July 1941

Eastern Front

The withdrawal of the 52nd an 14th Rifle Divisions to the Litsa River is completed, but Dietl's Mountain Corps is in close pursuit and attack the Soviet river line. Fierce fighting rages all day, but the Germans are struggling in the difficult Arctic conditions.

The occupation of Latvia and Lithuania is completed by Kuchler's 18th Army as they push into Estonia. The XXVI Corps establishes strong positions from Lake Peipus, through Tartu and on to the Baltic coast at Parnu. Ivanov's 8th Army in turn anchors itself on a line between Lake Peipus and the Baltic Sea in an effort to prevent the Germans moving closer to Tallinn and Leningrad. Heavy fighting immediately erupts along the length of the line as the XXVI attacks, breaking the Soviet position down.

The fighting along the Velikaya River also intensifies at the 11th and 27th Armies launch a number of counterattacks against Reinhardt's XLIt Panzer Corps. Fighting at Ostrov alone cost the Soviets more than 140 tanks destroyed, all just to gain time for the fortification of the Luga line.

To the rear of the main Soviet line, the Luga Operational Group is activated, but Pyadshev has a command in name only.

Kuntzen's LVII Panzer Corps captures bridges across the Dvina at Disna despite heavy and sustained Soviet air attack. Ershakov brings his 22nd Army up and launches a strong counterattack. Furious fighting breaks out as the Germans struggle to hold off each new Soviet assault. The 19th Panzer Division is preparing to attack toward Polotsk but is held up by these new Soviet attacks.

The Western Front launches its counterattack during the morning, the XXXIX Panzer Corps being involved in heavy fighting at Vitebsk as the 20th Army prevents the Germans from storming the city. Counterattacks by the V and VII Mechainzed Corps unfold. The V Mechanized opens the attack as it advances upon Senno, followed shortly after by the VII Mechanized. Heavy fighting breaks out with both the XXXIX and XLVII Panzer Corps, the latter having moved up to the Dniepr to the immediate south of the XXXIX Panzer Corps.

Shweppenburg's XXIX Panzer Corps comes under sustained assault as the 21st Army attacks from Zhlobin. While these attacks are launched, the West Front brings up the 16th Army and begins to insert it into the line at Orsha, covering the southern wing of the 20th Army.

The III Panzer Corps and the 6th Army push through the broken Soviet positions on the road northwest of Kiev, while the XIV and XLVIII Panzer Corps approach from the west. Kirponos is no longer able to contain the German advance upon the city, his 5th and 6th Armies have been torn wide apart. Kiev itself has been uncovered and is open to the German forces.

With his northern wing in danger of disintegration, the 17th Army assails Kirponos' center. Stuplnagel launches a fierce attack across the Zbruch River east of Tarponol, pushing the 26th Army back despite ferocious resistance.

In Moldavia, elements of the Rumanian 3rd Army takes Chernovitsy, while the exposed 12th Army hastily retreats to prevent isolation as the 17th Army pushes into its rear.

The fighting in the western Ukraine since the opening of hostilities has by early July cost the Southwest Front 165,400 killed or missing and 65,700 wounded, 4,400 tanks, 5,800 artillery pieces and 1,200 aircraft lost. During the same period the High Command has fed 12 divisions and 6 brigades into the battle.