On August 23, an EWCS dedicated to the 80th Anniversary of the Nazi troops crushing defeat by the Soviet Army in the Battle of Kursk was put into postal circulation in the On the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the GPW of 1941–1945 series

The Battle of Kursk (July 5 - August 23, 1943), was the largest tank battle in the history of the Great Patriotic War, which involved about two million people, six thousand tanks, and four thousand airplanes.

The battle was the most important part of the strategic plan of the summer and autumn campaign of 1943 that combined the Kursk strategic defensive operation (July 5-23), the Orel (July 12-August 18) and Belgorod-Kharkov (August 3-23) strategic offensive operations. The battle lasted 49 days.

The key event of the Battle of Kursk was the battle of Prokhorovka, the most important event of the defensive phase. It took place on July 12, 1943, on the southern face of the Kursk Bulge (Belgorod direction) in the Voronezh Front strip near the Prokhorovka station. It is considered one of the largest battles with the use of armored forces in the military history. As a result of the Battle of Kursk, the Orel group of German troops was crushed and the Orel strategic bridgehead occupied by that group was dissolved, thus, the Belgorod-Kharkov Nazi group ceased to exist.

The fundamental turning point in the course of the Great Patriotic War, which began at Stalingrad, was completed in the Battle of Kursk and the Battle of the Dnieper. After the battle had been terminated, the strategic initiative definitely shifted to the Red Army, which continued to liberate the country from the Nazi invaders and until the end of the war conducted mainly offensive operations.
August 23 is the Day of Military Glory of Russia, the Day of the Nazi troops crushing by the Soviet Army in the Battle of Kursk. Belgorod, Kursk and Orel became the first cities in Russia to be granted the honorary title of the City of Military Glory.

The commemorative stamp features an emblem of celebration of the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945; the main illustration shows the sculptural composition Tank Battle at Prokhorovka - Taran in the Prokhorovka Field Reserve Museum.

In addition to the issue of the envelope with a commemorative stamp, JSC Marka produced special cancels for Moscow, Belgorod, Kursk and Orel.


Design Artist: A. Moskovets.
Quantity: 500 thousand envelopes.

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