In the dark skies over the Eastern Front of World War II, the Soviet Union deployed one of the most unusual and effective combat units of the war, the Night Witches.

Officially the 588th night bomber regiment, the unit flew outdated fragile biplanes on nighttime harassment missions against German forces,

cutting their engines to glide silently towards their targets

before dropping bombs. But perhaps more notably, the regime was entirely composed of women.

Learn more about The Night Witches on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Hi, I'm Karina Bimisturfer, host of Morning Cup of Murder, your daily true crime podcast.

Yes, you heard me right, daily true crime. Every day morning cup of murder

tells you a straightforward, short form story about murder, true crime, cold cases, disappearances,

serial killers, cults, and more. And I do that all in under 15 minutes. With over three years of stories and over 20 million

downloads, the Morning Cup of Murder podcast has become a staple of so many people's daily

routines. So, why not add it to yours? Stream Morning Cup of Murder everywhere you listen to

podcasts. And remember, stay safe.

The Night Witches, or the 588th Nightbomber Regiment, were an all-female group of aviators for the Soviet Union during World War II.

The regime was formed by Marina Ruskova, the first female navigator in the history of the Soviet Air Force.

Ruskova was one of the most famous aviators in the Soviet Union and a central figure in the creation of the all-female combat units of World War II.

Born in 1912, she began her career in aviation as a navigator and quickly gained national prominence in the 1930s after setting

several long-distance flight records, including a highly publicized non-stop flight across the

Soviet Union that made her a household name. Her achievements earned her the title Hero of the

Soviet Union, one of the country's highest honors, and gave her rare political influence in a male

dominated field.

Because of these accolades, Roscova was a celebrity and often compared to the American

Amelia Earhart. This level of respect gave Roscova personal connections to leadership in the USSR,

specifically Joseph Stalin. Stalin had been impressed by her aviation skills, perception with the public,

...