam Conference (1 August 1945); a recording of a conversation between V. M. Molotov and the Japanese ambassador to the USSR, N. Sato, in connection with the Soviet government's statement on the USSR's accession to the Potsdam Declaration and the declaration of war on Japan (8 August 1945); records of conversations between V. M. Molotov and British Ambassador to the USSR A. C. Kerr, US Ambassador to the USSR W. A. Harriman, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang and Chinese Ambassador to the USSR Fu Bingchang on issues related to the war with Japan (8–15 August 1945).
Documents from Soviet intelligence agencies stored in the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Archive are presented in the form of intelligence reports (coded telegrams) sent by Soviet intelligence officers in Washington and London: on the coordination of British and American positions on the post-war structure of Europe; the views of the British and American leadership on Japan's future place in world politics and economics after its surrender, etc. There are also a number of reports from the People's Commissar for State Security of the USSR, V. N. Merkulov, addressed to J. V. Stalin, V. M. Molotov and L. P. Beria, including the contents of a telegram from the British Foreign Office to the British ambassadors to the US and the USSR on issues to be discussed at the meeting of the leaders of the three great powers in Potsdam (5 July 1945); the contents of telegraphic correspondence between the British Foreign Office and British Ambassador to the United States E. Halifax in connection with the Potsdam Conference (18 July 1945); the contents of a memorandum from the French Foreign Office on French policy towards Germany (22 August 1945).
The Central Archive of the Federal Security Service of Russia has released a number of reports from V. S. Abakumov, head of the Main Counterintelligence Directorate "SMERSH" of the USSR People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs, to the USSR State Defence Committee and the USSR People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs on the fight against Home Army gangs (14 July 1945); on the intensification of Japanese intelligence activities (31 July 1945); on the work of SMERSH agencies in the Far East (11 August 1945); on the arrest of Japanese intelligence officers and agents (16, 20, 24 August 1945).
The collection includes decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and resolutions of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GA RF), including "On awarding the Order of Victory to Marshal of the Soviet Union Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin" and "On awarding the title of Hero of the Soviet Union to Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin" (26 June 1945); "On awarding the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces of the USSR, Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin, the highest military rank – Generalissimo of the Soviet Union" (27 June 1945); "On holidays for workers and employees" (30 June 1945); "On measures to ensure compliance with the Law 'On the demobilisation of older personnel of the Active Army'" (5 July 1945); "On amnesty in connection with the victory over Hitler's Germany" (7 July 1945); "On the preservation of tax benefits for those demobilised from the Red Army and their families" (1 August 1945); "On the ratification of the Charter of the United Nations" (20 August 1945); "On declaring 3 September a holiday celebrating victory over Japan" (2 September 1945).
Thus, with the inclusion of new archival documents from the period 25 June to 3 September 1945, the formation of chronological sections of the Collection of archival documents, film and photographic materials dedicated to the World War II has been completed. The total number of documents in the Collection today exceeds 17,300, including maps, diagrams, periodicals, photographs, and newsreel footage from January 1933 to September 1945.
On August 5, 2025 the Сollection of digitized archival documents, film and photo materials World War II in Archival Documents, posted on the Presidential Library portal was replenished with 90 new documents from federal and departmental archives of Russia, which cover the events of the period from 1939 to 1945.
The RGANTD holds unique documents in the personal archives of scientists and specialists in the rocket and space industry, including drawings of military equipment and photographs of engineers and designers who participated in the development of the famous Katyusha rockets, aircraft, and other military equipment.
The Collection includes photographs of the first Soviet aircraft with a BI-1 liquid rocket engine, including photographs of its maiden flight at the Koltsovo airfield near Sverdlovsk on 15 May 1942.
The collection also includes drawings and sketches of the jet engine installed on this aircraft, as well as authentic OKB-2 tracing paper drawings from the personal collection of Academician B. E. Chertok for various components for BI-1 aircraft.
