Encirclement of Mogilev On 13 July,
13th Army commander
Vasily Gerasimenko withdrew his army east towards the Sozh River, leaving the forces in Mogilev under the command of
61st Rifle Corps commander
Fyodor Bakunin. XXXXVI Motorized Corps'
SS Das Reich Motorized Division took blocking positions north of
Chausy to prevent Soviet units at Mogilev from escaping to the northeast on 13 July. The XXIV Motorized Corps advanced east from the
Bykhov bridgehead on 14 July. Chausy and
Propoysk were captured the next day, completing the encirclement of Mogilev. Along with the
Grossdeutschland Motorized Infantry Regiment and the SS Das Reich Motorized Division, the
3rd Panzer and
10th Motorized Divisions of XXIV Motorized Corps maintained the encirclement until 17 July. At this time, the Soviet troops in Mogilev included the 61st Rifle Corps'
53rd Rifle Division,
110th Rifle Division, and
172nd Rifle Division, the
20th Mechanized Corps'
26th and
38th Tank and
210th Motorized Divisions. Most of the
20th Rifle Corps'
132nd,
137th, and
160th Rifle Divisions were also in the encirclement, along with parts of the
148th and
187th Rifle Divisions from the
48th Rifle Corps, and the
1st Motorized Division. On the night of 16 July, Gerasimenko ordered all troops of the 13th Army except for the 61st Rifle Corps and the 20th Mechanized Corps to withdraw east to the Sozh. A group led by 172nd Rifle Division commander
Mikhail Romanov was the core of the defense. Romanov's group included the 110th and 172nd Rifle Divisions, remnants or regiments from the 132nd, 137th, 160th, and
143rd Rifle Divisions, as well as the remnants of the 20th Mechanized Corps. The Soviet defenders also included units of the
People's Militia.
Attacks of VII Army Corps Between 16 and 17 July, the troops of the German
2nd Army reached the Dnieper. After relieving the units of Panzer Group 2, 2nd Army commander
Maximilian von Weichs ordered
VII Army Corps commander
Wilhelm Fahrmbacher to lead the operations to take Mogilev. On 20 July, the
7th Infantry Division and
23rd Infantry Division attacked the city from the west. The attack was repulsed by entrenched Soviet troops and artillery fire. German troops crossed the Dnieper on the northern and southern flanks of the position, capturing a bridge over the Dnieper and breaking through Soviet defenses near
Buinichi, only 8 kilometers from the center of the city. The
15th and
78th Infantry Divisions became part of the VII Army Corps so that it could close the encirclement. The 15th Infantry Division was placed between the 7th and 23rd Divisions, and the 78th was located southeast of the city. On 21 July the 9th Regiment of the 23rd Division outflanked Soviet positions on a bridge into Mogilev from the southeast, capturing it after heavy fighting. The 23rd broke through the Soviet inner defenses along the bend of the Dnieper and repulsed multiple heavy counterattacks. Late that day, Bakunin reported to
21st Army headquarters, stating that artillery shells had been "used up" and requesting more ammunition.
TB-3 bombers had attempted to airdrop supplies, although a large number landed behind German lines and a large number retrieved by Soviet troops were of the incorrect caliber. Elements of the 1st Motorized Division fought their way into the encirclement from the north. On 22 July the 78th Infantry Division repulsed an attempt by Soviet troops to fight into the pocket from the northeast. It also repulsed an attempt by the 61st Rifle Corps to break out of the encirclement in its eastern sector. During the night the attacks of the 78th Infantry Division broke through the southern part of the Soviet lines, capturing 5,000 and large numbers of equipment. To stop the supply drops, German troops deployed
Barrage balloons. On 24 July, the 23rd, 15th, 7th, and 78th Infantry Divisions advanced to the center of the city, beginning street fighting. By late 25 July, the Soviet troops in Mogilev had used up all of the ammunition, food, and fuel.
Soviet breakout Bakunin ordered Soviet troops in Mogilev to break out to the east on the night of 2627 July, by which point the troops had almost entirely run out of ammunition. This contravened orders from higher headquarters. Thousands of wounded Soviet troops were left behind in the city with doctors. A small number of Soviet troops were able to escape and reach Soviet lines. Romanov was captured after his column attempted to join up with a German convoy and was destroyed. == Aftermath ==