After returning from France, 7th Armored was incorporated into the Don Army Group, on the southern front. Acting in the 1st Armored Division, she was tasked with hitting Krasnoarmiejsk and further north - towards Kharkov.

The Soviet Union's main striking force was the so-called "Pop Group". The paper was a powerful force, three armored corps and an infantry division, but for a month in battle it had lost most of its tanks - mostly due to continuous failures.

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Additional pp - for two SH's enemy.