Of particular interest are documents from the personal archive of the outstanding aircraft designer and scientist, one of the founders of domestic helicopter construction, chief designer of helicopters, Professor M. L. Mil. The Russian State Archive of the History of Defence (RGANTD) holds his letters from 1942 to the Chairman of the State Defence Committee (GKO) of the USSR, J. V. Stalin, regarding the review of the developed autogyro-helicopter design based on a liquid jet engine and the advantages of its use in firing positions, as well as the advantages of its use in firing positions. Stalin, regarding the consideration of a developed autogyro-helicopter design based on a liquid jet engine and the advantages of its use in firing positions, as well as drawings of the autogyro-helicopter.
From the personal collection of a rocket technology expert, one of the creators of the Guards Katyusha mortar, V. N. Galkovsky, there are drawings from 1941 of a high-explosive rocket projectile, photographs from the late 1930s and early 1940s, and photographs of the Katyusha rocket launcher. Galkovsky, there are drawings from 1941 of a high-explosive rocket projectile, photographs from the late 1930s and early 1940s of rocket technology and rocket artillery, including the first serial bomber, variants of the BM-13-CH "Katyusha" multiple rocket launcher, the RS-132 jet-propelled projectile and its mounting system for aircraft, and drawings of a multi-barrel rocket launcher on a sled being transported by a T-34 tank.
The RGANTD has in its personal collection of designer and Victory Parade participant O. G. Ivanovsky a ticket from the third cash and goods lottery of 1943: "Everything for the front, everything for the defeat of the enemy, everything for Victory" worth 25 rubles, a service pass for entry to Red Square on Victory Day, 24 June 1945.
A special issue of Bulletin No. 1 of the Red Army newspaper Za Pobedu (For Victory) has been published from the personal collection of L. N. Soldatova, a specialist in spacecraft design and a research fellow at the Academy of Artillery Sciences. The issue is dedicated to her brother, Sergeant Grigory Soldatov, who distinguished himself in a fierce hand-to-hand battle with the Nazis on 19 March 1945. As stated in the newspaper, "Hungary, village of Bironka, Nadbai Mountain" is the place where Sergeant Soldatov died and was buried.
The Collection also includes documents from medical organisations.
From the collection of the Central Research Institute for Health Education and its theatre of the USSR Ministry of Health: memos, articles for publication by the head of the Red Army Health Department, E. I. Smirnov, "The Honourable Duty of Soviet Women Patriots," the USSR State Committee for Emergency Situations Commissioner for Anti-Epidemic Measures, USSR People's Commissar of Health G. A. Miteryova – on sanitary propaganda in wartime and health care (1942), research staff – on first aid for burns, establishing sanitary order in bomb shelters and shelters, preventing the penetration of toxic substances into urban dwellings, first aid for the wounded and injured (1942).
Among the documents of the research institute is an authentic letter dated 8 April 1945 from Clementine Churchill, wife of the British Prime Minister, to the children's group of the Health Education Theatre, expressing her gratitude for the performance she saw during her visit to the Health Education Institute.
On 24 June 2025 the Сollection of digitized archival documents, film and photo materials World War II in Archival Documents, posted on the Presidential Library portal was replenished with new documents from federal and departmental archives of Russia, which cover the events of the period from the end of the Prague offensive operation of the Red Army to the Victory Parade held on Red Square in Moscow on 24 June 1945.
The documents related to the preparation and holding of the Victory Parade on 24 June 1945 represent a significant part of the new addition to the Collection. Among the most important of them are the order of Supreme Commander-in-Chief J. V. Stalin of 22 June 1945 No. 370 on holding the Parade (from the fonds of the Russian State Military Archive), the original text of the speech of Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov, who hosted the Parade, and the album "The scheme of formation of troops during the solemn march at the Victory Parade on 24 June 1945", compiled in 1947 by the Office of the Commandant of Moscow (from the fonds of the Russian State Archive of Contemporary History). From the holdings of the Central Archive of the Federal Security Service of Russia are presented the instruction of the Moscow Commandant's Office for the parade in honour of the Victory over Germany dated 12 June 1945, samples of passes and invitation tickets for the reception in honour of the participants of the Victory Parade in the Grand Kremlin Palace on 25 June 1945. From the collections of the Russian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents - photographs of the Victory Parade and the festive salute in Moscow, as well as a fragment of the colour documentary film "Victory Parade" (1945).
