Mtsensk

Mtsensk (Russian: Мценск) is a town in Oryol Oblast, Russia, located on the Zusha River (Oka's tributary) 49 kilometers (30 mi) northeast of Oryol, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 43,222 (2010 Census);47,807 (2002 Census);48,400 (1989 Census); 28,000 (1970).

History

It was first mentioned in the Nikon Chronicle in 1146 as a part of the Principality of Chernigov. The name comes from the Mtsena River, a tributary of the Zusha, beside which the fortress stood. In 1238, Mtsensk was destroyed by Batu Khan. Since 1320, it was under the rule of Lithuania, eventually becoming a part of the Russian state in 1505. Since the beginning of the 19th century, Mtsensk was rapidly developing as an industrial town.

During Operation Barbarossa, German armored forces captured the town in the fall of 1941. In particular, troops of the 3rd Panzer Division, 4th Panzer Division, and Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland saw combat in the immediate vicinity. During the Battle of Kursk in 1943, Mtsensk served as the primary war zone.