kaspyTHE CASPIAN REGION: politics, economics, culture1818-510XАстраханский государственный университет им. В. Н. Татищева254810.54398/1818-510X.2025.85.4.01094(47).084.8:351.862.2(470.45)Stalingrad as an object of local air defense: features and characteristicsStalingrad as an object of local air defense: features and characteristicshttps://orcid.org/0009-0007-4708-9865NasekinMaxim A.NasekinMaxim A.nasekin.maks@mail.ruVolgograd State Socio-Pedagogical UniversityVolgograd State Socio-Pedagogical University2701202641101220907202530092025https://kaspy.asu-edu.ru/en/archive/2025/issue/4/article/2548https://kaspy.asu-edu.ru/storage/kaspy/archive/4(85)/110-122.pdf

The Great Patriotic War necessitated the active development of civil defense systems in major cities of the USSR, but the organization of local air defense in Stalingrad is still an insufficiently studied topic. The relevance of the topic is due to the historical significance of the city as a strategic object, as well as the lack of specialized research analyzing the experience of the Moscow Military District for modern protection of the population. The purpose of this work is to identify the features of the organization and functioning of the MPVO system in Stalingrad in the pre–war years and the initial stage of the Great Patriotic War, taking into account regional and administrative factors. The study used recently declassified archival materials from the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Volgograd Region (F. “Local Air Defense”), as well as published documents and sources. The results showed that at the beginning of the war, Stalingrad, which received the status of an MPVO point, became the center of concentration of infrastructure, which determined its security. An analysis of the sources revealed key aspects: the organization of district divisions of the MPVO, the training of residents, and the creation of crevices and shelters, taking into account local building features. Based on documentary sources, the network of public utilities providing water supply, sewerage, energy and communications in the face of air attacks was reconstructed. It was established that the MPVO functioned effectively due to interaction with industry (80 % of shelters were located at enterprises) and the mobilization of labor resources. The shortcomings of the MPO system have been identified. The article reflects the complex mechanism of adaptation of centralized IPO directives to local conditions and expands the understanding of the relationship between the industrial base, infrastructure and organizational solutions in providing IPO.

The Great Patriotic War necessitated the active development of civil defense systems in major cities of the USSR, but the organization of local air defense in Stalingrad is still an insufficiently studied topic. The relevance of the topic is due to the historical significance of the city as a strategic object, as well as the lack of specialized research analyzing the experience of the Moscow Military District for modern protection of the population. The purpose of this work is to identify the features of the organization and functioning of the MPVO system in Stalingrad in the pre–war years and the initial stage of the Great Patriotic War, taking into account regional and administrative factors. The study used recently declassified archival materials from the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Volgograd Region (F. “Local Air Defense”), as well as published documents and sources. The results showed that at the beginning of the war, Stalingrad, which received the status of an MPVO point, became the center of concentration of infrastructure, which determined its security. An analysis of the sources revealed key aspects: the organization of district divisions of the MPVO, the training of residents, and the creation of crevices and shelters, taking into account local building features. Based on documentary sources, the network of public utilities providing water supply, sewerage, energy and communications in the face of air attacks was reconstructed. It was established that the MPVO functioned effectively due to interaction with industry (80 % of shelters were located at enterprises) and the mobilization of labor resources. The shortcomings of the MPO system have been identified. The article reflects the complex mechanism of adaptation of centralized IPO directives to local conditions and expands the understanding of the relationship between the industrial base, infrastructure and organizational solutions in providing IPO.

