Although Soviet forces managed to eliminate the Gorodok salient, they failed to destroy the 3rd Panzer Army or capture Vitebsk.

The offensive had the goal of destroying the German forces around Gorodok and eliminating the threat of the encirclement of the Soviet troops west and southwest of Nevel.

[1] By the beginning of the offensive, the Ivan Bagramyan's 1st Baltic Front included the 4th Shock, 11th Guards, 43rd, and 39th Armies.

Breaking German resistance, the 11th Guards Army subsequently broke through three defensive lines and captured the town on 24 December.

The failure to take Vitebsk was blamed on insufficient numerical superiority over the German troops, shortages of ammunition and poor weather conditions that prevented effective artillery and air support.