Documents of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation are represented by reports, summaries, reports, maps and logs of combat operations of the 1st, 2nd and 4th Ukrainian Fronts and their subordinate units, reflecting the course and results of the Prague offensive operation. Also included in the Collection are: a description of aviation operations during the storming of the fortress and the city of Königsberg on 6-9 April 1945, compiled by the headquarters of the 1st Air Army of the 3rd Belorussian Front, a report of the 3rd Air Army of the 3rd Belorussian Front on aviation support of the Königsberg operation and a report of the Political Department of the 3rd Belorussian Front on the elimination of the East Prussian grouping of the enemy from October 1944 to May 1945.
A number of documents from the fonds of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reflect the activities of Soviet troops in the Far East and on the border with Manchuria in May-June 1945: intelligence reports of the headquarters of the Transbaikal Front, operational directives of the headquarters of the Primorsky Group of Forces, report maps of the position of the Red Army units and the troops of Japan and Manchzhou-Go. Of particular interest is the report of the commander of the Transbaikal Front R. Y. Malinovsky to J. V. Stalin on the grouping of troops of the front for the upcoming offensive operation in Manchuria (18 June 1945).
The documents of the Soviet intelligence agencies stored in the Archive of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service are represented by agency reports (cipher telegrams) received from Soviet intelligence officers in Berlin and London - on the state of affairs in German cities and towns; on the identification of the corpses of A. Hitler and J. Goebbels and the circumstances of Himmler's death; on the position of British Prime Minister W. Churchill on the desirability of the USSR's early entry into the war with Japan, etc. The documents of the Soviet intelligence agencies, which are stored in the Archive of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia, are represented by agency reports (cipher telegrams) received from Soviet intelligence officers in Berlin and London. Among the intelligence documents there are a number of reports of the USSR Commissar of State Security V. N. Merkulov addressed to Stalin, V. M. Molotov and L. P. Beria, including the content of the telegraphic correspondence between W. Churchill and the US President G. Truman and British Foreign Minister E. Eden about the post-war arrangement of Europe (19 May 1945), about the US position towards Japan (24 June 1945). From the fonds of the Central Archive of the Federal Security Service of Russia is presented a number of reports of the head of the GUKR "Smersh" V. S. Abakumov to the GKO of the USSR on the arrests of employees and agents of German intelligence agencies.
A significant number of documents from the fonds of the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation (Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation) reflect the course of the International Conference in San Francisco convened by the USSR, the United States and Great Britain, held from 25 April to 26 June 1945. These are mainly cipher telegrams of the head of the Soviet delegation at the conference, USSR Ambassador to the United States A.A. Gromyko on the course of discussions on the draft Charter of the United Nations (UN). The original of the Declaration on the defeat of Germany and assumption of supreme authority over Germany by the governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the Provisional Government of the French Republic, signed in Berlin on 5 June 1945 by Marshal of the Soviet Union G. K. Zhukov, Field Marshal of Great Britain B. L. Montgomery, General of the U.S. Army D. Eisenhower and General of the French Army J. de Latrome de Tassigny, is also presented from the fonds of the OHR of the Russian Federation. There are photographs from the funds of the Russian State Archive of the Russian Academy of Culture and Arts, depicting the signing of the declaration.
