Kharkov battle. February-March 1943 of the year. The liberation and surrender of Kharkov

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The first two attempts to liberate Kharkov (January 1942 and May 1942) ended in failure and "Barvenkowski boiler". After the defeat by the Germans at Stalingrad, German troops rolled back to the west without any serious resistance. On the euphoria of victories, the Soviet leadership decided that the German troops suffered a crushing defeat and they did not pose a serious danger. The headquarters considered that the Soviet troops were able to carry out serious offensive operations of a strategic scale and decided for the third time to carry out the obsession to defeat the enemy in the Kharkov region and reach the Dnieper, encircling and liquidating the southern German group, pressing them to the Sea of ​​Azov and the Black Sea.





Plans and condition of forces of the warring parties


In fact, the forecasts of the Soviet command were far from reality, the German troops had not yet lost their power, the German command controlled the situation and considered options for stopping the Soviet offensive and counterattacking them.

The commander of the Army Group Don (later South), Manstein saw the main danger in the possibility of cutting off the southern group of troops from the Dnieper to the Sea of ​​Azov and believed that it was necessary to strengthen the Kharkov group and withdraw the southern group to a new defensive line along the Mius River.

Kharkov battle. February-March 1943 of the year. The liberation and surrender of Kharkov


Stalin approved on January 23 the plan proposed by the General Staff for the operations of the Star and the Leap. Operation "Star" was carried out by the forces of the left wing of the Voronezh Front under the command of Golikov in cooperation with the 6 Army of the South-Western Front under the command of Vatutin and provided for a massive tank attack in the direction of Kharkov and further Zaporozhye in order to liberate the Kharkov industrial region and create favorable opportunities for offensive in the Donbass.

Operation "Jump" was carried out by the forces of the South-Western Front and provided for the encirclement and destruction of German troops in the interfluve of the Seversky Donets and Dnieper, the liberation of Donbass, access to the Dnieper in the Zaporozhye region and the liquidation of the southern German group.

The main blow was delivered by the troops of the Voronezh Front by the forces of the 38th, 60th and 40th armies and the 18th separate rifle corps. On the left flank, the 6th Army of the Southwestern Front, reinforced by the 3rd tank Army of Rybalko, 6th Cavalry Corps, three rifle divisions and other formations and units from the reserve of the High Command. The general objective of the operation was the capture of Kursk, Belgorod, the breakthrough of tank and cavalry formations in the rear of the enemy's Kharkov group and its surroundings. It was planned to advance the Voronezh Front by about 150 km, followed by an attack on Poltava.

The troops of the Voronezh Front were opposed by the German 2 Army (7 infantry divisions against the Soviet 38 and 60 Army) and the Lants Army Group. Soviet troops advancing on Kharkov numbered up to 200 thousand people, the German army group “Lants” of up to 40 thousand people opposed them, which achieved significant superiority over the enemy, especially almost three times in tanks.

At the same time, the Soviet command did not give due importance to the information that the 40, 48 and 57 German tank corps were not defeated and that a fresh SS tank corps was sent from Kharkov to France under the command of the Obergruppenführer Hausser, consisting of the elite tank divisions Leibstandart Adolf Hitler ”,“ Dead Head ”and“ Reich ”.

Start of operations "Star" and "Jump"


The first operation began on 29 on January 1943 of the year, Operation Leap Forward, by the offensive of the 6 Army against the right wing of the Lants army group in the Kupyansk area. By the 6 of February, the Oskol River was forced and the troops left on the right flank of the Seversky Donets River, Kupyansk, Izyum and Balaklea were taken, and the 6-I army advanced 127 kilometers.

Operation Star began on February 2 with the advance of the Voronezh Front, the 3 Panzer Army (2 Panzer Corps, 5 Rifle Divisions, 2 Tank Brigades, 2 Cavalry Divisions) attacked from the east to Kharkov, (69 Army (from the northeast) 4 rifle divisions) and 40-I army (1 tank corps, 6 rifle divisions, 3 tank brigades) advanced through Belgorod. North of the 38-I army was advancing on Oboyan, and the 60-I army on Kursk.

