June 1944

In Vitebsk the LIII Corps attempts fo disengage from the 39th Army but is involved in fierce street fighting as the Soviets break into the town. Gollwitzer is trying to assemble his forces for a breakout and by dusk has received the order from army headquarters ordering it to break out but to leave the 206th Infantry Division behind to hold the town. As fighting rages on into the night, the LIII Corps moves to teh southern bank of the Dvina but German sappers blow the Dvina bridges prematurely, stranding most of the 246th Infantry Division on the wrong side of the river. During heavy fighting around the city one of the corps' Luftwaffe field divisions is wiped out.

The VI Corps launches a weak counterattack aimed at halting 5th Army. As it assembles it is attacked by the 3rd Air Army, the assault being broken up before it can interfere with the Soviet advance.

The German 4th Army fights its own battles on the east bank of the Dniepr. After a desperate struggle the XXVII Corps collapses, opening up the northern flank of the 4th Army. With the German line in shreds, the 5th Guards Tank Army moves up behind the 11th Guards Army, ready to exploit the gap. The XXXIX Corps is pounded by the 49th Army and 50th Army as it struggles to pull back west. On the 4th Army's southern flank the XII Corps is also under furious attack. The counterattack by the Feldherrnhalle Division fails to halt the Russians, the panzers being pushed back away from Suchary. Hitler agrees to a withdrawal but insists that Mogilev be held at all costs. Having lost the opportunity to fall back intact, the 4th Army struggles under intense Soviet attacks and, like the LIII Corps in Vitebsk, finds it difficult to disengage.

Elements of the 3rd and 48th Armies (1st Belorussian Front) outflank the XXXV Corps near Zhlobin as the 65th and 28th Armies move up from the south, opening a gap between the LV and XLI Panzer Corps. The 20th Panzer Division launches a determined counterattack to support the XXXV Corps but is unable to halt the Soviet armor. Destroying more than 60 Soviet tanks in bitter fighting, the 20th has to fall back, being reduced to only 40 operational tanks.

Gen Dietl, commanding the 20th Mountain Army, is killed in an air accident. Rendulic takes over the vacant command.