"Scorched Earth" Tactics and Criminal Mobilization (1941–1945)
The Soviet regime's treatment of Ukraine as a colonial resource during the war. During the retreat of 1941, "scorched earth" tactics were employed — the blowing up of the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station, the destruction of factories and food supplies (the total destruction of infrastructure and extraction of resources), condemning the remaining population to death. Upon the return in 1943–1944, a criminal mobilization was carried out (the "black-coat" conscripts, chornosvytnyky): hundreds of thousands of untrained, unarmed Ukrainian peasants were thrown against German machine guns as cannon fodder to exhaust the enemy's ammunition[1][2].
Actors
| ID | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| G0010 | USSR |
Application of "scorched earth" tactics during the retreat in 1941: the deliberate blowing up of the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station, and the destruction of factories, warehouses, and communications[2]. |
Techniques Used
| ID | Name | Use | |
|---|---|---|---|
| T0052 | Expropriation of Resources |
Total removal of industrial equipment, food supplies, and agricultural machinery deep into the USSR during the retreat[2]. |
|
| T0049 | Forced Mobilization |
Mass forced conscription, by field military enlistment offices, of the population of just-liberated territories into the ranks of the Red Army[1]. |
|
| T0105 | Total Destruction of Infrastructure |
Application of "scorched earth" tactics during the retreat in 1941: the deliberate blowing up of the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station, and the destruction of factories, warehouses, and communications[2]. |
|
| T0134 | Use as Cannon Fodder |
Throwing thousands of untrained and unarmed Ukrainian peasants (the "chornosvytnyky," men in black homespun coats) into frontal attacks during the crossing of the Dnipro in order to exhaust the ammunition of the German troops[1]. |
|
Instruments
| ID | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| S0008 | Government |
Total removal of industrial equipment, food supplies, and agricultural machinery deep into the USSR during the retreat[2]. |
| S0010 | Regular Army |
Application of "scorched earth" tactics during the retreat in 1941: the deliberate blowing up of the Dnipro Hydroelectric Station, and the destruction of factories, warehouses, and communications[2]. |
References
- Михаил Зыгарь. (2023). Война и наказание: Как Россия уничтожала Украину.