July 1941

Eastern Front

After a protracted struggle, the Soviets abandon the Kingisepp bridgehead across the Luga, units on the west bank withdrawing from the town, which falls to Reinhardt's XLI Panzer Corps.

Tyulenev reports to Stavka: 'it is impossible to determine the situation in the 6th and 12th Armies...because of the absence of communications.' The Stavka believe the Germans are planning to seize the Dniepr crossings at Kiev and Cherkassy and therefore order the Southwest and South Fronts to prevent the German advance. The Soviet command totally misreads the German plan to isolate the 6th and 12th Armies.

In Moldavia the XVIII Rifle Corps of the 18th Army pulls out of Kotovsk, while theanticipated counterattack by the II Calvary Corps toward Balta rattles the XXX Corps. Elements of the XXXV Rifle Corps are fighting before Dubossary in an effort to prevent the Germans from expanding a bridgehead across the Dneistr.