Berezina

Cities and towns on the Berezina

• Babruysk
• Barysau
• Svietlahorsk

  Historical significance

• Napoleon Bonaparte's army suffered heavy losses when crossing the Berezina in November 1812 during his retreat from Russia. Since then "Berezina" is used in French as a synonym for catastrophe.
• Charles XII of Sweden's army crossed the Berezina on June 25, 1708 during his campaign against Peter the Great of Russia in the Great Northern War.
• Several armies in German Wehrmacht Army Group Centre were entrapped and prevented from crossing the Berezina in June 1944, during the envelopment phases of the Bobruysk and Minsk Offensives, within the closing phases of Operation Bagration in World War II.
• There were military actions between Germany and Russia at the Berezina River in 1917–1918.
• Several battles are named after the river.