The Collection also includes decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and resolutions of the USSR SNK, stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GA RF), including: "On awarding orders to formations and units of the Czechoslovak Corps" (28 May 1945), on awarding the Order of Victory to Marshals of the Soviet Union L. A. Govorov, S. K. Timoshenko, Army General A. I. Antonov (31 May, 4 June 1945), General D. Eisenhower and Field Marshal B. L. Montgomery (June 5, 1945), "On the establishment of the medal "For Valorous Work in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945"" (6 June 1945), "On the Establishment of Medals 'For the Capture of Budapest', 'For the Capture of Koenigsberg', 'For the Capture of Vienna', 'For the Capture of Berlin'" (9 June 1945), "On privileges for participants of the Patriotic War entering higher educational institutions and technical schools" (13 June 1945), "On the work of Moscow enterprises on 24 June 1945" (22 June 1945).
The Collection World War II in Archival Documents, posted on the portal of the Presidential Library, includes documents on the prehistory and history of the Second World War from 1933 to 1941 and the main stages of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
In September 2025 the Collection World War II in Archival Documents on the portal of the Presidential Library will be enriched with new documentary materials about the end of the Second World War in the Far East and the victory over militaristic Japan.
To date, the volume of the Collection is over 16,2 thousand materials: maps, diagrams, periodicals, photographs, newsreels for the period from January 1933 to July 1945.
On May 13, 2025 more than 250 documents from the Archive of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation for the period from April 14, 1942 to May 11, 1945 have been added to the World War II in Archival Documents collection on the portal of the Presidential Library.
Materials from the collections of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reflect the preparation and course of the Berlin and Prague offensive operations of the Red Army, which led to the unconditional surrender of the German armed forces and marked the final defeat of Nazi Germany (carried out by the 1st, 2nd Belorussian, 1st Ukrainian Fronts and the 1st, 2nd and 4th Ukrainian Fronts respectively). The documents on these operations are represented by operational directives and plans, combat orders, instructions, combat reports, as well as operational summaries and reports of the headquarters of the fronts and subordinate units, excerpts from reviews and logs of combat operations. Maps-plans of offensive operations and maps of combat operations of the Red Army units are presented.
The Collection also contains orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief J. V. Stalin's orders to the Red Army and Navy in connection with the completion of the defeat of the Berlin group of the enemy and the mastery of the capital of Germany - Berlin (2 May 1945) with greetings to the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front, who liberated Prague, and congratulations to the troops of the Red Army and Navy in connection with the victorious conclusion of the Great Patriotic War (9 May 1945).
Among the new materials are photos from the holdings of the Russian State Military Archive and the Russian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents, depicting episodes of the battle for Berlin and the storming of the Reichstag, as well as the famous meeting on the Elbe - the joining of the Red Army and allied troops of the US 1st Army, which took place on 25 April 1945 on the bank of the Elbe River near the city of Torgau and the next day, 26 April, in Torgau. Posted photos of the signing of the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany in the Berlin suburb of Karlshorst on the night of 8-9 May 1945, as well as the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on 9 May 1945.
Documents of the Soviet intelligence agencies, stored in the Archive of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, are represented by agency reports (cipher telegrams) received from Soviet intelligence officers in Washington, London, Berlin, Cairo: on the aims in the leadership of Nazi Germany on the eve of the fall of Berlin (28 April 1945), on the testimony of members of the SS and employees of the German Ministry of Propaganda about the suicide of A. Hitler and J. Goebbels (6 May 1945). Among the intelligence documents there are also a number of messages of the USSR Commissar of State Security V. N. Merkulov addressed to J. V. Stalin, V. M. Molotov and L. P. Beria, including those concerning the revision of the "defensive" and "conciliatory" attitude of Great Britain towards the USSR.
From the documents of the Russian State Archive of Social and Political History Stalin's personal messages to British Prime Minister W. Churchill on the joint speeches of the governments of Great Britain, the USA and the USSR on the issues of joining Soviet and Anglo-American troops and the safety of prisoners of war (14 April 1945), on the death of US President F. Roosevelt (15 April 1945), on the terms of the announcement of unconditional surrender of Germany (7 May 1945) are presented. A report from I. V. Shikin, Deputy Chief of the Main Political Department of the Red Army, to G. F. Alexandrov, Chief of the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, on the attitude of the civilian population of Berlin to the Red Army troops in the occupied areas of the city (30 April 1945) is considered interesting.
