Smolensk has been a special place to Russians for many reasons, not least for the fact that the local cathedral housed one of the most venerated Orthodox icons, attributed to St. Luke.

Smolensk Oblast has a temperate continental climate with warm summers and moderately cold winters.

The Cathedral Church of the Assumption, dominating the city of Smolensk from the lofty Cathedral Hill, has been the principal church of the Smolensk bishopric for 800 years.

In terms of education Vyazma has branches of the Moscow State Industrial University, the Smolensk Humanitarian University, the International Academy of Tourism ( WF RMAT ), and the Moscow State University of Technology and Management, as well as the Vyazemsky Polytechnic College.

* 1941 – Nazi Germany launches its offensive to encircle several Soviet armies near Smolensk.

On January 1, 1919, the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in Smolensk, but its government moved to Minsk as soon as the German forces had been driven out of Minsk several days later.

On 10 April 2010, several members of the political elite died in the Smolensk air crash, including Lech Kaczyński, incumbent President of Poland.

The residence, often erroneously called kremlin, also includes eleven ornate tower bells, numerous palaces, several small belfries, and the diminutive baroque Church of Our Lady of Smolensk ( 1693 ).

Later, several princes of nationally important cities, which comprised vassal appanage principalities, held this title ( Grand Prince of Moscow, Tver ', Yaroslavl ', Ryazan ', Smolensk, etc .).

During the Smolensk Campaign of 1633-1634, he accompanied Aleksander Piaseczyński's southern army and took part in several battles, among them the siege of Putyvl.

In Soviet historiography for the Red Army the Battle of Smolensk ( actually a full campaign ) would take place in several phases, divided into distinct operations to halt the German offensive and the pincers.

Between 1612 to 1618 he was the commander of the Smolensk fortress and repulsed several attempts by the Muscovite army aimed at recapturing it.

On 10 April 2010, several members of the political elite were killed in the Smolensk air crash, including Lech Kaczyński, acting President of Poland.

Hetman Radziwiłł also managed to break through the Russian lines on several occasions, bringing about 1, 000 soldiers and supplies into Smolensk to reinforce the fortress and raising the defenders ' morale.

Russian forces captured several significant locations during their advance in 1632, but Nagielski speculates that the delay in the arrival of their main force and artillery at Smolensk caused by this dilution of effort may have cost them the siege and consequently the war.

However, no other contemporary sources mention this relationship even though Lithuania and Smolensk were at war several times.

* 2010 – Polish Air Force Tu-154M crashes near Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board including President Lech Kaczyński.

The ethnic Lithuanian population is estimated to have been 420, 000 out of 1. 4 million in 1375 ( the territory was about 700, 000 km < sup > 2 </ sup >), and 550, 000 out of 3. 8 million in 1490 ( territory: 850, 000 km < sup > 2 </ sup >) Ruthenians were only nowadays Ukrainians and the whole Belarus including Smolensk and Mozhaisk Galindians were of Lithuanian ethnicity ( belonging to the same family as Prussians or Latvians ).

All of Russian states submitted to the Mongol rule, including Novgorod, Smolensk, Galich and Pskov.

From 1573, both the Latin and the Polish equivalent wielki ksiaze, in chief of Lithuania as well as Russia, Prussia, Mazovia, Samogithia, Kiev, Volhynia, Podolia, Podlachia, Livonia, Smolensk, Severia and Chernigov ( including hollow claims ), were used as part of the respective versions of the full style officially used by the kings ( title Krol ) of Poland during the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The Mongol Khan's authority extended to all Russian principalities and, in 1274 – 5, the census took place in all Rus ' cities including Smolensk and Vitebsk.

In 1903, N. Roerich together with his wife Helena Ivanovna Roerich toured through forty ancient Russian cities, including Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir, Suzdal, Yuriev-Polsky, Smolensk, Vilna, Izborsk, Pskov.

Together with the French, the Polish cavalry took part in many of the most notable battles of the Napoleonic period, including the battles of Smolensk, Fuengirola, Raszyn, and many others.

They noted that " infected zones " of partisan action included an area of 500 or 600 km², around Minsk, Pinsk, Gomel, Briansk, Smolensk and Vitebsk, including the principal roads and railways in these areas.

* 101 was the tail number of a Polish Air Force Tu-154, which crashed on the 10th April 2010 whilst on its final approach to Smolensk North Airport killing all aboard including president Lech Kaczyński and his wife.

The Army Group Centre's initial strategic goal was to defeat the Soviet armies in Belarus, including occupation of Smolensk.

In 1522 a peace was signed, under the terms of which Lithuania was forced to cede to Moscow about a quarter of its possessions within the lands of the former Kievan Rus ', including Smolensk.

