442 Days of Courage: KBSU Hosts a Joint Student-Mentor Session Dedicated to the Battle for the Caucasus

Ahead of the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi German forces in the Battle for the Caucasus, Kabardino-Balkarian State University (KBSU) named after Kh.M. Berbekov hosted a joint student-mentor session titled «The Battle for the Caucasus: 442 Days of Courage.» The event brought together students from the Institute of Law, Economics, and Finance, as well as the Institute of Pedagogy, Psychology, and Physical Culture and Sports.

The Battle for the Caucasus was one of the longest and bloodiest engagements of the Great Patriotic War, lasting 442 days—from July 25, 1942, to October 9, 1943. In modern Russia, the date marking the conclusion of this battle is officially designated as a Day of Military Glory.

The presenters highlighted the region’s strategic importance: the Caucasus served as a vital resource hub for the USSR, provided access to the Middle East, ensured control over the Black Sea, and blocked enemy access to Lend-Lease supply routes. The battle began on July 25, 1942. Soviet troops maintained a staunch defense until December, liberated Kabardino-Balkaria in January 1943, and ultimately defeated the enemy by October 9, 1943.

Special attention was paid to the occupation of Nalchik, which lasted from October 28, 1942, to January 4, 1943. Even during those months, the city lived on and fought back: 14 hospitals operated there, and 11 partisan detachments were active in the area. The students also learned about the history of the 115th Kabardino-Balkarian Cavalry Division. It was a true community effort to form the unit: collective farms contributed their last remaining horses, while local residents and enterprises manufactured horse blankets, saddles, and bridles.

A significant part of the presentation focused on the war’s highest-altitude front: the Mount Elbrus region. In August 1942, enemy forces managed to plant their banner on Elbrus, but by February 1943, Soviet mountaineers had raised the Red Flag there.

The participants honored the heroes of the battle. Among them were fighter ace and Hero of the Soviet Union Kubati Kardanov (credited with over 700 combat sorties and 29 enemy aircraft shot down); Marshal Semyon Budyonny, who commanded the North Caucasus Front; and mountaineering team leaders Nikolai Gusak and Alexander Gusev, who planted the Soviet flag on the peaks of Elbrus.

Young heroes were also remembered. In November 1942, 13-year-old Pioneer Alyosha Kovalev from the settlement of Terek blew up an enemy pontoon bridge. After being captured, he refused to betray his comrades and died a hero’s death. Misha Revyakin and Petya Zhramyeyev braved enemy fire to cut a burning fuse three times, saving the pedagogical institute and military depots from destruction. For this feat, the young Pioneers were awarded the «For the Defense of the Caucasus» medal.

An important part of the meeting was the account of the Kurp Heights—a strategic line that broke the enemy’s back. It was from this position, on New Year’s Eve 1943, that the expulsion of the occupiers from Kabardino-Balkaria began. Casualties in this sector reached 17,000 personnel.

The cost of victory in the Battle of the Caucasus was immense: approximately 600,000 wounded and 340,000 dead. The heroism of the region’s defenders was recognized with the «For the Defence of the Caucasus» medal, awarded to around 870,000 Soviet soldiers and officers.

«This unified educational session enabled students to gain a deeper understanding of the scale and significance of one of the pivotal battles of the Great Patriotic War, to learn about the heroism of the defenders and home-front workers, and to appreciate the contribution made by the people of Kabardino-Balkaria to our shared victory. Such gatherings help preserve historical memory and foster civic and patriotic values ​​among young people,» noted Arianna Khushtova, the event’s organizer and a specialist in the Department for Educational Work at KBSU.