The Rzhev Battles () were a series of Soviet Operations in World War II dating between January 8, 1942 and March 31, 1943; these operations took place in the general area of Rzhev, Sychyovka and Vyazma against German forces. These battles are also known as the "Rzhev meat grinder" ("Ржевская мясорубка") due to huge losses by the Red Army. A reminder of these until recently 'nameless' battles is found in the poem by Aleksandr Tvardovsky, which contains the evocative phrase I was killed near Rzhev... (Я убит подо Ржевом, 1945–1946).