The Osovets offensive (Russian: Осовецкая наступательная операция) was part of the third and final phase of Operation Bagration, the Belorussian strategic offensive of the Red Army in summer 1944. The offensive began on 6 August and was officially declared over as of 14 August, although some of its objectives were not achieved until as late as January 1945.
Osovets is the Russianised version of the Polish name Osowiec / Ossowiec / Ossowitz.
Operational goals
The offensive commenced after the 2nd Belorussian Front had successfully taken Grodno and Białystok in the Belostock offensive (Belostock is the Russianised version of the Polish name Białystok). The Front was issued with new objectives at the end of July, being ordered to move on Łomża (German: Lomscha) and Ostrołęka (German: Scharfenwiese) and to enlarge bridgeheads over the Narew river in preparation for a further advance into East Prussia.
The defenders were somewhat aided by fortifications from previous eras, including a major Imperial Russian-era fortress complex at Osowiec on the Biebrza River that was a scene of a siege in 1915 (February to August) during the First World War, and which was partly demolished by Wehrmacht troops in 1939 before its hand-over to the Red Army. There were also substantial Soviet border fortifications remaining from the Molotov Line located 20 km west of the old fortress.
4th Assault Aviation Corps (General-Major of Aviation Georgiy Baidukov)
199th Assault Aviation Division (Colonel Nikolay Vinogradov)
The offensive
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The offensive began on 6 August with further penetrations by the 2nd Belorussian Front west of Bialystok.
The approaches to Osowiec were heavily defended; the 1st Guards Assault Engineer Brigade was required to establish river crossings under fire.[3] Units of the Front stormed and took the fortress, after a heavy air bombardment by Major-General Georgy Baydukov's 4th Assault Aviation Corps, on 14 August.[4]Joseph Stalin's Order no. 166 for that day noted the capture of the fortress and congratulated the units and commanders involved.
14 August is noted as the end of the offensive in official Soviet historiography, but in fact attempts continued to seize bridgeheads over the Narew throughout the remainder of August. The 49th Army, however, found that the German defences on the approaches to Lomza were difficult to overcome, sustaining many casualties (even losing a divisional commander, Major-General Yakimovich of the 343rd Rifle Division, in their attempt to force the defensive lines).[5]
Lomza itself was not taken until mid-September; there were intense battles along the Narew as Second Army was progressively reinforced and attempted to crush the bridgeheads. The struggles for control over strategic positions underscored the protracted nature of the campaign, highlighting the resilience and determination of both Soviet and German forces in this theater of operations.
Aftermath
Although there were many local actions (including attacks by Polish partisans, who had a strong presence in the area) the German defence line on the Narew held through the remainder of 1944, until the 2nd Belorussian Front's advance in the East Prussian Operation of January 1945.
Germany
Soviet Union
