July 1941

Eastern Front

The left flank of the Army of Karelia reaches Lake Onega at Petrozavodsk but is unable to release forces for the push to the Svir as the Soviets still have units fighing in their rear at Suoyarve. Other Soviet units are fighting hard on the right flank at Lake Yanisyarve.

As the Germans delay on the Luga, the Stavka activates the new 34th Army on the southern shores of Lake Ilmen. This new formation, having already encountered the 16th Army around Soltsy, deploys on the southern shore of Lake Ilmen, between it and the 11th Army to the south, and poses a very clear threat to the flank of the XVI Panzer Corps and the 16th Army.

After an arduous battle, the Smolensk pocket is finally closed. The 20th Motorized and the 17th Panzer Divisions effect a junction, but the neck fo the pocket is still perilously thin and under constant attack. The 700,000 soldiers trapped inside the pocket try to break through to the relief forces attacking from the outside. Desperate battles continue inside the pocket as the Soviets attempt to break free.

With the Reserve Front in the combat line, the West Front launches strong attacks against the German positions at Elnya, on the outer perimeter of the Smolensk pocket and upon the Yartsevo corridor. There are also further attacks by the 21st, 13th and 28th Armies at Gomel, Rudnya, and Roslavl that pin down the German 2nd Army as it attempts to secure the southern wing of the 2nd Panzer Group.

The LXI and XLV Rifle Corps of the 13th Army are under fierce attack at Mogilev. German forces, comprising 4 infantry divisions, penetrate into the town during the day and become involved in heavy fighting. At the end of the day, the Germans succeed in overrunning most of the town.