The troops of the 40 and 60 Army took Kursk and Belgorod by February 9 and rushed from the north to Kharkov, the 69 Army broke through the Volchansk to the city from the east, the 3 Tank Army moved from the southeast to Kharkov Fishing in interaction with the 6 m cavalry corps. However, the advance to Kharkov of the 3th Panzer Army was stopped on February 5 in the 45 km east of Kharkov by the SS Reich tank and grenadier division.


German artillery on the streets


The troops of the Voronezh and Southwestern fronts received an order, not taking into account the rear support, to break through the battle formations of the retreating enemy and go to the Dnieper before the spring thaw. The implementation of such an order often led to tragic consequences. So, near the village of Malinovka on the eastern shore of the Seversky Donets, a rifle unit was thrown into battle without the support of tanks and artillery. The Germans pinned it to the ground with artillery fire and did not allow them to move forward and retreat. In the 20-th degree frost, more than a thousand fighters simply froze in the trenches with weapons in the hands and could not be saved. After supporting the tanks, Seversky Donets was nevertheless forced and on February 10 captured Chuguev.

The liberation of Kharkov


Soviet troops continued to develop the offensive, bypassing Kharkov from the north and south. In general, the 40 Army carried out an operation to encircle Kharkov, advancing from the north and at the same time bypassing it from the north-west and west. Having felt a weak spot in the German defenses, they broke through it from the south, and the uncontrolled 6 Cavalry Corps was introduced into the breakthrough.

Lanz regrouped his units for the defense of Kharkov from the east and north-east, ordered the units of the Reich division to retreat to the western shore of the Seversky Donets and created a mobile group for a counterattack on the 6 cavalry corps that broke through Kharkov.



Kharkov faced a real threat of surrender. Hitler issued an order prohibiting the surrender of the city and February 6 personally flew to Zaporozhye and demanded from Field Marshal Manstein to strengthen measures for the defense of Kharkov.

Manstein completely differently assessed the situation in this sector of the front. He objectively believed that it was impossible to keep Kharkov, that in the south it was necessary to withdraw troops to a new line of defense along the Mius River, to allow Soviet troops to advance west and southwest as far as possible, strike them on the flank and destroy them. He hardly convinced Hitler of his innocence, and he approved the "Manstein plan."

To the south and southeast of Kharkov, the troops of the 3-th tank army received the task of capturing the initial positions for the assault on the city. Units of the 3-th Panzer Army on 11 in February fought on the eastern approaches to the city, the 6-th cavalry corps was tasked with forming a barrier to the west of the city with interception of roads leading from Kharkov to the west and south-west.

The launch of the 12th Panzer Corps of Kravchenko on February 5 in February significantly accelerated the advance of the 40 Army and on February 13 its units liberated Dergachi and entered the outskirts of Kharkov. The corps of General Kravchenko burst into an extensive gap and quickly reached the Olshan region, north-west of Kharkov. By February 14, the advance detachments of the corps had already reached the Lyubotin and Bogodukhov areas, bypassing Kharkov deeply. The corps continued its offensive and on February 23 freed Akhtyrka, the farthest point in the west.



The two Soviet fronts continued their successful offensive, continuing to climb further into the "bag" prepared by Manstein. Soviet intelligence did not work and did not reveal a threat to the troops. By mid-February, the German command finally convinced that the main blow of the Soviet troops was conducted in the direction of Zaporozhye through the gap between the 1-th tank army in the south and the Lants group in the north in order to capture the crossing on the Dnieper. German troops completed preparations for the implementation of the "Manstein Plan" and were ready to strike at the flank.

Lants tried to defeat the 6th cavalry corps south of Kharkov, but the activity of the 40th army of Moskalenko did not allow him to eliminate the threat of circumventing the right flank of the army group. While heavy battles were taking place on the streets of Kharkov, a significant part of the Reich division continued to fight against the 6 Cavalry Corps south of the city. The advance of the cavalry corps was finally stopped in the area of ​​Novaya Vodolagi and on February 13 the cavalry corps was knocked out of this region.

