Wehrmacht soldiers surrender to Soviet troops in the district of Tula, late 1941.
The Soviet soldier is carrying a SVT-40 semi automatic rifle. The SVT-40 was used intensively at the start of the war and was supposed to be the new standard rifle of the Red Army, but the German invasion in 1941 disrupted production, and the weapon was used scarcely for the rest of World War 2.
During October 24th – December 5th 1941, Tula was an important target for the Germans, who wanted to break Soviet resistance in the Moscow area. Tula was also an important producer of armament. The Germans were unable to break the fortified city, and Tula was awarded the title of “Hero City” in 1976.
Book suggestion ⤵️
📖 Operation Typhoon: Hitler’s March on Moscow, October 1941 (David Stahel, 2013)