The 'For Courage and Resilience During the Great Patriotic War' pennant awarded to Polotsk

August 11, Polotsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Polotsk was presented with the pennant "For Courage and Resilience during the Great Patriotic War" today, a BELTA correspondent reports. "This award is a unity of history and modernity. Polotsk has remained an example of courage and resilience for centuries," said Oleg Matskevich, Deputy Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, at the solemn ceremony on the occasion of the presentation of the pennant and honorary diploma for the pennant. From the very first days of the war, Polotsk became a barrier in the enemy's path. Thanks to the courage of the soldiers of the Polotsk combat area, which included combat units of the 22nd Army of the Western Front, the command of the Soviet Army was able to bring up reserves and organize defensive lines in the Smolensk region. And during the period of German occupation, the city did not stop fighting the invaders. Several underground groups operated here. Polotsk was part of the Polotsk-Lepel partisan zone, where 16 to 20 partisan brigades fought. The famous partisan brigade "The Elusive" under the command of Hero of the Soviet Union Mikhail Prudnikov successfully operated in the Polotsk region. During Operation Bagration, the command of the 1st Baltic Front planned and carried out the Polotsk Offensive Operation, as a result of which the city of Polotsk was liberated on July 4, 1944. The heroism and courage of the liberators of Polotsk were marked by high awards: about 100 Soviet officers, sergeants and soldiers were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and 31 formations and military units received the honorary title "Polotsk". -0-