The German forces, spearheaded by Army Group Hoth, made rapid initial advances but was stalled at the Myshkova River.

Colonel-General Hermann Hoth's panzer divisions were at a standstill and were suffering heavy casualties, even before the bulk of the 2nd Guards Army had arrived.

The 2nd Guards Army, under General Rodion Malinovsky, had been transferred to the Stalingrad Front to halt the offensive.

The 2nd Guards Army made a very significant contribution to the Soviet halt of Operation Wintergewitter and the successful counter-attacks that followed.

On May 20, was moved to the Reserve of the Supreme High Command and on July 8 the unit was a part of the 1st Baltic Front.

After the war ended, 2nd Guards Army, numbering six rifle divisions in two corps, was withdrawn to the Moscow Military District where it was disbanded in September 1945.