The Act of Unconditional Surrender of Germany, which is kept in the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation, is placed in the Collection. A significant number of documents from the holdings of the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation: on the preparation and holding of the International Conference in San Francisco convened by the USSR, the USA and Great Britain (held from 25 April to 26 June 1945), at which the United Nations was established. Among these documents are the draft speech of the USSR People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs V. M. Molotov's conversation with US President Truman on the forthcoming conference (22 April 1945), texts of speeches by US Secretary of State E. Stettinius and British Foreign Secretary E. Eden at the plenary session (26 April 1945). A number of photographs from the San Francisco Conference are also presented.
The Collection also includes decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, kept in the State Archive of the Russian Federation, including on awarding the Order of Victory to Marshals of the Soviet Union R. Y. Malinovsky and F. I. Tolbukhin (26 April 1945), "On declaring 9 May a Victory holiday" (8 May 1945), "On establishing the medal For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" (9 May 1945).
On April 14, 2025 the collection of digitised archival documents, film and photo materials World War II in Archival Documents posted on the Presidential Library's portal was enriched with 200 documents covering the events of the Great Patriotic War in the period from 13 March to 13 April 1945.
Documents from the fonds of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation reflect the course of the largest offensive operations of the Red Army in the final period of the Great Patriotic War: Vienna offensive operation conducted by the forces of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts, East Pomeranian offensive operation (conducted by units of the 1st and 2nd Belorussian Fronts), offensive operation to retain and expand the bridgehead in the area of Küstrin, conducted by units of the 1st Belorussian Front, and Königsberg offensive operation of the 3rd Belorussian Front (part of the East Prussian offensive operation). The documents on these operations are represented in the Collection by combat orders, directives, orders, combat reports, summaries, reports of the command of the fronts and subordinate units, as well as information reports of the political departments of the 1st Ukrainian and 3rd Belorussian Fronts and report maps of combat operations of the Red Army units.
Also placed orders of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief J. V. Stalin with greetings to the troops of the 1st Ukrainian and 3rd Belorussian fronts.Stalin's orders with greetings to the troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front who captured the city and fortress of Gdansk (Danzig) (30 March 1945), to the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front who captured the city of Bratislava (4 April 1945), to the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front who captured the city and fortress of Koenigsberg (9 April 1945), and to the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front who captured the city of Vienna (13 April 1945).
The new addition includes photographs from the collections of the Russian State Military Archive and the Russian State Archive of Film and Photo Documents, depicting episodes of the Red Army liberation of cities and towns in Poland, Czechoslovakia and East Prussia. There are also fragments of sound recordings of Marshal of the Soviet Union A. I. Yeremenko's memoirs of 1970 about the liberation of the concentration camp Auschwitz and the town of Ratibor in Poland and Army General A. P. Beloborodov's memoirs of 1972 about the actions of the 43rd Army of the 3rd Belorussian Front during the storming of Koenigsberg.
Included are documents of Soviet intelligence agencies: agency reports (cipher telegrams) received from Soviet intelligence officers in Washington, London and Stockholm, in particular about German attempts to start separatist negotiations with the USSR's allies in the anti-Hitler coalition. Among the intelligence documents there is also a report of the USSR Commissar of State Security V. N. Merkulov sent to the USSR State Defence Committee, the USSR People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs and the USSR People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs on the intentions of the Polish emigration government in London to continue the struggle for Poland's borders with the USSR by force (7 April 1945).
