Moscow Eastern battlefield, the Russian army Moscow Garrison Command deployed two armies here. Originally, more troops were deployed here, but as the battle situation in the city of Moscow became increasingly tense, the Russian army had to mobilize troops from here to reinforce the battlefield in the city. Now only the infantry 24th Army Corps and Guard 1st Army Corps are left.
However, these two Russian army groups were unable to withstand the fierce attack of German military.
On June 19th, the 61 Mechanized Infantry Division, 63 Infantry Division and 64 Infantry Division of the German military stormed the 73rd Infantry Division under the Russian infantry 24th Army Corps.
In less than two hours of fighting, the 73rd Russian Infantry Division was defeated and the main force was surrounded. Lieutenant General Rakukin, commander of the Russian Army 24th Army Corps, quickly ordered the 140th, 228th and 255th Infantry Divisions of the Russian Army to rush for reinforcements. However, on the way, these three Infantry Division were met by German military No. 151 Mechanized Infantry Division, No. 153 Infantry Division, No. 154 Infantry Division, No. 161 Mechanized Infantry Division, No. 163 Infantry Division and No. 164 Infantry Division Encirclement Offensive.
After a day of fierce fighting, the 73rd Russian Infantry Division was completely wiped out. The main force of the Russian infantry divisions 140th, 228th and 255th was also wiped out. Although the participating troops are resisting stubbornly, they are not far away from being annihilated.
The remaining two infantry divisions of the 24th Russian Infantry Army, the 335th Infantry Division and the 341st Infantry Division, were attacked by the German 171st Mechanized Infantry Division, the 173rd Infantry Division and the 174th Infantry Division. These two infantry divisions were also unable to withstand the attack of the German elite troops.
Behind the elite German military, there are hundreds of thousands of troops of Ukraine 6th Army Corps, Hungary 7th Army Corps and Bohemia 5th Army Corps.
Facing such a powerful attack from German military and Puppet Troops, the Russian infantry 24th Army Corps was no match at all. After suffering heavy losses, Lieutenant General Rakukin ordered the remaining troops to abandon their positions and retreat to the east.
This is also the cleverness of Lieutenant General Rakukin. He knew very well that if he returned to Moscow city, even if he would not be punished by General Zhukov, he would still be dead. German military launched such a large-scale attack, and obviously would not let go of the Russian troops in Moscow's city. There is only one final result, and that is to be eliminated. Instead, they fled eastward, perhaps there was still a way to survive.
When German Army Group C eliminated the Russian infantry 24th Army Corps, Army Group A also began to attack the Russian army Guard 1st Army Corps.
The Russian army Guard 1st Army Corps has the Guards 4th Infantry Corps and the 6th Army, the 18th Tank Corps, and the 153rd Infantry Division. The force is stronger than the Russian infantry 24th Army Corps. The combat effectiveness is also stronger.
However, they were met by 1st Armored Division, 1st Mechanized Infantry Division, 3rd Infantry Division, 11th Mechanized Infantry Division who were subordinate to German military Army Group A, Encirclement Offensive who were 13 Infantry Division, 14th Infantry Division, 21st Mechanized Infantry Division, 23rd Infantry Division and 24th Infantry Division. Even though the Russian Guard 1st Army Corps has strong combat effectiveness, it still cannot withstand the German offensive under the onslaught of the superior troops of German military.
The 18th Russian Tank Corps was attacked by German military 1st Armored Division. Although this tank army is equipped with as many as 168 tanks, the number of T-34 tanks is more than 100. However, under the fierce attack of German military's 'Mighty Tiger' tanks and 'Panther tank' tanks, the 18th Russian Tank Corps was completely wiped out.
The remaining troops of the Russian army Guard 1st Army Corps were also violently attacked by the troops under German military Army Group A. Under the impact of German military's mechanized troops, the Russian infantry simply could not withstand it. The final result was that their defense line was torn apart and the troops were surrounded and annihilated. Even if Lieutenant General Lelyushenko, the commander of the Russian army Guard 1st Army Corps, tried his best, he could not restore the result of their defeat.
German military Army Group A In addition to dispatching the elite German military to launch the attack, Finland 1st Army Corps was also deployed to participate in the attack. This further accelerated the destruction of the Russian army Guard 1st Army Corps.
It only took two days from German military to launch the attack to close the eastern encirclement of Moscow. By the afternoon of June 20, Moscow was surrounded by German military like an iron barrel.
The Russian infantry 24th Army Corps and Guard 1st Army Corps defending here were almost completely wiped out. Only a small number of troops withdrew to the area east of Moscow.
These Russian officers and soldiers are undoubtedly very smart. They knew that if they evacuated to Moscow, they would still die. Only by fleeing to the east could there be a chance of survival.
German military did not pursue these retreating Russian troops. For them, the most important thing is to eliminate the Russian troops in Moscow city first.
When German military closed the encirclement, German military also intensified its attack on the Russian troops in Moscow city. As a result, Moscow Garrison Commander member General Zhukov had no way to mobilize troops to reinforce Moscow's eastern battlefield, and could only watch helplessly as German military completed the encirclement of Moscow.
As for those troops who retreated to the east of Moscow instead of retreating into Moscow city, General Zhukov had no choice. He knew very well what those guys were thinking. However, he could not force them to defend Moscow. As the saying goes, everyone has his own ambitions. As a Moscow Garrison Commander member, he is willing to fight for Russia until the last moment. However, not everyone is like him.
"Comrade Commander, the infantry 24th Army Corps and Guard 1st Army Corps were almost completely wiped out, and the remaining few troops have also withdrawn to Vladimir. Lieutenant General Rakukin and Lieutenant General Lelyushenko The general will report that German military has formed an encirclement with heavy troops. With their strength, they cannot break through German military's encirclement and enter Moscow," Chief of Staff Major General Lyapin reported.
"Hmph! These are all excuses. Those guys are simply greedy for life and afraid of death, and deliberately do not return to Moscow!" Political Commissar Lieutenant General Kruglov said bitterly.
All fools know that if you stay behind Moscow, you will definitely die. Therefore, Lieutenant General Rakukin and Lieutenant General Lelyushenko evacuated eastward.
General Zhukov also knows this, but he doesn't care.
"The Germany people not only dispatched the air force to bomb the train Comrade Joseph was riding on, but also sent hundreds of thousands of elite Armored Forces to attack Nizhny Novgorod, hoping to hunt down Comrade Joseph. Now, they have sent a large army to gather together to attack Comrade Joseph. Moscow has completely surrounded Moscow. The Germany people obviously want to kill Russia and eliminate us all, without giving us a chance to stand up again!" General Zhukov said with emotion.