April 1942

Eastern Front

SOUTHERN SECTOR

The Soviets are building up their forces in the south in preparation for their offensive around Izyum. The Southwest Front deploys the 21st Army (3 rifle and 1 motorized divisions, 1 rifle brigade), the 38th Army (10 rifle and 3 cavalry divisions) and the 6th Army (7 rifle divisions, 1 cavalry division and 2 tank brigades) in the pocket while the headquarters of the 28th Army, together with 7 rifle divisions and 2 tank brigades, are in reserve. Covering the southern face of the pocket are 13 rifle divisions of the 57th and 9th Armies and 9 cavalry divisions, 1 rifle and 6 tank brigades of the II, V and VI Cavalry Corps of the South Front. The 37th, 12th, 18th and 56th Armies, totalling 18 rifle divisions, 6 rifle brigades and 3 tank brigades, complete the line to the Azov Sea.

Covering the Kharkov sector the Germans deploy the XXIX, XVII, LI and VIII Corps of the 6th Army and the IV Rumanian Corps of the 17th Army. In all the 6th has on the Kharkov axis 16 infantry divisions and 2 tank divisions. Facing the South Front the Germans field 26 divisions. These units form Group Kleist, made up from the 17th Army and 1st Panzer Army. On the Mius is the XIV Panzer Corps (2 infantry, 2 panzer and the 1st and 5th SS Motorized Divisions) while to its north, covering the river line to Debaltsevo, are 3 Italian Divisions and the XLIX Mountain Corps (1 infantry, 1 mountain and 1 Slovak division). From Slavyansk to Debaltsevo are 9 infantry division of the XLIV, IV and LII Corps, while the III Panzer Corps is against the southern face of the Barvenkovo pocket.