Belyaev, A. N. Mestnaya protivovozdushnaya oborona strany v Velikoy Otechestvennoy voyne 1941–1945 [Local air defense of the country during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945]. Moscow: Voennoe izdatelstvo; 1985, 230 p.Belyaev, A. N. Mestnaya protivovozdushnaya oborona strany v Velikoy Otechestvennoy voyne 1941–1945 [Local air defense of the country during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945]. Moscow: Voennoe izdatelstvo; 1985, 230 p.Vladimirov, V. A., Dolgin, N. N., Malanichev, F. G. Ot MPVO k grazhdanskoy zashchite. Stranitsy iz istorii MPVO-GO RS CHS subyektov Rossiyskoy Federatsii [From local air defense to civil protection. Pages from the history of MPVO-GO RS ChS of the subjects of the Russian Federation]. Moscow: Inoktavo; 2004, 352 p.Vladimirov, V. A., Dolgin, N. N., Malanichev, F. G. Ot MPVO k grazhdanskoy zashchite. Stranitsy iz istorii MPVO-GO RS CHS subyektov Rossiyskoy Federatsii [From local air defense to civil protection. Pages from the history of MPVO-GO RS ChS of the subjects of the Russian Federation]. Moscow: Inoktavo; 2004, 352 p.Voronikhin, A. V., Kachev, I. N., Dmitruk, F. I., Bulgakov, S. V. Ocherki istorii mestnoy protivovozdushnoy oborony Saratovskoy oblasti 1932–1945 gody [Essays on the history of local air defense of the Saratov region 1932–1945]. Saratov: Privolzhskaya Book Publ.; 2015, 172 p.Voronikhin, A. V., Kachev, I. N., Dmitruk, F. I., Bulgakov, S. V. Ocherki istorii mestnoy protivovozdushnoy oborony Saratovskoy oblasti 1932–1945 gody [Essays on the history of local air defense of the Saratov region 1932–1945]. Saratov: Privolzhskaya Book Publ.; 2015, 172 p.Doklad nachalnika Upravleniya NKVD Stalingradskoy oblasti [Report of the head of the NKVD Directorate of the Stalingrad region]. Otdel Spetsfondov i reabilitatsii zhertv politicheskih repressiy informatsionnogo centra Glavnogo upravleniya MVD Volgogradskoy oblasti [Department of Special Funds and Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repressions of the Information Center of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Volgograd Region]. Fund 49, inventory 1, case 5.Doklad nachalnika Upravleniya NKVD Stalingradskoy oblasti [Report of the head of the NKVD Directorate of the Stalingrad region]. Otdel Spetsfondov i reabilitatsii zhertv politicheskih repressiy informatsionnogo centra Glavnogo upravleniya MVD Volgogradskoy oblasti [Department of Special Funds and Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repressions of the Information Center of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Volgograd Region]. Fund 49, inventory 1, case 5.Doklad nachalnika shtaba MPVO g. Stalingrada o sostoyanii MPVO g. Stalingrada i boyevoy rabote shtabov i sluzhb MPVO po likvidatsii posledstviy naletov za 2-e polugodiye 1942 g. [Report of the head of the MPVO headquarters of Stalingrad on the state of MPVO in Stalingrad and the combat work of MPVO headquarters and services to eliminate the consequences of raids in the second half of 1942]. Otdel Spetsfondov i reabilitatsii zhertv politicheskih repressiy informatsionnogo centra Glavnogo upravleniya MVD Volgogradskoy oblasti [Department of Special Funds and Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repressions of the Information Center of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Volgograd Region]. Fund 49, inventory 1, case 25.Doklad nachalnika shtaba MPVO g. Stalingrada o sostoyanii MPVO g. Stalingrada i boyevoy rabote shtabov i sluzhb MPVO po likvidatsii posledstviy naletov za 2-e polugodiye 1942 g. [Report of the head of the MPVO headquarters of Stalingrad on the state of MPVO in Stalingrad and the combat work of MPVO headquarters and services to eliminate the consequences of raids in the second half of 1942]. Otdel Spetsfondov i reabilitatsii zhertv politicheskih repressiy informatsionnogo centra Glavnogo upravleniya MVD Volgogradskoy oblasti [Department of Special Funds and Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repressions of the Information Center of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Volgograd Region]. Fund 49, inventory 1, case 25.Kotlukov, K. G., Oglobin, S. G., Sgilevskiy, A. I. Ot MPVO k grazhdanskoy oborone [From local air defense to civil defense]. Moscow: Atomizdat; 1969, 120 