February 1943

Eastern Front

After heavy fighting the 69th Army punches a hole between the Grossdeutschland and SS Das Reich Division. Due to intense resistance the 69th is unable to fully exploit its gain. The 3rd Tank Army reaches the northern Donets at Pechenegi. The newly arrived and up to strength 1st SS Panzer-Grenadier Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler begins to deply at Chuguyev and brings the advance of the 3rd Tank Army to an abrupt halt.

Lisichansk is under heavy attack as the 1st Guards Army hits the XXX Corps (now part of the 1st Panzer Army). The XL Panzer Corps is orders to hold on to Slavyansk. As this battle rages, Group Popov attempts to move northeast of Slavyansk to undermine the German defenses.

South Front reaches a new line from Shakhty to Novocherkessk, having pushed Army Detachment Hollidt away from the lower Donets.

In the Kuban 17th Army is isolated as it attempts to hold a line from Novorossiysk to Krasnodar. In an effort ot turn the German flank the North Caucasus Front lands an assault force at Ozereyka Bay, near Novorossiysk and another at Novorossiysk itslef. In heavy fighting the force at Novorossiysk is wiped out but those at Ozereyka Bay claw a foothold, despite fierce German counter-fire.

The fighting in the Caucasus since the New Year has cost the South Front 54,000 killed and missing and 47,000 wounded, while the Trans Caucasus Front has lost 12,000 killed and missing and 30,000 wounded. The North Caucasus Front also loses 3,000 killed and missing and 7,000 wounded.

The Stavka raises a new Central Front around the core of Rokossovsky's Don Front, planning to move it between the Voronezh and Bryansk Fronts at the end of February. The Central Front includes the 21st, 65th, 16th Air, 70th and 2nd Tank Armies.