From the documents of the Russian State Archive of Social and Political History are presented the report of the 7th Department of the Political Department of the 1st Belorussian Front "On the life of Soviet prisoners of war and prisoners of war of allied states in German captivity" (21-22 March 1945), sent to the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks (b), a personal message from J. V. Stalin to US President F. D. Roosevelt with an assessment of the separatist negotiations in Bern between representatives of the United Kingdom and the United States and representatives of Germany (3 April 1945).
Of interest are the documents from the holdings of the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation: correspondence of the USSR Commissar for Foreign Affairs V. M. Molotov with the US Ambassador to the USSR A. Harriman, concerning the negotiations between representatives of the English-American and German command in Bern (15-16, 21-22 March 1945); the draft note of the Soviet government on the convening of the Constituent Conference in San Francisco on 25 April 1945 for the establishment of the General International Organisation for the Maintenance of Peace and Security (24 March 1945).
The collection World War II in Archival Documents includes resolutions of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation, including resolutions "On the USSR representatives in the Reparations Commission in Moscow" and "On the State Budget of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for 1945" (14 March 1945), "On the Soviet Delegation to the Conference in San Francisco" (22 March 1945), "Marking the death of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt" (13 April 1945).
Fragments of documentary films about the capturing of Königsberg and the liberation of Vienna in April 1945, filmed by cameramen of the 3rd Belorussian and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts, are also presented in the collection.
On March 13, 2025 the collection of digitized archival documents, films and photographic materials World War II in Archival Documents on the Presidential Library's portal has been enriched with 100 documents, presentating events of Second World War from February 14 to March 13, 1945.
The documents from the collections of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation provide information about the East Pomeranian and Lower Silesian offensive operations as well as the Balaton defensive operation of the Red Army. They include operational directives, combat orders, cipher messages, and combat reports from the commands of the 1st, 2nd Belorussian, and 1st and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts. Additionally, there is a map-plan for the offensive actions of the 1st Belorussian Front's troops to defeat the Pomeranian enemy group, as well as maps of the positions of troops and the combat operations of units from the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts.
Among the documents of the Central Committee of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, there are orders No. 288 and 290 from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, J. V. Stalin, to the commander of the 1st Belorussian Front, G. K. Zhukov, regarding the awarding of formations and units that distinguished themselves in battles in Western Pomerania and the battles for the capture of the cities of Stargard, Naugard, and Poltsin on the Stettin front (dated March 4 and 5, 1945).
The Collection includes photographs from the collections of the Russian State Military Archive and the Russian State Archive of Film and Photographic Documents. These photographs capture episodes of military operations on the territory of Poland, in the cities of Breslau and Poznan. The order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief No. 284, which was posted from the Russian State Military Archive holdings, also welcomes the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front after they captured the city of Poznan and its fortress on February 23, 1945.
The documents of the Soviet intelligence services are represented by secret messages (cipher telegrams) received from Soviet agents in Washington. In addition, there are materials about attempts by German representatives to contact the representatives of the UK and the US in Ireland and Sweden. A translation of the report from the German mission in Stockholm to the German Foreign Ministry on the results and significance of the Crimea Conference is also included (these documents are kept in the archives of the Foreign Intelligence Service in Russia).
The holdings of the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History contain a memorandum from the Deputy Head of the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army, I. V. Shikin, to the Head of the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks), G. F. Alexandrov, about the German prisoner of war camp in Thorn, Poland (February 19, 1945). Additionally, there are resolutions from the Poltava and Ternopil Regional Committees of the Communist Party of Ukraine regarding the fight against Ukrainian-German collaborators (February 24 and 28, 1945) and other related documents.
The Collection includes documents from the Russian State Archive of Modern History, including a note from N. G. Kuznetsov, the People's Commissar of the Navy of the Soviet Union, to I. V. Stalin requesting material resources to support the construction of the main naval base for the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol on February 25, 1945, and a note from the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine and chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of Ukraine, N. S. Khrushchev, to J. V. Stalin regarding the political and socio-economic situation in Poland and measures to assist the Polish government in rebuilding their cities on March 12, 1945.
