Those pictures were taken after the Soviet Army left the city first time. After that Kharkov was taken over and surrended by Soviet Army two more times. Almost all the buildings shown on those pictures were destroed. The city looked like Stalingrad.

pictures were destroed. The city looked like Stalingrad.

During the Second World War, Nazi Germany occupied Kiev on 19 September 1941 (see the Battle of Kiev). Overall, the battle proved disastrous for the Soviet side but it significantly delayed the German advances. The delay also allowed the evacuation of all significant industrial enterprises from Kiev to the central and eastern parts of the Soviet Union, away from the hostilities, where they played a major role in arming the Nazi fighting Red Army.

advances. The delay also allowed the evacuation of all significant industrial enterprises from Kiev to the central and eastern parts of the Soviet Union, away from the hostilities, where they played a major role in arming the Nazi fighting Red Army.