The Soviet Super-Heavy Five-tower T-35 Breakthrough Tank: Weapons and combat vehicles of the world by Kerry Dick W

The Soviet Super-Heavy Five-tower T-35 Breakthrough Tank: Weapons and combat vehicles of the world by Kerry Dick W

Author:Kerry, Dick W. [Kerry, Dick W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Published: 2020-09-19T16:00:00+00:00


The offensive began at 9:00 on June 26, when the strike group of the 12th and 34th divisions went on attack on Berestechko and Chervonoarmeysk, by the end of the day they captured the area of ​​Khotyn-Redkuv-Komoruvka. The T-35A tanks did not take part in this offensive, since by that time the number of vehicles in the state "on the fly" had dropped to 10-11. Meanwhile, the Germans concentrated in the Tesluhuva, Kozin and Antonuvka areas about 200 tanks and vehicles, intending to strike at the open flank of the hull, cutting its main forces and then breaking them in parts. The commander of the 34th Division, obviously anticipating such an outcome, ordered the tanks to retreat to Khotyni, taking up positions in the forest on its southern outskirts.

Without waiting for the cars to retreat, the command planned a counterattack. Approximately at 2:30 am on June 27 Major-General Panyukhov arrived at the commander of the 8th m, giving an oral order with the following content:

"The 37th Rifle Corps defends at the front of the m. Pochayuv Novy, Podkamen, Zolochiv. The 8th Mechanized Corps should retreat beyond the infantry line of the 37th Rifle Corps and strengthen its combat order with its fire weapons. Exit to start immediately. "

As a result, just four days after the start of the march, almost all T-35s were abandoned on the way, or were in a "catch-up" state at a different distance from the constantly changing front line. During this time, the 34th Panzer Division made several counter-attacks, losing about 100 tanks and armored vehicles (mostly T-26). Just on the evening of June 26, after an unsuccessful strike in the Brody area, the division was first ordered to withdraw from the battle, and then (by the end of June 27) it was already to strike a new blow in the direction of Kozin-Verba and exit to the Dubno area. And this despite the fact that the division's forces were heavily dispersed, and support from the artillery and aviation was not expected at all. Act 34 th was to be carried out together with parts of the battered 12th and 7th Mdd, which formed a shock group under the command of Colonel Nikolai Popel. The result of this offensive was quite natural and ended with the defeat of Soviet troops in the frontier battle, but this was preceded by a number of significant moments.

In the evening of June 29, the remnants of Popel's group occupied the defenses on the highway west of Dubno from Kleshinka to Tarakanov. At the same time, her rear guard entered into battle with the 16th Panzer Division of the Germans, and the Zikerius group (2nd Tank Regiment, 88-mm AAF battery and motorized infantry battalion) tried to get out on Dubno through Verbu. The encircled Soviet units were forced to fight at unprofitable conditions, but on the way to Dubno the German mechanized column was subjected to a heavy air raid, bearing heavy losses. Having recovered from the blow, the vanguard of the Germans tried to break into the Bird on the run.



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