May 1942

Eastern Front

Boldin is sent to the Bryansk Front to instruct the 40th Army to attack in order to aid the Southwest Front. The 40th Army reports it is unable to attack.

With elements of the 3rd Panzer Division deep into the junction of the 28th and 38th Armies, the Soviet assault units north of Kharkov are limited to trying to restore the junction of the two forces. Even these efforts, however, are disrupted as the Germans unleash new attacks against the Soviet forces. German attacks press the Soviets back to the east, toward the northern Donets. In addition to the panzer forces hitting the front of the 28th Army, the fresh German 168th Infantry Division is now attacking the flank of the 21st Army, compelling it to fall back slowly. By now all the Soviet forces attacking north of Kharkov are on the defensive and many of them are slowly withdrawing under intense German pressure.

South of Kharkov, and facing the thus far quiet southern face of the Izyum salient, Group Kleist erupts into action. Following a 90-minute artillery and aerial barrage, the Germans attack between Barvenkovo and Slavyansk. Fierce fighting erupts as the German armor and infantry slam into the 9th Army, puncturing its front line and pushing 6 miles into its rear in a few hours. Heavy air raids hit the command facilities of the army hard, compelling Kharitonov to abandon his forward command post. Contact with the 57th Army is lost early in the battle. By noon tanks of the 14th Panzer Division have reached Barvenkovo, while the XLIV Corps advances from Slavyansk. As the fighting spreads, the 14th Panzer overruns the headquarters of the 57th Army. Despite a limited counterattack by Pliev's V Cavalry Corps, the Germans scatter the Soviet officers. By evening Barvenkovo has fallen and the Germans prepare to push north to Izyum. A 12-mile hole has been ripped in the Soviet line between the 57th and 9th Armies and German forces are up to 20 mile inside the Soviet lines.

While the German counterattack rips the Soviet line apart, the Soviet assault forces to the west continue their attacks. Gorodnyansky commits the XXI and XXIII Tank Corps through his 6th Army early in the day in an effort to develop the attack further while Bobkin continues to fight at Krasnograd. After heavy fighting, Taranovka falls to the XXI Tank Corps, while XXIII Tank Corps pushes forward on its left.

Timoshenko calls Stalin to detail the situation. Stalin and Stavka instruct the Bryansk Front to hand over the majority of its armor and aircraft to the Southwest Front.