On November 1, 1943, the Kerch-Altigan landing operation began. The purpose of the landing was to create a bridgehead on the Kerch Peninsula for the liberation of Crimea together with the troops of the 4th Ukrainian Front. It was planned to land two landings at the same time: the main one (three divisions of the 56th Army, east of Kerch) and the auxiliary (one division of the 18th Army, in the area of ​​Altigan village south of Kerch). After capturing the bridgeheads, the forces were to occupy the eastern part of the Kerch Peninsula with attacks in converging directions. The 18th Army Landing Force, despite the storm, landed secretly in the Altigan area at dawn on 1 November. Due to a strong storm, the landing forces of the 56th Army were unable to land in time. Altigan's landing group (6,000 men) received almost no artillery support, and the supply of ammunition and food was minimal. The paratroopers fought continuous heavy battles with superior enemy forces for 40 days under enemy blockade from sea and air. At the beginning of December, Altigan's men received an order to fight in the Kerch area up to the top of the main bridge. On December 6, 1,700 exhausted paratroopers broke through the Nazi defenses, surreptitiously crossed the marsh, which was considered impenetrable by the enemy, marched 20 kilometers, reached the southern outskirts of Kerch and captured Mount Mithridates. On December 10-11, the command evacuated paratroopers from the southern outskirts of Kerch. Taking advantage of the fact that the Nazis had concentrated the main forces to fight the Altigan landing, on the night of November 3, the Azov squadron successfully landed forces of the 56th Army northeast of Kerch. By November 12, the soldiers of this army had cleared the northeastern shelf of the Kerch Peninsula from the enemy. The Germans rushed reserves here and launched strong counterattacks, trying to throw soldiers into the sea. However, the soldiers of the 56th Army managed to hold the bridgehead until the start of the Crimean Operation in 1944. The Kerch bridgehead played an important role in the liberation of Crimea in the spring of 1944.

On November 1, 1943, the Kerch-Altigan landing operation began. The purpose of the landing was to create a bridgehead on the Kerch Peninsula for the liberation of Crimea together with the troops of the 4th Ukrainian Front. It was planned to land two landings at the same time: the main one (three divisions of the 56th Army, east of Kerch) and the auxiliary (one division of the 18th Army, in the area of ​​Altigan village south of Kerch). After capturing the bridgeheads, the forces were to occupy the eastern part of the Kerch Peninsula with attacks in converging directions. The 18th Army Landing Force, despite the storm, landed secretly in the Altigan area at dawn on 1 November. Due to a strong storm, the landing forces of the 56th Army were unable to land in time. Altigan's landing group (6,000 men) received almost no artillery support, and the supply of ammunition and food was minimal. The paratroopers fought continuous heavy battles with superior enemy forces for 40 days under enemy blockade from sea and air. At the beginning of December, Altigan's men received an order to fight in the Kerch area up to the top of the main bridge. On December 6, 1,700 exhausted paratroopers broke through the Nazi defenses, surreptitiously crossed the marsh, which was considered impenetrable by the enemy, marched 20 kilometers, reached the southern outskirts of Kerch and captured Mount Mithridates. On December 10-11, the command evacuated paratroopers from the southern outskirts of Kerch. Taking advantage of the fact that the Nazis had concentrated the main forces to fight the Altigan landing, on the night of November 3, the Azov squadron successfully landed forces of the 56th Army northeast of Kerch. By November 12, the soldiers of this army had cleared the northeastern shelf of the Kerch Peninsula from the enemy. The Germans rushed reserves here and launched strong counterattacks, trying to throw soldiers into the sea. However, the soldiers of the 56th Army managed to hold the bridgehead until the start of the Crimean Operation in 1944. The Kerch bridgehead played an important role in the liberation of Crimea in the spring of 1944.