17 IX 1939 - Russian Agression on Poland

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Tomorrow (17 IX 1939) will be the anniversary of Russian agression on Poland. Russian as German Ally had attacked Poland on about 5.00 a.m. Moscow time.
The agression red force had about 617.600 soldiers in the first wave. There were gathered in 2 Special Military District (Bialorussian and Kiev later Białorussian Front and Ukrainian Front). Russian had collected on the Western border 3.298 combat planes on 16 IX 1939 (this amount was higher on 2 X 1939 - about 3.700). It was the smaller part of whole power of VVS RKKA - more then 10.000 combat plane + 2.500 traineres.
Among Russian invading air forces most dominat were fighteres: 1.291 ( 66 proc. were I-16s, others - I-15bis and also 94 DI-6). Air forces had supported about 5.500 armoured vehicles (including 4.736 tanks: T-26, BTs, T-37, T-28 ect.)
During invasion and after Russian had commited many very similar and cruel cirmes as Germans did towards Poles. The most famoues Russian such achivmenet was the "Katyn affaire". Russian according state official order (Stalin Beria ect.) had mordered (it was the genocidy crime) almost 22.000 Poles (about 14.700 officers + 7.300 civils) in the spring 1940.
Among mordered then by Russian Polish officers were about 400 officers (pilots, navigators ect.) of our Lotnictwo Wojskowe who were kept in 3 "PoW" camps.

Russian did not used the whole red air force against Poles (3.300 planes) only smaller parts of it took part in active combats. The last comabts action against Poles were done in October 1939 against SGO Polesie, which capitualted on 6 X1939.
German during agression on Poland had gahtered 1941 combat planes on 1 IX 1939. The smaller amount of plane.
Russian had gathered as a Gereman Ally and friend about 51% of Polish territory with about 13,5 mln population. Many Białorusian and Ukrainina people who were freed" from Polish occupation as Russian maostly saying were later send to "Syberia" as Poles or were aslo killed by Russian (NKWD).


Reagrds

Soviet Air Force had lsot during war over Poland about 15-25 comabt planes (the lowest figures) from all reasons (combat and non-combat). There were killeld about 11 Soviet airmen.