Battle of Nikitovka

Battle of Nikitovka
Part of Italian Participation on Eastern Front
Mussolini in conversation with General Messe during the Duce's visit to the CSIR units in Russia on 29 August 1941
Date 11 November –14 December 1941 Location Nikitovka, Soviet Union Result Tactical Italian victory[1]
Belligerents
Italy Supported by:  Germany	Soviet Union Supported by:  United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Giovanni Messe	Georgy Zhukov
Strength
3 divisions 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment 2 Infantry Battalions 1 Assault Unit	1 division 80th Infantry Division

Battle of Nikitovka was fought between the Italian forces and Soviet Union during the Eastern Front of World War II.

Battle

In November 1941, the battles that took place around Nikitovka were some of the most challenging for the Italian Expeditionary Corps in Russia on the Eastern Front. In early November, the 80th Infantry Regiment "Pasubio" advanced beyond Gorlovka towards Trudovaja until they were attacked by the Soviet Union’s 74th Division, which was attempting to exploit the open I.K. (Italian-KG German) gap between the Italian and German forces of approximately 40 kilometres in length. The 80th Infantry Regiment "Pasubio" was immediately surrounded, as the regiment did not have any supplies of food, ammunition or water; however, they counter-attacked immediately and were able to throw back the Soviet forces and seize Nikitovka on the 6th of November. Nevertheless, they had now found themselves in an extremely vulnerable position and the pressure on both flanks was increasing. The 79th Infantry Regiment "Pasubio" attempted to break through the encirclement, but it was not until the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment arrived later that the attempts to break out were successful. Harrowing incidents such as the death of a Russian woman, Juliana Andr, resulted from efforts to bring water to toiling troops during this critical time indicated how severe ownership was. By 12 November, the exact same supply problems and continuing siege of the wounded soldiers were creating horrible consequences. On the edge of surrounding Nikitovka on the night of 12 November, the XVIII Bersaglieri Battalion and XX Bersaglieri Battalion of the 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment were pinned down by heavy fire which caused Colonel Caretto to evacuate his troops. When a snowstorm struck that evening, it enabled the 80th Infantry Regiment "Pasubio" to retreat from the wounded, frostbitten and leave behind 130 dead and 553 wounded,^[2] although the Italians tactically won the Nikitovka battle and restored contact with their main lines, the overall strategic balance of the Eastern Front still remained in Soviet favor.^[3][4][5]

"In the tough, victorious battle waged yesterday by the troops under your command, I was particularly close to you, with all the passion of a commander. You have accomplished superb things that honor the CSIR. My highest praise to all the commanders and soldiers. A most vibrant and moving greeting goes to the 3rd Bersaglieri and Colonel Caretto, their worthy commander"

— Giovanni Messe

References

1. "The Italian Army in Russia: from Barbarossa to Stalingrad". Warfare History Network. 2021-09-01. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
2. Scianna, Bastian Matteo (2019-09-09). The Italian War on the Eastern Front, 1941–1943: Operations, Myths and Memories. Springer Nature. ISBN 978-3-030-26524-3.
3. Amministratore. "C.S.I.R. - Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Russia". www.unirr.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-11-15.
4. Mario Rigoni Stern: Memories of the Russian Campaign (1943-1945) (PDF). Angelo Falvino.
5. Pannacci, Raffaello (2025-01-01). "The Italian Army Faced with the Antipartisan Warfare and the "Jewish Question" on the Eastern Front (1941-1943)". Operation Barbarossa and its Aftermath: New Approaches to a Complex Campaign. doi:10.3167/9781805397861.