FIGHTER BATTALIONS OF LENINGRAD AND THE REGION UNDER SIEGE. 1941-1944

The paper analyzes the operations of NKVD fighter battalions in Leningrad and the surrounding region from 1942 to 1944, using previously unpublished sources from the Central State Archive of Historical and Political Documents in St. Petersburg (TSGAIPD). These sources include official NKVD documents, relevant statutes, and statistical data. The article examines the effectiveness and models of the use of these units in the challenging circumstances of besieged Leningrad, as well as territories of the region, including those outside the blockade ring. Particular focus is given to the support provided to Leningrad's fighter battalions and the restructuring of the unit system during the brutal first winter of the blockade. Additionally, the paper analyzes the management practices of the Leningrad fighter battalions and their transformation in response to changing situations at the front and in the rear. Attention is also paid to the use of these units during the blockade and after its breakthrough, leading to the final liberation of the region from occupation. The author examines the gender, social, and professional composition of the fighter battalions in the city and the region, as well as the dynamics of their numbers. The author concludes that while the effectiveness of the fighter battalions operating in Leningrad and the region was limited, leading to an operational reduction in the number of personnel of the city battalions during the winter of 1942, the fighter units remained actively deployed as auxiliary forces until their disbandment. They played crucial roles in maintaining order and controlling territory near the frontlines.