[robert]

I don`t know if my information`s will be of any help but during the night of 12-13.8.43 the crews of 4th Guard Air Corps and 6th Air Corps were attacking railway targets in the area of Poltawa and Krasnograd.
Two crews (skippers were Leonow and Sidorow) from no.4 Guard Air Regiment (no.62 Air Division) failed to return. At 01.22 hrs a burning aircraft was seen by Russian air controllers on an altitude of 3000 m and it crashed NE of Poltawa exploding on impact. At 01.27 hrs another aircraft burst in flames on an altitude of 3500 m 7 km NE of Poltawa. It also crashed on the ground. Both Li-2 aircraft were shot down by fighters.
Later these information`s were updated:
the crew of Leonow attacked railway station at Poltawa and during homeward flight the aircraft was attacked by Bf109 at 01.10 hrs. Two attacks were made: one abeam and one astern. The aircraft was shot in flames and crashed down. The crew bailed out. One airman (Leonow) managed to cross the frontline. Further details unknown. Other crewmembers were:
Griszin (navigator), Garach (flight engineer), Zinkiewicz (wireless operator), Chorjakow (gunner). They were captured (all were wounded by enemy fire) by the Germans and were visited by a German officer, who shot their a/c down. He stated that he made three attacks and asked them, which attack was crucial. After short conversation he wished them getting well and disappeared.
All crew of Sidorow was killed (Szewierew, Pieczenkin navigator, Obronow flight engineer, Maliuta wireless operator, Ziglow gunner).
Further two crews of no.62 Air Division were attacked by German night fighters but were not hit (crews of Rjabczuk and Trocenko).