"Katyusha ... Tears drop from happiness ...". Everyone knows these touching words of the military song, which is the anthem of the Great Patriotic War. How many tears were shed by mothers, wives and children for men gone on the battlefield.

"Katyusha" - so tenderly and with sincere trembling was called the Soviet multiple launch rocket system, which curious boys like to look at in school textbooks and make something similar at home together with their fathers. "Katyusha" is very popular at all kinds of exhibitions devoted to the machinery of the wartime. However, this is not just a massive pile of metal with a female name, it is a powerful vehicle with tremendous destructive power. It was Katyusha which played a decisive role in many battles for liberation of local population and many Belarusian cities. Many monuments dedicated to Katyusha were established in the territory of the former Soviet Union. One of the largest is in Vitebsk region in the city of Orsha. You can see not only the military system here, but also honor the memory of heroic strength, will and courage of the Soviet soldiers killed in execution of their duty.

The liberation of Orsha was one of the most difficult for the entire period of the Great Patriotic War. In the 1940s, this town was considered one of the most important railway junctions, so it was possible to fully control all the echelons with military systems here. Concerning this, the Germans built "Eastern Wall" in Orsha in order to consolidate offensive positions and future march to Smolensk.

To prevent the plans of the fascists, the Soviet command was forced to launch the experimental battery "Katyusha." Captain Ivan Flerov fired the first volley, shooting Germans at the station in Orsha. The expected effect was increased in several times: in just 8 seconds the enemy was completely destroyed, including enemy combat equipment. Thus, the offensive of the Nazis to Smolensk was stopped for 7 days. This allowed our soldiers to significantly strengthen their positions.

However, there is no long joy in war, except for victory, of course. A little later, Frolov's entire battery was destroyed by the fascists, including Katyusha itself. The commander of the detachment also died while protecting the secret of the rocket system. Only in 1995 Frolov was awarded the title of the Hero of the Russian Federation.

A year later, in 1996, in memory of this largest feat of the Soviet soldiers in Orsha, a memorial complex was established, which has another name - "For our Soviet homeland!". Belarusian architects and sculptors Yuri Gradov, Valentin Zankovich and Leonid Levin were the authors of the monument. These talented Belarusian masters also developed the Khatyn complex, for which they received the Lenin Prize afterwards.

Today you can see the Katyusha rocket system model here, which really replicates all the proportions and details of the original military vehicle. Nearby 8-meter rails and a marble cube with a sign are located. By the way, the Katyusha complex in Orsha is included in the list of historical and cultural values of the Republic of Belarus.