Kozelsk offensive

Kozelsk offensive
Part of the Eastern Front of World War II
Date22 August 1942 – 9 September 1942
(2 weeks and 4 days)
Location
Result Soviet offensive defeat
Belligerents
 Soviet Union  Germany
Commanders and leaders
Nazi Germany Rudolf Schmidt
Units involved
2nd Panzer Army
Strength
218,000 men[1]
About 700 tanks[2]
About 200 tanks and assault guns[2]
Casualties and losses
  • 12,134 killed
  • 22,415 wounded
  • 500 tanks[2]
Unknown

The Kozelsk offensive (Russian: Козельская наступательная операция) was an offensive conducted by parts of the Red Army's Western Front against the German 2nd Panzer Army in southwestern Kaluga Oblast on the Eastern Front of World War II between 22 August and 9 September 1942.

The attack of the 2nd Panzer Army in early August created a small salient in the Soviet line. The Western Front sent the 3rd Tank Army, with the 16th and 61st Armies and the 1st Guards Cavalry Corps as support, to launch an attack to cut off the German troops in the salient. The Soviet offensive bogged down in the face of unfavorable terrain and German defenses and air superiority. Although the three armies managed to reduce the size of the salient by around 9 kilometers (5.6 mi), they suffered heavy losses, especially in tanks. The offensive failed to achieve its objective, but tied down German armored units in a secondary sector.

  1. ^ Forczyk 2014, p. 217.
  2. ^ a b c Glantz & House 2009, p. 462.