p.Kotlukov, K. G., Oglobin, S. G., Sgilevskiy, A. I. Ot MPVO k grazhdanskoy oborone [From local air defense to civil defense]. Moscow: Atomizdat; 1969, 120 p.Ot MPVO k grazhdanskoy zashchite (istoricheskiy ocherk) [From local air defense to civil protection (historical essay)]. Ed. by S. K. Shoigu. Moscow: URSS; 1998, 336 p.Ot MPVO k grazhdanskoy zashchite (istoricheskiy ocherk) [From local air defense to civil protection (historical essay)]. Ed. by S. K. Shoigu. Moscow: URSS; 1998, 336 p.Postanovleniya, prikazy, spravki Stalingradskogo obkoma VKP(b) i Stalingradskogo gorodskogo komiteta oborony [Resolutions, orders, and reports of the Stalingrad Regional Committee of the CPSU(b) and the Stalingrad City Defense Committee]. Tsentr dokumentatsii noveyshey istorii Volgogradskoy oblasti [Center of Documentation of Modern History of the Volgograd Region]. Fund 171, inventory 1, cases 1, 12; fund 113, inventory 12, case 6.Postanovleniya, prikazy, spravki Stalingradskogo obkoma VKP(b) i Stalingradskogo gorodskogo komiteta oborony [Resolutions, orders, and reports of the Stalingrad Regional Committee of the CPSU(b) and the Stalingrad City Defense Committee]. Tsentr dokumentatsii noveyshey istorii Volgogradskoy oblasti [Center of Documentation of Modern History of the Volgograd Region]. Fund 171, inventory 1, cases 1, 12; fund 113, inventory 12, case 6.Puchkov, V. A., Stepanov, V. Ya. Grazhdanskaya oborona – delo vsenarodnoye: istoriko-khudozhestvennyy publitsisticheskiy sbornik [Civil defense is a nationwide cause: a historical-artistic journalistic collection]. Moscow: OKSION; 2017, 328 p.Puchkov, V. A., Stepanov, V. Ya. Grazhdanskaya oborona – delo vsenarodnoye: istoriko-khudozhestvennyy publitsisticheskiy sbornik [Civil defense is a nationwide cause: a historical-artistic journalistic collection]. Moscow: OKSION; 2017, 328 p.Samsonov, A. M. Stalingradskaya bitva [The Battle of Stalingrad]. Moscow: Nauka; 1989, 612 p.Samsonov, A. M. Stalingradskaya bitva [The Battle of Stalingrad]. Moscow: Nauka; 1989, 612 p.Spravka o sostoyanii MPVO g. Stalingrada [Report on the state of MPVO in Stalingrad]. Otdel Spetsfondov i reabilitatsii zhertv politicheskikh repressiy informatsionnogo tsentra Glavnogo upravleniya MVD Volgogradskoy oblasti [Department of Special Funds and Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repressions of the Information Center of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Volgograd Region]. Fund 49, inventory 1, case 12.Spravka o sostoyanii MPVO g. Stalingrada [Report on the state of MPVO in Stalingrad]. Otdel Spetsfondov i reabilitatsii zhertv politicheskikh repressiy informatsionnogo tsentra Glavnogo upravleniya MVD Volgogradskoy oblasti [Department of Special Funds and Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repressions of the Information Center of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Volgograd Region]. Fund 49, inventory 1, case 12.Stalingradskaya bitva [The Battle of Stalingrad]. Ed. by M. M. Zagorulko. 9th ed. Volgograd: Publisher; 2023, 848 p.Stalingradskaya bitva [The Battle of Stalingrad]. Ed. by M. M. Zagorulko. 9th ed. Volgograd: Publisher; 2023, 848 p.Stalingradskiy gorodskoy komitet oborony v gody Velikoy Otechestvennoy voyny (1941–1945 gg.): dokumenty i materialy [The Stalingrad City Defense Committee during the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945): documents and materials]. Ed. by M. M. Zagorulko. 2nd ed. Volgograd: Izdatel; 2007, 904 p.Stalingradskiy gorodskoy komitet oborony v gody Velikoy Otechestvennoy voyny (1941–1945 gg.): dokumenty i materialy [The Stalingrad City Defense Committee during the Great Patriotic War (1941–1945): documents and materials]. Ed. by M. M. Zagorulko. 2nd ed. Volgograd: Izdatel; 2007, 904 p.Chuykov, V. I. Nachalo puti [The beginning of the path]. Moscow: Voennoe izdatelstvo; 1959, 360 p.Chuykov, V. I. Nachalo puti [The beginning of the path]. Moscow: Voennoe izdatelstvo; 1959, 360 p.Shevalgin, I. N. Boytsy MPVO geroicheskogo Stalingrada [Fighters of MPVO of heroic Stalingrad]. Moscow: Political Department of the Main Directorate of MPVO of the NKVD of the USSR; 1944, 46 p.Shevalgin, I. N. Boytsy MPVO geroicheskogo Stalingrada [Fighters of MPVO of heroic Stalingrad]. Moscow: Political Department of the Main Directorate of MPVO of the NKVD of the USSR; 1944, 46 p.