The situation in Kharkov by noon on February 14 for February became critical for the Germans, the city’s environment was almost complete. Groups of Soviet tanks broke through defensive orders from the north, north-west and southeast and reached the outskirts of the city. The supply route Kharkov - Poltava was shot by Soviet artillery. On February 15, the troops of the Soviet 3th Tank Army, 40th and 69th Armies (in total - 8 Tank Brigades, 13 Rifle Divisions) launched an assault on Kharkov from three directions. The Soviet forces were opposed by two German SS divisions - the Reich and Adolf Hitler. In the ring around the city there was only one small passage in the southeast.

Hitler continued to insist on keeping Kharkov. Under the threat of encirclement, the commander of the SS Panzer Corps, Hausser, not inclined to participate in the new "Stalingrad", ordered his units to leave the city, despite Hitler's categorical ban.

It was almost impossible to stop the departure that had begun. Despite the order to keep Kharkov “to the last man,” parts of the Hausser corps left Kharkov, making a breakthrough to the southwest. Tanks paved the way for the grenadiers, artillery, anti-aircraft guns and sappers covered the flanks, ensuring the withdrawal of the group in the region of the Uda River. Towards the end of February 15, troops of the 40 Army cleared the southwestern, western, and northwestern parts of the city from the enemy. From the east and southeast, Khar¬kov included units of the divisions of the 3 Tank Army. According to the recollections of Kharkiv survivors of the occupation, Soviet troops entered the city exhausted and tired, there were few equipment, not only horses, but even oxen, dragged artillery.

After receiving a report that the SS Panzer Corps did not obey his orders, Hitler became furious. A few days later, the commander of the Kharkov group of forces, General Lants, was replaced by the general of the tank forces Kempf and this group of forces received the official name "Kempf Army Group".

Manstein's counterattack


Hitler flew to Manstein’s headquarters in Zaporozhye on 18 on February. As a result of the two-day meetings, it was decided to abandon attempts to return Kharkov. Hitler gave Manstein the green light to carry out an operation to encircle the Soviet 6 Army and Popov’s tank group. The Führer authorized a significant strategic retreat and agreed to surrender the eastern Donetsk region to Mius.

The task force "Hollidt" with battles retreated from the Seversky Donets to a less extended Miuss position, where it was supposed to provide a continuous front. Units of the 1 Tank Army under the command of General Mackensen were transferred to Seversky Donets to strengthen the northern wing of the army group. From the Lower Don, the 4-I Goth tank army was transferred north to the western wing of Army Group Don to the area between the Seversky Donets and the bend of the Dnieper. Manstein was preparing a grouping of troops for a counterattack in order to exclude the exit of Soviet troops to the Dnieper in the Kremenchug region, which opens the way for them to Crimea itself.



Stalin and the highest Soviet command were convinced that Manstein’s armies were retreating all along the front and the withdrawal of the Hollidt task force from the Seversky Donets was regarded as direct evidence of this and nothing could prevent the German catastrophe between the Seversky Donets and the Dnieper rivers. Moreover, all intelligence data indicated that the enemy was being evacuated from the Seversky Donets region and was withdrawing troops beyond the Dnieper.

Manstein saw through Stalin’s plan with his risky operation to cut off the southern Wehrmacht group and decided to play along with him, creating the illusion of a mass retreat and concentrating troops for a flank attack.

Meanwhile, the advanced units of Popov’s tank group, as a result of a raid on Krasnoarmeyskoye, cut the Dnepropetrovsk-Stalin railway and ended up about sixty kilometers from Zaporozhye, threatening the industrial heart of the Donetsk basin.

Mannstein, on February 19, gives the order of the 4th Tank Army on a counterattack in order to destroy the 6th Soviet Army, advancing through Pavlograd to Dnepropetrovsk and the Kampf Army Group to block the advance of Soviet troops to the Dnieper from the north through Krasnograd and Kremenchug. At the dawn of February 20, units of the 1 SS Panzer Corps and 48 Panzer Corps launched an offensive against the forces of the Southwestern Front and the SS Reich division delivered a deep blow to the flank of the 6 Soviet Army.

Supported by aviation tank corps are rapidly advancing, and on February 23, parts of the 1st SS Panzer Corps and the 48th Panzer Corps are connected in Pavlograd and reliably surround two tank and one cavalry Soviet corps that went to Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye.