Of interest are documents from the Archives of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation related to the preparation of the member states of the anti-Hitler coalition for the international conference in San Francisco (April 25 - June 26, 1945). These documents are supplemented by a resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR dated March 13, 1945, "On the Composition of the Soviet Delegation to the Conference in San Francisco", which is stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation.
The Collection also includes original manuscripts of poems by E. A. Poetov, which are kept in the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art. These include works by Dolmatovsky and S. P. Gudzenko, written in mid-February 1945, such as On the Street, Revenge, They Will Return to Our Homes..., and Buda.
Additionally, there are fragments of documentary footage about the battles fought by Soviet troops in East Prussia in January 1945 and the liberation of Budapest, the capital of Hungary, in February 1945. These materials are part of the collection of the Russian State Archive of Film and Photographic Documents.
On Febrary 13, 2025 the collection of digitized archival documents, film, and photographic materials titled World War II in Archival Documents, which was posted on the Presidential Library's portal, has been expanded with more than 80 new documents covering key events from the Great Patriotic War between January 28 until February 13, 1945.
On February 13, 1945, the Budapest Offensive, conducted by the forces of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts of the Red Army, resulted in the complete liberation of Budapest. This final stage of the operation is documented in records from the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.
These are combat orders and operational directives from the front command for the offensive on Budapest, a map showing the encirclement and elimination of the enemy group in Budapest by the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front during December 1944 and February 1945. Additionally, there is a combat report from the headquarters of the 2nd Ukrainian Front to Supreme Commander J. V. Stalin regarding the complete capture of Budapest.
In the order issued by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, No. 277, gratitude was expressed to the Red Army troops who distinguished themselves during the liberation of Budapest. It was stated that during the battles in Budapest, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front captured over 10,000 enemy soldiers and officers, including the German commander of the Budapest force group, Colonel-General Pfeffer Wildenbruch, and his staff. They also seized a significant amount of weapons and military equipment. The archive of the Political Directorate of the Second Ukrainian Front contains information about the Jewish ghetto in Budapest, which was organized by the Nazis in collaboration with the Germans.
Among the documents of the Central Army of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation are combat reports, orders, summaries, and maps from the headquarters of the 1st Belorussian and 1st Ukrainian Fronts and their subordinate units during the Vistula-Oder Offensive Operation (which ended on February 3, 1945).
Also included are photographs from collections of the Russian State Military Archive and Russian State Archive of Film and Photographic Documents that capture episodes of the Red Army's liberation of cities and towns in East Prussia, Poland, and Budapest. Photos from the Yalta Conference, held from February 4-11, 1945, between the leaders of the USSR, Great Britain, and the USA, are also posted, as are documents from the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation covering the Yalta conference.
The documents of the Soviet intelligence services include secret service messages, or cipher telegrams, received from Soviet agents in Washington. One such document is a special message from Deputy People's Commissar of State Security B. Z. Kobulov to J. V. Stalin, V. M. Molotov and L. P. Beria regarding Great Britain's concerns about the development of Soviet-French relations. This message was sent on January 28, 1945 and is archived at the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.
Another document is a memo from F. F. Kuznetsov, head of the intelligence directorate of the Red Army General Staff, to J. Stalin regarding the proposed transfer of the 6th SS Panzer Army from the Western European to the Soviet-German front. This memo was written on January 30, 1945 and are available in the Russian State Archives of Modern History.
The holdings of the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History include documents from the Department of Propaganda and Agitation of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), including a memo from the deputy head of the Main Political Directorate of the Red Army, I. V. Shikin, addressed to the head of the department, G. F. Alexandrov, regarding the situation at the Auschwitz concentration camp and its liberation by the Red Army on February 9, 1945.
