The successes achieved by the Wehrmacht in the south of the Eastern Front near Kharkov and in the north near Lyuban in encircling large Soviet forces allowed Adolf Hitler to begin planning active operations in the zone of Army Group Center.

To do this, first of all, a concentrated attack on Kaluga will be considered with the goal of subsequently destroying a number of enemy formations and achieving a reduction (line) of the front by winter.

A day later, June 25, the general idea takes on more specific goals and outlines: “the advantage of the operation of Army Group Center (at Sukhinichi) is that winter positions and starting positions for later operations on Moscow are reached in advance”[1] On July 2, the Soviet 39th Army included the 21st Guards Rifle Division, 252nd, 256th, 357th, 373rd and 381st Rifle Divisions.

[2] The German offensive began on July 2 at 03:00 Berlin time after a short artillery preparation and an air strike by Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers.

According to the version set out in the combat log of the 41st Army, “37 enemy tanks with machine gunners broke through the front of the 22nd Army from the Shizderovo area, unexpectedly attacked the headquarters of the 135th Rifle Division in Yegorye and spread to the west, attacked from the rear parts of the 262nd Rifle Division and partly the 17th Guards Rifle Division.”[5] The final success of the German offensive was achieved, according to Soviet data, on Monday, July 6, 1942, when the 1st and 2nd German tank divisions met near the village of Pushkari on the Bely-Olenino highway.

The impossibility of effective air supply due to the weakness of Soviet transport aviation contributed to the rapid disorganization of the encircled troops.

The cavalrymen of the 24th cavalry division managed to achieve success due to military cunning: in addition to the main breakthrough, two false sectors were prepared and supported by fire.

In German sources, July 12, 1942 is considered the official end date of Operation Seydlitz, but organized resistance and attempts to break through the Soviet troops did not stop.

In total, based on the results of the breakthrough the combat log of the Kalinin Front headquarters indicated: “During the night of July 22, about 7,000 men came out.” This moment can be considered the day the struggle of the 39th Army and the 11th Cavalry Corps ended.