General Popov, on the night of 20 on 21 of February, asked Vatutin to authorize the withdrawal of his tank group, but he did not receive consent and now it was not possible to save the encircled troops. Only on 24 of February Vatutin finally realized the full measure of error and understood Manstein’s plan, which enabled the Soviet troops of two fronts to engage in battles, to remain without reserves and only then launched a counterattack. Now Vatutin hastily ordered the army group to suspend the offensive and go on the defensive. But it was too late, Popov’s tank group was completely defeated, and the 6 Army was in a desperate situation, large parts of it were cut off and surrounded. Popov’s group tried to break through to the north, but they only had a few tanks without fuel and ammunition, there was also no artillery and the Germans stopped this attempt.

To alleviate the situation of his armies, Vatutin requested the Stavka to intensify offensive operations in the southern sector of the front on Mius. But these operations also ended in complete failure, parts of the 4th mechanized corps that broke through the Germans' positions at Matveyev Kurgan were surrounded and almost completely destroyed or captured, and parts of the 8th cavalry corps breaking through the front line were also surrounded by Debaltsev , defeated and captured.

The advanced units of the German troops, suppressing the last hotbeds of resistance in the Krasnoarmeysky area, on February 23, on a broad front, flowing around Barvenkovo, moved north and west and pursued the retreating Soviet units. The initiative finally passed to the Germans and the Soviet troops were not able to establish a new line of defense. On February 25, the Reich and Totenkopf divisions occupied Lozova during fierce battles.

Rapidly advancing, Goth's tank corps pursued the retreating Soviet troops, they were surrounded and destroyed before they reached the Seversky Donets. As a result of the breakthrough of the Soviet front, the German command had a chance to once again take control of the border along the Seversky Donets and enter the rear of the Soviet group in the Kharkov region.

On the evening of February 28, the 40th Panzer Corps was already on a wide front in the area of ​​the Seversky Donets south of Raisins, at the positions that it left in January during the winter offensive of the Soviet troops. Popov’s tank group, a powerful advanced front-line force, simply ceased to exist. She left 251 tank, 125 anti-tank guns, 73 heavy guns and thousands of dead on the battlefield between the Krasnoarmeysky and Raisins.

Three divisions of the SS Panzer Corps were reassigned by 28 on February against 3 TA Rybalko. By converging blows, they took the Soviet group in pincers in the triangle Kegichevka - Krasnograd - the Berestovaya river. The 6-th cavalry corps, the 12 and 15-th tank corps, the 111-I, 184-I, 219-I rifle divisions numbering about 100 thousand people were surrounded. Already surrounded, they received an order to leave and at dawn 3 on March they went on a breakthrough to the north in the direction of Taranovka. Having suffered heavy losses in people and equipment, part of the troops escaped from the encirclement, and the remaining 5 of March surrendered. After leaving the encirclement, they were sent to the rear for reformation, as they suffered heavy losses. Having defeated the 3-th tank army, the Germans opened their way to Kharkov.

By March 3, the troops of the Southwestern Front had completed the withdrawal to the eastern bank of the Seversky Donets River, formed a strong front at the Balakley-Krasny Liman line and stopped the enemy’s offensive operations.

For three weeks of fighting, the Soviet command suffered terrible losses, the 6 and 69 I Soviet armies, the 3 I tank army and Popov’s tank group were practically defeated. Six tank corps, ten rifle divisions and half a dozen separate brigades were liquidated or suffered heavy losses. It was a fantastic victory for Manstein. The biggest threat to the German Eastern Front since the start of the campaign in 1941 and the threat of the complete destruction of the southern group were averted. The consequences of the German defeat in Stalingrad were also eliminated.

Delivery of Kharkov


The most tempting strategic goal for the Germans was Kharkov and they decided to implement it. German troops launched an attack on Kharkov 4 March from the south. The tank corps of the SS Hausser (3 divisions) and the 40 tank corps (69 tank and 3 motorized divisions) attacked the remnants of the 48-th tank army and the 2 and 1 armies. Under the onslaught of the Germans, Soviet troops began on March 7 a withdrawal to Kharkov. After the defeat of the strike group of the 3th Panzer Army, the SS Hausser tank corps was aimed at bypassing the city from the west and on March 8 went to the western outskirts.

