Battle of Lyuban

The Battle of Lyuban, Lyuban offensive operation or Battle of the Volkhov (7 January 1942 – 30 April 1942) (Russian: Любанская наступательная операция; German: Schlacht am Wolchow) was a Soviet offensive operation of World War II. It was conducted by the Volkhov and Leningrad Fronts of the Red Army with the goal of relieving the siege of Leningrad and encircling and destroying the German forces carrying out the siege.

Battle of Lyuban
Part of the Eastern Front of World War II

Battle of the Volkhov, 10 January – 28 June 1942
Date7 January 1942 – 30 April 1942
(3 months, 3 weeks and 2 days)
Location
Southern shore of Lake Ladoga, near Lyuban
Result

German victory

Belligerents
 Germany  Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Georg von Küchler Kirill Meretskov
Mikhail Khozin
Andrey Vlasov
Leonid Govorov
Units involved

Army Group North

Volkhov Front

Leningrad Front

Strength
Approximately 200,000 men

7 January:


Volkhov Front:
327,700 men
Casualties and losses

56,768 men

11,642 killed
43,869 wounded
1,257 missing

Volkhov Front:
308,367 men

95,064 killed or captured
213,303 wounded or sick

The offensive used no tanks because of the terrain, therefore it was down to the infantry and the artillery. The attacking Soviet forces found themselves under intense fire from German defensive positions, and the Red Army lacked proper artillery support against the German lines. The offensive stalled and the Soviets went over to the defensive. Field Marshal Georg von Küchler counterattacked with an operation called 'Wild Beast" (Operation Raubtier) and the Soviet 2nd Shock Army was cut off and surrounded. It was destroyed in June 1942 and its commander Andrey Vlasov was taken prisoner.

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