On February 16 1943 the Soviets recaptured the city of Kharkov situated to the south of Kursk. The Soviet forces had begun their offensive on January 13, with the aim of liberating the Ukraine and destroying the 75 German divisions defending it. The Soviets were confident as they already had the German 6th Army trapped in the Stalingrad pocket.
The City of Kharkov was one of the Soviet Unions important industrial cities, and it reflected its importance in its grand buildings and modern architecture, pride of place going to the Gosprom complex situated on the huge Dzerzhinsky Square in central Kharkov. Dzerzhinsky Square was the biggest of its kind not just in the Soviet Union, but in all of Europe.
Enemy at the Gates
Four Soviet army groups were sent against Heersgruppe B and Heersguppe Don in the Ukraine.