Manstein 9 March ordered to take Kharkov. The Leibstandart division was to attack the city from the north and northeast, the Reich division from the west. The Totenkopf division should cover the offensive sector from Soviet attacks threatening from the north-west and north. The task was also to cut the Kharkiv-Chuguev road and prevent the receipt of reinforcements.

By order of Hausser, Kharkov was blocked from the west and north by the Leibstandart and Reich divisions, which began with heavy fighting to move to the railway station to dismember the defense of the city. They decided not to take the city with a frontal offensive, but cut off the defenders of the city from the possibility of receiving reinforcements from the north and east. In Kharkov, on 14 of March, three rifle divisions were surrounded, the 17-I NKVD brigade and two separate tank brigades.

Since March 12, fierce street fighting has begun in the city, lasting four days. Soviet soldiers offered stubborn resistance, especially at intersections, meeting German armored vehicles with anti-tank rifles. Snipers hit the roofs of houses, inflicting heavy losses of manpower. By the end of March 13, two-thirds of the city was in the hands of German troops, mainly the northern quarters, while the resistance of the defenders to the cities did not weaken.

During the 15 of March, the fighting in the city was still going on, the Leibstandart Division cleansed the city mainly in its southeastern regions. The SS Totenkopf division broke into Chuguev on the night of March 14 and, despite active resistance, cleared the city on March 15.



Vatutin ordered on March 15 to leave Kharkov, by this time the garrison of the city was divided into two separate parts. General Belov, who led the defense of the city, decided to break through to the southeast, between Zmiev and Chuguev. The breakthrough was generally successful, breaking out of the city and marching 30 kilometers with fights, the defenders crossed the Seversky Donets and joined the front troops by March 17.

General Hausser, who left the city four weeks ago in defiance of Hitler’s categorical order, won this battle for Kharkov in six days and captured it again. This allowed the SS Panzer Corps to turn north and launch an offensive on Belgorod, which there was no one to defend and it fell on 18 of March. The Soviet units were unable to repulse Belgorod with counterattacks, and with the 19 of March on the whole front there was a pause associated with the spring thaw.

According to the results of the battles from 4 to 25 on March, the troops of the Voronezh Front retreated to 100-150 km, which led to the formation of the “Kursk ledge”, where a gigantic battle took place in July 1943. The third attempt to liberate Kharkov also ended tragically, the city remained under the Germans and the rout of the Soviet troops overshadowed their defeat at Stalingrad. This victory returned the Wehrmacht’s troops confidence in their own capabilities, and the Soviet troops were now anxiously awaiting the upcoming summer campaign, taught by the bitter experience of previous battles on this sector of the front.
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  1. +19
    3 October 2019 07: 31
    A vivid illustration of the fact that there are no perfectly bad or perfectly good commanders. For this operation was the defeat of such outstanding commanders as Rokossovsky, Vatutin and Rybalko. And the representatives of the Headquarters Zhukov and Vasilevsky who took part in its development. Manstein finally got sick with star disease.
    The heavy defeat of the Red Army, one of the few when an entire tank army was surrounded. The Germans extinguished the Soviet offensive after Stalingrad and were able to begin planning the last large-scale offensive operation on the Eastern Front - the Citadel.
    The events described in the article are embraced by 2 operations - the Voronezh-Kharkov strategic offensive (January 13 - March 3) and the Kharkov defensive (March 4 - 25).
    Soviet troops suffered heavy losses (Krivosheev's data) - for the first 153 thousand (including irrevocable 55 thousand) and for the second - 86 thousand (including irrevocable 45 thousand) people.
    The last lesson of this level for the Red Army.
    1. +7
      3 October 2019 08: 12
      Um, excuse me, where did you see the defeat of Rokosovsky here? Vatutin generally tended to bury.
      1. +6
        3 October 2019 12: 05
        Quote: Albatroz
        this operation was the defeat of such prominent commanders as Rokossovsky, Vatutin and Rybalko.

        Quote: Cartalon
        where are you defeated Rokosovsky did you see?

