July 1941

Eastern Front

Fighting continues south of Soltsy as Berzarin's 27th Army launches more attacks. Morozov's 11th Army renews attacks against the LVI Panzer Corps, but meets with little success.

The Soviets launch strong counterattacks in an effort to retake Velikiye Luki. The 2nd and 3rd Panzer Groups are involved in bloody fighting around the Smolensk cauldron as they struggle to contain the masses trapped in the pocket. Rokossovsky launches strong attacks against the 7th Panzer Division, halting the German advance near Yartsevo. Bitter fighting rages for the next five days.

To the rear Stalin orders the manning of the Mozhaisk line, with Gen Artemev in command.

Reichenau digs his forces into strong positions facing the 37th Army at Kiev, while other elements of the army protect the long left flank against the incursions of the 5th Army. To the south, the 17th Army, having pushed on through the Stalin Line, crosses the Bug and establishes a firm bridgehead around Vinnitsa.

Additional elements of the XXX Corps of the 11th Army cross the Dneistr at Mogilev Podolski and Soroki. The Stavka realizes the danger posed to the Southwest and South Fronts, but only orders a limited withdrawal of the 6th, 12th and 18th Armies to a line Belaya Tserkov-Kitai Gorod-Gaysin. Tyulenev is also instructed to move the II Mechanized Corps up to Uman to block the German advance.