The Soviet 'Night Witches' of World War Two - BBC REEL

During World War Two, the Soviet Air Forces created a women-only regiment that flew cropper planes to bomb the enemy at night. The Nazis called them the 'Night Witches'.
In the diary of Yevgeniya (Zhenya) Rudneva, a 20-year-old astronomy student in Moscow, we're offered a rare glimpse into her life in the regiment.
Video by Irena Sedunova and Anna Bressanin
#bbcreel #bbc #bbcnews

[@crafty_badger]

I live near airport where they were based during battle for Novorossiysk. They are legends.

[@namastezen3300]

Thank you for your comment. All the best regards to you. Spasibo

[@samuelvandervecht1554]

The night witches were an amazing group of women who faced down adversity from both their own military and the obvious axis military. It boggles my mind that most of them were under 30. And were so successful. Amazing! It’s a beautiful story of overcoming adversity and a great testimony to the power of women. I wish it was more published.

[@losalfajoresok]

This story deserves a movie!

[@X_x_kingfisher_x_X]

My salute to Miss Rudneva.

[@m3gawither7734]

Undetected, unexpected

[@colonelcorn9500]

Wings of glory, tell their story

[@jurrehuizinga7136]

​@@colonelcorn9500aviation, deviation

[@joaquindonoso5481]

​@@jurrehuizinga7136Undetected, Stealth Perfected

[@frankvargas6052]

Rest in peace angels, your stars will shine for eternity!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@namastezen3300]

Without the grit of the Russian people, I don't think the Nazis would have ever been defeated. Spasibo

[@Randomdudefromtheinternet]

Didn't see it so I'll do it myself: 🎵From the depths of hell in silence, ...🎵

[@infamouskitcat3937]

"Cast their spells, explosive violence.."

[@dominicnevins2144]

"Russia night time, flight perfected.."

[@thurin84]

"Canvas wings of death Prepare to meet your fate Night Bomber Regiment 588"

[@davidferrara1105]

♫The wind will whisper...♪

[@codiersklave]

You and all who answered you are awesome \m/

[@dreci3001]

This is what Slavs expect of their women, and we respect them and fear them, because they can be extremely hard-line even by men's standards. Respect and love for the sacrifice required. Mother, daughter, girl are usually treated like queens, as keepers of the family and in order to avoid exposing them to the horrors of war, but our history is full of wars, and our women have a special place in times of need!

[@theWZZA]

I loved this. War is a disease I hope we can eradicate someday.

[@realitycheck3363]

When I was 19, I was on the front-line of an obscure 12 year war, you've most likely never even heard of. That is not important. The weirdest part that struck me about her story, was how happy she was. I remember one day, after a couple of difficult days, I sat back against a tree one day, watching the sun set, with a cup of coffee boiling on a little tablet stove between my legs, and suddenly just felt the weirdest calm come over me. I can honestly say that that exact moment in time, was the happiest I have ever felt, in all my life. It was just such an amazing feeling, that I have never felt before, or since. It was an amazing experience, right in the middle of a dirty, deadly war. So I think I know exactly what she means. To this day, whenever I feel down, I just think back to that specific moment in time, and I feel perfectly fine again. Humans are so weird.

[@thatguy22441]

Which war?

[@murraykriner9425]

My thanks for your sharing this young women's aspirations, feelings and thoughts with us here.

[@thomaspeters5889]

In the little corners of all of world war 2 you will find stories like this. These brave women who until 1941 were not allowed to fight at the front lines and now heros forever.

[@chechimemori1484]

Does anyone know where one can get the book that has Zhenya's diary and letters?

[@peterisawesomeplease]

look up Women-Air-War-Eastern-Front on amazon. It contains them.

[@hbt5427]

Wonderful video, History is never enough in the Age of Idiocracy we're living in nowadays.

[@johnheigis83]

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[@kristoffermangila]

Swedish metal band Sabaton have a song about these girls. Its titled, appropriately enough, "Night Witches".

[@jurrehuizinga7136]

From the depths of hell in silence. cast their spells, explosive violence.

[@adampalmer5399]

When I thought I had learned almost everything about WW2 I just love learning things like this! #BBCRocks

[@adampalmer5399]

@Voracious Reader Oh okay, Thanks I appreciate the tip! I’ll check it out!

[@namastezen3300]

A friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, Lyudmila Pavlichenko? All the best regards to you

[@david.walters]

To the person reading this, Good Luck! Stop stressing, everything will be okay. No matter what hardships you are facing right now, you can and will make it through it!❤️

[@Alexander_Simonov]

Thank you.

[@DyslexicSolMusic]

From the depths of hell in silence, cast their spells explosive violence, Russian night time flights perfected, Flawless mission undetected.

[@eluna34]

Where did you guys get a hold of the diary I am unable to find a copy.

[@1joshjosh1]

Can you get the journal in English?

[@carycoller3140]

Who are the 4 nitwits giving this a 👎, and why?

[@dominicnevins2144]

'Tis a shame that BBC didn't include Sabaton's 'Night Witches' in the video.

[@scottburke9379]

I know it's hard but can we get more than 6 to 10 minutes of these courageous women ?

[@Yabbagabbagool]

I've been thinking about these women a lot after only recently learning about their lives.

[@korndog87]

insane just learnt about these women! brave!

[@johnheigis83]

Watch.... PBS.... "Half the Sky": "FET"... ( In Part II). And, "Meet John Doe" (Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwick...).. A system that mixes those possibilities, as our secondary manual backup system.

[@user-vs6vt8gu2r]

My beloved grandmoms whish you good health, prosperity and thanks for a victory and my life.

[@alf6259]

I learned about this from sabaton !!!

[@analfabetofuncionaaal]

the blood of the soviet people saved europe

[@nickcarroll5034]

bullshit. The soviets were invaders and killed mass amounts of people in gulag death camps. Holdomor is nothing to be proud of either.

[@HappyCat-142]

Heros

[@TinLeadHammer]

I wonder why the BBC shortened "I miss you not just with all my heart, but with my whole body" to "I miss you with all my heart".

[@namastezen3300]

Poor translation? All the best regards to you.

[@HappyCat-142]

saving space

[@sheilalaw6665]

Girl boss

[@1joshjosh1]

I want to make a family with the white top girl.

[@nursedaniel72]

I'm sure these gallant ladies would be unhappy with the war in Ukraine. They fought the good fight. This war is unjust and makes a mockery of those brave female fighters of WW2

[@gastrogubimmed8112]

I am sure they will be proud of putin for fighting the new fascist neo nazis ukranians wannabes whom there ancestors lost there lives for them.shame on them all..and uraa to all.who fight nazis.

[@Tina06019]

Several of them were Ukrainians.

[@magnusmcgraw]

The women deserve what the Russians did to the German women. No more and no less!

[@johnconner9149]

What are you talking about?

[@magnusmcgraw]

@@johnconner9149 That these women deserved the same thing that the Red Army did to the German women during their occupation of the country. No more and no less.

[@alpiekaar]

@@magnusmcgraw you anti russian asshole.

[@osborn.illustration]

So based. I am happy just knowing that these women existed. My antifascist sisters of the night. Come sisters, we fly!

[@alpiekaar]

Russian. tv series. NIGHT SWALLOWS I recommend it. ....... English sub titles