Initial strength [1] Initial strength[1] Operation Gallop (Russian: Операция Скачок, romanized: Operatsiya Skachok) was a Soviet Army operation on the Eastern Front of World War II.

The operation was part of a series of counteroffensives after the encirclement of Stalingrad (now Volgograd) following the German Summer offensive in 1942.

The offensive was initially successful as the Soviets broke through the weak German lines.

[2][3] In face of a total collapse in the south the German command arranged a number of reorganisations and created a new Army Group South out of the shattered forces of the old Army Groups A, B and Don, under the command of Erich von Manstein.

The Soviet offensives, initially successful, ultimately outran their supply lines, and during a counteroffensive at Kharkov, the Germans were able to regain the momentum.