soviet troops occupied demyansk in february 1943. staraya russa was released a year later in february 1944, when the soviet troops entered the city. there were only four intact buildings in fact. it was the dead city of old russia , many monuments reminiscent of the difficult period of the great patriotic war in 2017 . a museum has opened here. commanders of the victory, he was dedicated to ivan danilovich chernyakhovsky , an army general twice a hero of the soviet union , chernyakhovsky was the youngest front commander in the history of the red army, he was prophesied the glory of the new suvorov. the great patriotic naya war began for him on northwestern borders of the soviet union, he participated in defensive battles. under novgorod, over the centuries, novgorodians have repeatedly found themselves at the forefront defending russian lands from enemies, the inhabitants of the region preserve and honor the memory of the war, and the military prowess of all those who had to give their lives defending their homeland.