        Rokossovsky’s front spent another strategic operation - Sevskaya. The task is to get out from the Dmitriev area to Desna. In the future, already beyond the Bryansk forest, turn north and meet with troops from the Rzhev, Sychevka area. The first stage was carried out successfully and with little blood by the Kryukov group. Later in the breakthrough it was planned to introduce a tank army and another army of the front, which was just traveling from near Stalingrad. Both of them Headquarters sent to save the situation near Kharkov. Against Kryukov, the Germans transferred giant forces for two Cossack divisions without tanks and three ski teams of Siberian recruits. With battles and losses, the group retreated to the border of Sevsk. This place has become the most western on the Kursk Bulge. Losses in the operation - about 30 thousand people. Although they smashed a lot of Germans, Magyars and policemen. Now not at home - open links, but, in my opinion, that side has lost more
  2. +8
    3 October 2019 07: 32
    Dear author, many thanks for the informative article. Bitterly read about the defeats and huge sacrifices of Soviet soldiers. After all, they could have been avoided by careful planning of offensive operations. But the commanders of the fronts and armies, together with their headquarters, apparently did not really know how to do this. Their mistakes and miscalculations are generously paid for by the lives of ordinary soldiers and junior commanders. And Kharkov is not the only example ...
  3. +7
    3 October 2019 07: 34
    Thank you very much for the series of articles about Kharkov.
    1. +19
      3 October 2019 10: 10
      I would also add to the article - during the capture of Kharkov, the Germans drowned their hands up to the elbows in blood with their war crimes. The SS men burned the hospital with our wounded together with the people ... and this is just one example! "Leibstandarte" and Piper managed to inflict carnage even during the attack on the city. He was lucky, you bastard! angry In December 1944, in the Ardennes, he and his nonhumans shot 86 American prisoners - they were confused under their feet, they prevented from advancing. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, in 1956 he was released, in 1976 unknown Good People threw bottles of combustible mixture into his house, and the fanatic was fried, felt literally on his skin how he acted with the civilian population .. But Good People - did not find .... hi
      1. +1
        3 October 2019 18: 40
        Well, God forbid those Good people health! And beautiful grandchildren! laughing
        1. +1
          4 October 2019 00: 11
          Well, God forbid those Good people health! And beautiful grandchildren!

          exactly. They did justice! soldier
      2. +2
        3 October 2019 22: 31
        Hi, Nikolai. In the Western press, this was filed as the executed sentence of the former partisans from Maki. But A.Bolny in one of his books wrote that he hopes that our guys from the KGB or the GRU did this. I would also like to think so.
        1. +1
          4 October 2019 00: 13
          I would also like to think so.

          me too, but not sure. As far as I remember, our special services didn’t remove the German criminals, but those who represented the danger at the moment - the Bandera, for example. Konstantin, caught myself thinking - I do not write the names of bastards with a capital letter .... hi
          1. +1
            4 October 2019 01: 26
            Well, that's right, but for what they should be treated with respect.
      3. +1
        6 October 2019 14: 35
        Oh really not found? How glad I am! It came to be seen in 1976 he was cursed before his death
      4. +1
        2 December 2020 01: 21
        Well, the Soviet soldiers, too, "comrades", as the SS men addressed each other, did not favor. They were shot on the spot if they happened to be taken prisoner.
  4. +6
    3 October 2019 07: 37
    Our generals studied with great blood ... underestimating the enemy cost our army dearly.
    Thanks to the author for an interesting article. hi .
    1. +2
      3 October 2019 13: 11
      suicide bombers (both generals and rank and file) are rather spiteful.
      they fed him for that. READY -------- LABOR FOR 50 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE INDUSTRY OF DON-CRIVBASS AND THE TERMS OF THE TERRITORIES.
      beat off at any cost, maybe they knew how in the Urals the boys drove the plan.

      DIE SOLDIER BUT SAVE AUNT MAN! and died
  5. +8
    3 October 2019 08: 47
    There were also eliminated the consequences of the defeat of the Germans in Stalingrad.

    Nonsense: what, did the Germans take Stalingrad again? Kursk? Old, Novy Oskol and other, other?
    belay
    In addition, Stalingrad is strategic victory, a turning point of war has occurred.
    Defeat near Kharkov is heavy, but tactical failure.
    1. +7
      3 October 2019 09: 37
      Quote: Olgovich
      There were also eliminated the consequences of the defeat of the Germans in Stalingrad.

