Soviet partisans had been disrupting the rear of
Army Group Center (and the
German 4th Army in particular). In January 1942, they were strengthened by Soviet Airborne Troops (the
Vyazma airborne desant operation, part of the
Battles of Rzhev). The Soviets hoped that the airborne troops and the partisans would be able to secure territory and disrupt the German logistics long enough for the
Soviet offensive to reach them. The partisan forces in the area were so thoroughly decimated that the Soviets were unable to recreate any significant partisan activity in this region for the remainder of the war. Operation Hannover is seen as the most successful
German anti-partisan operation ever; this is attributed primarily to the fact that the partisans decided to challenge the German forces in open battle. At the same time, Operation Hannover II, near
Moscow, resulted in the elimination of encircled Red Army troops (the
39th Army and the
11th Cavalry Corps). ==References==