Map - Velikiye Luki (Velikiye Luki)

Velikiye Luki (Вели́кие Лу́ки; lit. great meanders or longbows) is a town in Pskov Oblast, Russia, located on the meandering Lovat River. It is the second largest town in Pskov Oblast; population: Velikiye Luki is a City of Military Glory, an honor bestowed on it because of the courage and heroism its citizens displayed during World War II.

Velikiye Luki is first mentioned in a chronicle under the year of 1166 as Luki. From the 12th century, Luki was a part of the Novgorod Republic. After the construction of a fortress in 1211, Luki gained strategic importance, defending the approaches to Pskov and Novgorod. It was located near the border with Lithuania. The adjective Velikiye in the name first appeared in the early 15th century. It was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Moscow by Ivan the Great in 1478. During the Livonian War, it played an important role. It was besieged and captured by Polish King Stephen Báthory in 1580, and remained under Polish control until 1582.

In the course of the administrative reform carried out in 1708 by Peter the Great, Velikiye Luki was included into Ingermanland Governorate (known since 1710 as Saint Petersburg Governorate). It was explicitly mentioned as one of the towns the governorate comprised. In 1727, separate Novgorod Governorate was split off, and in 1772, Pskov Governorate (which between 1777 and 1796 existed as Pskov Viceroyalty) was established. After 1777, Velikiye Luki was the seat of Velikolutsky Uyezd (later known as Velikoluksky Uyezd). At the beginning of the 20th century, it evolved into an important railway hub following the construction of the railway connecting Moscow with Riga.

On 1 August 1927, the uyezds were abolished, and Velikoluksky District was established, with the administrative center in Velikiye Luki. Pskov Governorate was abolished as well, Velikiye Luki was the center of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Leningrad Oblast. On 17 June 1929 the okrug was transferred to Western Oblast. On 23 July 1930 the okrugs were also abolished. On 29 January 1935 Western Oblast was abolished, and the district was transferred to Kalinin Oblast, and on 5 February that year Velikiye Luki became the center of Velikiye Luki Okrug of Kalinin Oblast, one of the okrugs abutting the state boundaries of the Soviet Union. On 4 May 1938 the okrug was abolished again.

From 19 to 21 July 1941 and again from 25 August 1941 to 17 January 1943, Velikiye Luki was occupied by German troops. During World War II, in 1941 and 1942, fighting took place in the vicinity between German and Soviet forces. In 1942, the Germans established a forced labour camp in the city. During the Battle for Velikiye Luki (in late 1942), a German force of about 20,000 was surrounded in the town which had been turned into a fortress. After months of heavy fighting, the German defenders were finally defeated in January 1943. The town was almost completely destroyed.

A significant portion of the Soviet forces fighting on Velikiye Luki consisted of Estonians mobilized to the Red Army, and approximately 6000 of them died liberating the town. The railroad system in Velikiye Luki was the target of a mass air raid on 19 July 1944 by Heinkel He 177 heavy bomber aircraft, the only documented mass raid utilizing this model of aircraft. Many streets are named after the heroes of the War. One such street is named after Yelizaveta Chaikina.

On 22 August 1944 Velikiye Luki Oblast was established, with the administrative center in Velikiye Luki. On 2 October 1957 Velikiye Luki Oblast was abolished, and Velikiye Luki was transferred to Pskov Oblast as the town of oblast significance.