Walk in Smolensk

Smolensk (Russian: Смоленск, IPA: [smɐˈlʲɛnsk] (listen)) is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River, 360 kilometers (220 mi) west-southwest of Moscow. Population: 326,861 (2010 Census); 325,137 (2002 Census); 341,483 (1989 Census).The walled city in the center of Smolensk (along with the outskirts) was destroyed several times throughout its long history because it was on the invasion routes of the Mongol Empire, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Tsardom of Russia, First French Empire and Nazi Germany.

The First Battle of Smolensk (German: Kesselschlacht bei Smolensk "Cauldron-battle at Smolensk"; Russian: Смоленская стратегическая оборонительная операция, Smolenskaya strategicheskaya oboronitelnaya operatsiya, "Smolensk strategic defensive operation") was a battle during the second phase of Operation Barbarossa, the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union, in World War II.

Smolensk Governorate (Russian: Смоленская губерния, romanized: Smolenskaja gubernija), or the Government of Smolensk, was an administrative division (a guberniya) of the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, and the Russian SFSR, which existed, with interruptions, between 1708 and 1929.Smolensk Governorate, together with seven other governorates, was established on December 29 [O.

Smolensk Voivodeship (Latin: Palatinatus smolencensis, Belarusian: Смале́нскае ваяво́дзтва, Polish: Województwo smoleńskie, Lithuanian: Smolensko vaivadija) was a unit of administrative division and local government in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and later the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.The territory of Smolensk was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1404, but the voivodeship was established only in 1508.

The 2nd Emperor Alexander III's Sofia Infantry Regiment (Russian: 2-й пехотный Софийский Императора Александра III полк) was an infantry regiment of the Russian Imperial Army. By 1914, the 2nd Sofia Infantry Regiment was part of the 1st Infantry Division, and it fought in World War I before being dissolved in 1918 after the Russian Revolution.