Siege of Mogilev

Siege of Mogilev
Part of the Battle of Smolensk
Date 3–26 July 1941[1] Location Mogilev, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union 53°55′N 30°21′E / 53.917°N 30.350°E / 53.917; 30.350 Result 2000
Belligerents
Germany	Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Heinz Guderian Wilhelm Fahrmbacher	Fyodor Bakunin † Pyotr Filatov †
Units involved
VII Army Corps	61st Rifle Corps 20th Mechanized Corps

The siege of Mogilev was a three-week encirclement of Mogilev undertaken by German troops, part of the Battle of Smolensk during World War II. After the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, German troops broke through Soviet lines. Mogilev was heavily fortified and bypassed by German tank forces. German infantry steadily reduced the pocket, and by late July, the defending Soviet troops had run out of ammunition and other necessary supplies. As a result, Soviet commander Fyodor Bakunin went against orders and ordered a breakout. A small number of Soviet troops were able to reach Soviet lines, and 35,000 were reported captured by German troops. The defense of Mogilev tied down four German infantry divisions, delaying their attack on Gomel for a week.