By the end of 1943, the Polotsk-Lepel partisan zone encompassed the entire Ushachy district, parts of Polotsk, Lepel, Dokshytsy, and several other districts of the Vitebsk region.

Its area was 3245 square kilometres with 1220 settlements, where about 80 thousand people lived.

Soviet power was restored here. The zone became a base and rear for the partisans. Weapons, ammunition, and medicines were delivered to partisan airfields and landing sites from the mainland. From the autumn of 1943, 16 partisan brigades operated in the zone.

On the evening of May 4, partisan groups broke through under enemy fire, across a field... 1.5 thousand people died then, but they managed to break out of the encirclement. Only a few weeks remained until the liberation of the Lepel district.

On the morning of June 28, tankers of the 10th Tank Brigade with an assault force of submachine gunners and fighters of the 7th Guards Mechanized Brigade burst into Lepel at high speed from the south and east. By 15:00 on June 28, the city was liberated.