Battle for the Dnepr

   Soon the Germans began a strong counterattack at almost every crossing, hoping to destroy the Soviet troops, before heavy machinery to reach the other bank of the river and enter into battle.

   Thus, the crossing at Borodaevska referred Marshal Konev in his memoirs, was subjected to heavy artillery fire of the enemy. Bombers were virtually everywhere, bombed the crossing and the military units located near rivers. Konev mentioned in this connection, the defects in the organization of air support from the Soviet side, about the establishment of air patrols ferry troops to prevent the bombing of approaches to the crossing and on about his order to send a reinforcement of artillery to the front strip of the front, that it reflects the tank enemy attacks . When the Soviet Air Force has become more organized and improved synchronization of their actions with the ground troops of the front, with the support of fire hundreds of shells and mortar rounds artformirovany Guards Katyusha, the situation with the defense of ferries began to improve. The crossing of the Dnieper was relatively safe for the Soviet soldiers.

   Such situations were not isolated, becoming a problem in almost all along the line crossing. Despite the retention of all places the crossing in the hands of the Soviet army, the loss on her part was truly enormous - at the beginning of October, most divisions were retained only 25-30% of the value of personnel and weapons.