Osowiec was a Russian pivotal fortress built 50 km from Białystok city. During 1914-1915 it was attacked by the German forces three times including a chemical attack. Russian army repulsed all the attempted assaults and withstood the 190-days siege. Defense of the Osowiec fortress is a perfect example of courage and valor of Russian soldiers.
In 1916, Russian forces commanded by General Alexey Brusilov inflicted a serious defeat on Austro-Hungarian and German armies and freed a major part of the Western Ukraine in the course of operation named the Brusilov Offensive. This offensive turned the tide of World War I in favor of the Triple Entente.
Erzurum Offensive was a major offensive by the Russian Army on the Caucasus Campaign at the beginning of 1916. In the course of hostilities Russian forces completely crushed the Third Army of the Ottoman Empire and seized the city of Erzurum, the enemy’s strategic center of resistance. At the same day the order of the Army Commander was announced in every regiment, detachment and battery of Caucasus Army expressing gratitude for courageous discharge of military duty to the Russian Fatherland.
Stamps depict: Russian counterattack the enemy soldiers after the application of chemical agents; captured weapon of Turkish army during the conquest of the fortress of Erzurum; General A.A. Brusilov with staff officers; Russian soldiers at the front in Champagne (France). A map of the battles is on the background.
An illustrated cover has been prepared for the release with four stamps and an FDC with cancellation (Moscow) inside.
Design: A. Moskovets.
Face value: 20 RUB
Size of stamp: 50 × 37 mm, size of sheet: 170 × 180 mm.
Product: sheet with illustrated margins with 11 (3x4) stamps and a coupon.
Circulation: 363 thousand stamps of each scene (33 thousand sheets).
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