Formation of the type used by the corps The 20th Mechanized Corps was formed in March and April 1941 from elements of the
4th Don Cossack Cavalry Division and the Borisov Automobile, Tank, and Cavalry Schools. Corps headquarters was located in
Borisov. It included the
26th and
38th Tank Divisions, and the
210th Motorized Division. The 26th Tank Division was located at
Krasnoye Urochishche, the 38th Tank Division at
Novoborisov, and the 210th Motorized Division at
Osipovichi. and the 4th Airborne Corps advanced on foot instead of conducting an air assault due to a lack of transport aircraft. Both units were unable to stop the German advance. On 30 June the
Svisloch Railroad Bridge, defended by the 4th Airborne Corps, was captured by the
4th Panzer Division, cutting off most of the 20th Mechanized Corps and a 4th Airborne Corps brigade. The corps and other remnants of Soviet units delayed the advance of the
XXXXVI Motorized Corps with their resistance.
Defense of Mogilev By 1 July it was part of the
13th Army. On 7 July the corps included about 12,000 men with 27 guns and no tanks. From 9 to 27 July it fought in and was destroyed in the
Mogilev pocket. By the end of 15 July the corps was defending Mogilev alongside the
61st Rifle Corps and remnants of several divisions. On 21 July deputy corps commander Major General
Nikolai Vedeneyev took command after Nikitin was wounded and evacuated. At this time the corps defended Mogilev's eastern approaches. By 25 July, the Soviet troops in Mogilev were running out of ammunition, food and fuel. 61st Rifle Corps commander
Fyodor Bakunin made the decision to withdraw against orders and called a meeting with Vedeneyev and three of the division commanders on the breakout plan. The 20th Mechanized Corps would lead the breakout towards the general direction of
Roslavl. although it lost most of its men during the battles in the Mogilev Pocket. The corps last appears on the
combat composition of the Soviet Army list for 10 July 1941. == References ==