Southern Front (Soviet Union)

After the German invasion, the Southern Front was re-created on June 25, 1941 from the forces in the Moscow and Odessa Military Districts, and included the 9th Army.

From July 1941 the 44th Fighter Aviation Division was part of the Front's air forces.

During 1941 the Front fought in the border battles in the southern Ukraine, defended Odessa, and then conducted the defense and successful counteroffensive at Rostov-on-Don.

In 1942 the Front took part in the Donbass, Barvenko-Lozovaia, and Voronezh-Stalingrad (Volgograd) operations.

According to Glantz and Bonn, the Front then suffered a notable failure at the Second Battle of Kharkov.

Gordov, and the Southeastern Front, under Colonel General Andrei I. Yeremenko on 7 August 1942 as the Battle of Stalingrad began.

Soviet gun crew in action at Odessa in 1941.
Troops of the front in pursuit of retreating German forces, October 1941
A soldier of the Southern Front writes a letter to relatives, 1943