      Nonsense: what, did the Germans take Stalingrad again? Kursk? Old, Novy Oskol and other, other?
      belay
      In addition, Stalingrad is strategic victory, a turning point of war has occurred.
      Defeat near Kharkov is heavy, but tactical failure.


      Everything seems to be true. What are the cons?
      1. +4
        3 October 2019 13: 02
        sergo1914 "Everything seems to be true. What are the disadvantages for?"
        Yes, that's right. From me he is a plus.))) People probably no longer read it.)))
        1. 0
          6 October 2019 14: 38
          Which side is tactical. The Germans secured the southern grouping. Donbass. They didn’t let go to the Dnieper. This is a strategic success.
      2. +4
        3 October 2019 15: 28
        Quote: sergo1914
        Everything seems to be true. What are the cons?

        Just ideological opponents beat minuses for everything in a row, without reading carefully! laughing
        1. +1
          3 October 2019 19: 36
          Quote: Ingvar 72
          Just ideological opponents beat minuses for everything in a row, without reading carefully!

          You offend me, for example, I am really an ideological opponent of Olgievich, but I also put a plus for this comment.
          1. +3
            3 October 2019 20: 26
            Quote: Alexander Green
            for example, really an ideological opponent of Olgievich,

            You are just smarter and more mature. In some places, you and my ideological opponent, especially in your views on the causes of the revolution and the personality of Lenin. But according to Stalin’s personality, we don’t have any contradictions, just as there aren’t any contradictions about where Russia is heading now. Or rather, to where the current government is driving it. hi
          2. +2
            3 October 2019 22: 35
            Hello Alexander. I respect for this, although you yourself know, we are different people. But decency, in my opinion, is above all. hi
    2. +3
      3 October 2019 10: 38
      I do not agree with you - it was rather a difficult homework before a large control. But the test work in the summer and autumn of 1943, our army wrote perfectly! And even before the evening of May 8, 1945 they did not stop!
    3. 0
      6 October 2019 14: 40
      This is a strategic success. The Germans didn’t let the entire southern group get cut off and put in a difficult situation, and this is the Donbass, etc. .. They didn’t let our people go to the Dnieper and gain a foothold there. And at the same time destroying very large formations. It’s a serious defeat for our people. This is strategic success.
  6. +5
    3 October 2019 10: 41
    The article is super! As a former Kharkiv citizen, it was very interesting to me - in Soviet times, I was somehow hushed up and did not say much. Although, to think about it, and what was there to hush up - it was necessary to tell the truth about troubles and victories! Thanks again !!!
  7. +3
    3 October 2019 12: 24
    It’s scary when you underestimate the enemy or don’t understand that you are getting a trap set up for you.
  8. +1
    3 October 2019 17: 14
    Quote: The same Lech
    Our generals studied with great blood ... underestimating the enemy cost our army dearly.
    Thanks to the author for an interesting article. hi .

    Rather, not generals, but the military-political leadership of the country as a whole. It was their "Wishlist", not confirmed by the necessary resources and intelligence, and created the Kiev cauldron, and the Neva patch, and the Crimean tragedy, and the Rzhev-Vyazma catastrophe.
    The Battle of Kursk is already there, on the whole, it was prepared more meaningfully, especially in terms of reserves and reserves, and the reconnaissance worked for 4+, therefore, despite the fact that it was very difficult, it was a turning point.
  9. 0
    4 October 2019 03: 15
    So it was overshadowed ... The Germans were not alone in the war, so you need to consider not only the losses of the Germans, but also their allies

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“Non-profit organizations, unregistered public associations or individuals performing the functions of a foreign agent,” as well as media outlets performing the functions of a foreign agent: “Medusa”; "Voice of America"; "Realities"; "Present time"; "Radio Freedom"; Ponomarev; Savitskaya; Markelov; Kamalyagin; Apakhonchich; Makarevich; Dud; Gordon; Zhdanov; Medvedev; Fedorov; "Owl"; "Alliance of Doctors"; "RKK" "Levada Center"; "Memorial"; "Voice"; "Person and law"; "Rain"; "Mediazone"; "Deutsche Welle"; QMS "Caucasian Knot"; "Insider"; "New Newspaper"