The collection also includes resolutions of the Council of People's Commissars (government) of the USSR, preserved in the State Archives of the Russian Federation, such as On the Stalin Prizes for Outstanding Work in the Fields of Science, Invention, Art, and Literature for the Years 1943-1944, dated January 29, 1945, and On the Organization of Printing Banknotes for the Allied Command in Germany, dated February 10, 1945.
On January 23, 2025 the collection of digitized archival documents, film, and photographic materials titled World War II in Archival Documents, which was posted on the Presidential Library's portal, has been expanded with more than 200 new documents covering key events from the Great Patriotic War between November 7, 1944 and January 27, 1945.
These documents describe the large-scale offensive operations of the Red Army in Hungary and East Prussia during this time period, as recorded in documents from the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of Russia. These documents include directives from the Supreme Soviet Command's headquarters and operational reports from the General Staff of the Soviet Army.
The new arrivals also include fragments from the documentary Winter and Spring of 1945 about the German offensive operation in the Ardennes and the start of the Vistula-Oder offensive by the Red Army. The exhibition also includes photographs that depict episodes of the liberation of Warsaw and Krakow.
The documents of the Soviet intelligence services are represented by secret messages (ciphered telegrams) received from agents of the Soviet intelligence abroad - from London, Washington and Bucharest. One of these documents is a memorandum from the Deputy People's Commissar for State Security of the USSR, B. Z. Kobulov, to the State Defense Committee of the USSR regarding the health of Adolf Hitler, the role of Heinrich Himmler in the domestic policy of the Third Reich, and the military and political plans of Nazi Germany, dated January 13, 1945.
The documents of the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (RGASPI) mainly consist of resolutions of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and documents from the personal file of J. Stalin. These include personal messages from J. Stalin to the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, regarding the conclusion of the tripartite Anglo-Franco-Soviet Pact on December 7, 1944; joint policies regarding Yugoslavia on December 12, 1944; and the recognition of the Provisional National Government of Poland in Lublin by the Soviet Union on January 3, 1945, among other documents.
Documents from the archives of the Foreign Policy Archive of the Russian Federation are of particular interest: cipher telegrams from V.M. Molotov, People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs, to F.T. Gusev, the USSR ambassador to Great Britain, and A.A. Gromyko, the USSR ambassador to the United States, containing the texts of messages from Stalin to Winston Churchill and F. Roosevelt in January 1945. Additionally, there is a plan of action from the Soviet Foreign Ministry related to preparations for the Yalta Conference between the leaders of the Allied powers.
The Collection also contains decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, stored in the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GA RF), regarding the awarding of orders and medals of the USSR to officers, sergeants, and enlisted personnel of the Red Army, as well as senior command staff members of the armed forces of Great Britain and the United States, and officers of the French military unit "Normandy", including the awarding of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Documents from the collections of the Russian State Archive of Economics (RGAE) reflect the activities of Soviet economic and planning authorities to rebuild industry and infrastructure in the regions of the RSFSR, Ukrainian SSR, Byelorussian SSR, Karelo-Finnish SSR, Lithuanian SSR, Moldavian SSR, and Estonian SSR after they were liberated from occupation. Additionally, important documents related to the development of weapons and aircraft construction are presented, including orders from the USSR People's Commissariat of the Aviation Industry regarding the creation of prototype launch devices for T. Chelomeya's catapult cannon to launch objects weighing 2.2-2.5 tons, dated December 9, 1944. There is also information about conducting factory tests on the experimental aircraft BI designed by T. Bolkhovitinov, dated December 12, 1944, and the release of Yak-3 aircraft equipped with VK-105PF engines and armed with three 20-caliber Berezin cannons at Plant No 292 of Narkomaviaprom, dated December 30th, 1944; the repor "On the Construction of a Jet Aircraft by T. Yakovlev" is also presented. Additionally, there are reports from various departmental research institutes related to military developments such as the construction of military roads in swampy areas, improvements to military uniforms, and methods for treating frostbite (based on materials from the Russian Academy of Defence in Samara).