Two important abbeys were embellished with stone churches, including a rare three-tented church dedicated to Our Lady of Smolensk ( Hodegetria ) and consecrated in 1638 except Polish occupation between 1611 – 1634.

Much of these territories, including the city of Smolensk, used to belong to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania before they were taken over by the Grand Duchy of Moscow in the 16th century.

Expanded regular troops of Koniecpolski ( 6, 500 including wybraniecka infantry ), 5, 500 infantry and dragoons that came with king from Smolensk, private troops of magnates and mercenaries hired by provinces.

He was listed on the flight manifest of the Tupolev Tu-154 of the 36th Special Aviation Regiment carrying the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński which crashed while landing at Smolensk-North airport near Pechersk near Smolensk, Russia, on 10 April 2010, killing all aboard.

It was merged into the Yak Aviation Company with Smolensk Aviation Plant Joint Stock Company in March 1992, although the two companies continued to be operated separately.

* 46th Air Army VGK ( Smolensk, Long Range Aviation )

He was listed on the flight manifest of the Tupolev Tu-154 of the 36th Special Aviation Regiment carrying the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński which crashed near Smolensk-North airport near Pechersk near Smolensk, Russia, on 10 April 2010, killing all aboard.

The Smolensk Aviation Plant ( SmAZ ) is a Russian aircraft production and servicing company.

It was renamed again in 1967 as the " Smolensk Machine Building Plant " of MAP ( Ministerstvo Aviatsionnoy Promyshlennosti, Ministry for the Aviation Industry ).

He was listed on the flight manifest of the Tupolev Tu-154 of the 36th Special Aviation Regiment carrying the President of Poland Lech Kaczyński and 95 others, which crashed near Smolensk-North airport near Pechersk near Smolensk, Russia, on 10 April 2010.

Today, Smolensk is noted for electronics, textiles, food processing, and diamond faceting.

Smolensk is also a major center of the engineering and metalworking industries, with the instrument-making, electronics, electrical, and auto industries having the largest share of GDP among engineering companies.

The movement continued to grow after the writer ’ s death and was at its strongest in the years immediately following the revolutions of 1917 with agricultural communities established in the provinces of Smolensk, Tver, Samara, Kursk, Perm and Kiev.

In 1708 Peter sent Alexei to Smolensk to collect provender and recruits, and after that to Moscow to fortify it against Charles XII of Sweden.

* 1941 – World War II: The Battle of Smolensk concludes with Germany capturing about 300, 000 Soviet Red Army prisoners.

After the measured victories at Smolensk and Borodino Napoleon occupied Moscow, only to find it burned by the retreating Russian Army.

This triggered a prolonged Russo-Polish War which ended with the Treaty of Andrusovo ( 1667 ), where Poland accepted the loss of Left-bank Ukraine, Kiev and Smolensk.

In later tradition the number of icons of Mary attributed to Luke would greatly multiply ; the Salus Populi Romani, the Theotokos of Vladimir, the Theotokos Iverskaya of Mount Athos, the Theotokos of Tikhvin, the Theotokos of Smolensk and the Black Madonna of Częstochowa are examples, and another is in the cathedral on St Thomas Mount, which is believed to be one of the seven painted by St. Luke the Evangelist and brought to India by St. Thomas.

* 1667 – The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth cedes Kiev, Smolensk, and left-bank Ukraine to the Tsardom of Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo.

A wall of Smolensk Kremlin in 1912. Remains of the Kolomna Kremlin.

He was buried next to Katharina at the Smolensk Lutheran Cemetery on Vasilievsky Island.

In 1248, he sent his nephews Tautvilas and Edivydas, the sons of his brother Dausprungas, along with Vykintas, the Duke of Samogitia, to conquer Smolensk, but they were unsuccessful.

Army Group Center would advance to Smolensk and then Moscow, marching through what is now Belarus and the west-central regions of Russia proper.

* 1708 – Charles XII of Sweden stops his march to conquer Moscow outside Smolensk, marking the turning point in the Great Northern War.

Yuri Gagarin was born in the village of Klushino near Gzhatsk ( renamed Gagarin in 1968 after his death ), ( now in Smolensk Oblast, Russia ), on 9 March 1934.

This era included the battles of Smolensk, Borodino, Lützen, Bautzen, and the Dresden.

* Grand Duke Vytautas ends his alliance with Muscovy and captures Vyazma and Smolensk.

* Vyacheslav of Kiev, prince of Smolensk ( b. 1083 )

* March 1 – Battle of Smolensk: King Ladislaus IV of Poland defeats the Russian army.

* The first written record of Smolensk.