It took place on 18 January 1943 in Pinsk, the town in Eastern Poland (now in Belarus), which at that time was under German occupation as part of Reichskommissariat Ukraine.

The purpose of the raid was to release a Cichociemni agent and his comrades, who had been captured by the Germans while trying to blow up the Horyn river bridge.

The raid was a success, as 40 Polish soldiers, divided into six groups and commanded by Jan Piwnik, managed to enter the heavily guarded prison, and release Alfred Paczkowski (Wania), Marian Czarnecki (Rys), and Piotr Downar (Azorek).

Captain Alfred Paczkowski (nom de guerre Wania) was trained in Great Britain and as a member of the elite Cichociemni, was parachuted over Poland in 1942.

Named one of commandants of the Wachlarz sabotage organization, he was engaged in diversionary activities in the rear of German forces, operating on Eastern Front.

Furthermore, Marian Przysiecki, a resident of Pinsk and former chief of local Wachlarz, who had managed to escape from the prison, pledged his support.

The plan was prepared in an apartment used for meetings in Brześć, by four Cichociemni agents: Piwnik himself, Jan Rogowski (Czarek), Wacław Kopisto (Kry) and Michał Fijalek (Kawy).

They were opposed by 100 German military police, 300 Ukrainian auxiliaries, 1,000 Don Cossacks, and a Wehrmacht battalion: altogether, some 3,000 men were stationed in Pinsk in January 1943.

Four groups (twelve men, including Piwnik), with one soldier dressed in an SS officer uniform, were to enter the complex, and complete their mission in less than 30 minutes.

Two additional German guards, Hellinger and Zollner, were shot by the Poles, who after finding the keys, began opening the cells, shouting in Russian: "In the name of Stalin, you are free, get out!"