From the perspective of Timoshenko, who soon realized the German armor was leaving his sector but knew not where they were headed, Hitler’s decision left only 7th Panzer Division, 14th Motorized Division, and SS “Das Reich” Motorized Division to back up the infantry of Ninth Army’s VI, V, and VIII Army Corps in the sector from Il’ino eastward to the Belyi-Dukhovshchina road and southward to the Dnepr River south of Iartsevo. In addition, the heavy fighting along the Vop’ River in mid-August drew in both 14th Motorized and 7th Panzer Divisions, leaving no operational reserves whatsoever to back up the infantry divisions facing both Maslennikov’s 29th and Khomenko’s 30th Armies. This encouraged both the Stavka and the Soviet marshal commanding the Western Direction Command.

The realities of the situation, however, were far more foreboding then Timoshenko realized because both Hitler and Bock willfully accepted the risks of temporarily denuding Ninth Army of armor for the sake of even greater gains. While Timoshenko reckoned on collapsing Ninth Army’s defenses while German panzer and motorized forces were absent, Hitler and Bock planned on using at least part of that armor, in this case, LVII Motorized Corps’ 19th and 20th Panzer Divisions, to defeat not only the Soviet 22nd Army at Velikie Luki but, subsequently, also Maslennikov’s 29th Army along and north of the Western Dvina River. It simply came down to a question of timing, on the one hand, “Could 29th Army defeat Ninth Army’s infantry north of Smolensk before German armor intervened?” or on the other, “Could LVII Motorized Corps’ armored fist crush both 22nd and 29th Army before the infantry on Ninth Army’s left wing simply collapsed?”

This deadly cat and mouse game began on 17 August when Maslennikov’s 29th Army was supposed to begin its southward march. As subsequent events indicated, the game would last for only five days.

Meanwhile, shortly after midnight on 18 August, the commanders of the Western Front’s shock groups submitted their final attack plans to Timoshenko for approval. Although Khomenko’s plan is as yet unavailable, as was customary, Konev’s proposal included his concept of operations and plan, as well as requests for additional support:

To Timoshenko, with copies to the commanders of 30th and 16th Armies

See Map 80 and Volume 3 (Documents), Appendix O, 36.

⋄	Enemy Situation under attack by the army’s forces, the defeated forces of enemy 161st Infantry Division withdrew to the western bank of the Loinia and Tsarevich Rivers. The enemy withdrew in disorder in the army’s center and on its left wing, abandoning a large number of bodies on the battlefield and throwing away personal weapons and equipment.
⋄	19th Army’s Mission – smash enemy resistance by a decisive offensive and, while exploiting success, seize the western bank of the Loinia and Tsarevich Rivers in the Zamiatina, Muzhilova, Zaitseva State Farm region and the vicinity of Hill 209.9, 3 kilometers northeast of Novosel’e.
⋄	Recognition – I must mention the special impetuosity and bravery of 50th and 64th RDs and 101st TD, to which the army is indebted for today’s success.
⋄	19th Army’s Situation – 166th RD is occupying its previous positions on the right wing, while conducting active reconnaissance, and 91st RD captured Potelitsa and Hill 216.5, 1.5 kilometers southwest of Zadnia.
⋄	Decisions – I have decided to exploit success on 19 August by attacking in the general direction of Dukhovshchina to destroy and pursue the defeated units of enemy 161st ID and reach the [following] lines:

▪	166th RD – Borniki and Balashova [23-26 kilometers north of Iartsevo].
▪	91st RD – Myshkovo and Mashutino [19-22 kilometers west of Iartsevo].
▪	64th RD – Sushchevo and Popova [12-18 kilometers north-northwest of Iartsevo].
▪	101st TD – Popova and Novosel’e [4-11 kilometers north of Iartsevo].
▪	My reserves are 89th RD in the Sel’kovo, Trukhanova, and Stepankina region and 202nd TR in the forest southeast of Bolotino.

⋄	Requests – I request fighter reinforcement, since, in the first half of the day today, enemy aircraft have conducted raids with groups of 9-12 aircraft against the army’s units along the main attack axis and against the crossings over the Vop’ River in the Kopyrovshchina region.44

See Volume 3 (Documents), Appendix O, 34.

After receiving Timoshenko’s immediate approval, Konev issued a fresh attack order to his army at 0200 hours on 19 August:

•	Enemy Situation – after committing 900th MotR and 5th and 161st IDs into combat, the enemy has been beaten, unit by unit, and is withdrawing westward while trying to dig in along intermediate lines along the Loinia and Tsarevich Rivers. It is possible that some enemy reserves of motorized infantry with tanks and artillery will approach from the Dukhovshchina region.
•	Neighbors – continuing to fulfill their assigned missions within existing boundaries.
•	19th Army’s Missions – beginning at 0800 on 19 August, develop success in the general direction of Dukhovshchina by pursuing and destroying the defeated and withdrawing forces of 161st ID and encircling and destroying enemy in the Balashova and Pochepova region and the forests to the east with part of its forces.
•	Missions of Subordinates:

♦	166th RD – defend on the right wing and attack toward Zubova and Losevo with your left wing to destroy the enemy in the Motevo, Hill 220.5 (1 kilometer northwest of Potelitsa), and Losevo region, together with 91st and 50th RDs, and capture the Losevo and Azarinki line by day’s end.
♦	91st RD – exploit success by conducting the main attack with your right wing toward Balashova, Pochepova, and the woods to the east, reach the Myshkovo and Mashutino front by day’s end on 19 August, and seize and hold crossings over the Tsarevich River at Maleevka and Pavlovo.
♦	50th RD (reinforced by a composite tank battalion) – exploit success toward Kolugino with your main forces and toward Pochepova and Balashova with a quick strike by one rifle regiment and the tank battalion, encircle and destroy enemy forces in the Balashova and Pochepova regions and the forest to the east, together with 91st and 166th RDs, reach the Mashutino and Sushchevo front by day’s end, and seize and hold the crossings across the Tsarevich River in the vicinity of the House of Invalids with your forward units.
♦	64th RD – destroy the enemy in the Muzhilova, Turishchevo, and Zaitseva State Farm region, dig in along the line from Turishchevo to the groves west and south of Zaitseva State Farm line, and seize and hold crossings across the Tsarevich River at Navol’nia and Sloboda with your forward units.
♦	101st TD – capture and dig in along the Popova and Novosel’e (eastern) line, while sending detachments to pursue and reconnoiter the enemy to the Potapova and Samuilova line.
♦	Reserve:

⋄	89th RD – clear enemy remnants from the Sel’kovo, Batyevo, and Trukhanova region and concentrate in the Sel’kovo, 1 kilometer southwest of Batyevo, Trukhanova, and Miaksheva region by 1000 hours on 19 August.
⋄	202nd TR and the army’s Composite [Tank] Bn – transferred to 50th RD at 0400 hours on 19 August, after concentrating in the woods east of Makov’e and occupying all-round defense in the vicinity of the woods south of Bolotino, be prepared to operate against enemy reserves approaching from the Dukhovshchina region and enemy columns withdrawing from the Myshkovo, Pesnevo, Sushchevo, and Rakhmanino region.
⋄	159th RR – in its previous positions.

♦	Artillery Missions:

⋄	Suppress enemy artillery batteries in the Borniki, Kastalanova, Losevo, Barsuki, Ivaniki, and Balashova regions;
⋄	Prohibit the enemy from withdrawing to crossings in the Balashova, Kazakova, Bolotino, Zaitseva State Farm, and Kal’kovichi region; and
⋄	Prevent the approach of enemy reserves from Losevo, Rakhmanina, and Sushchevo.
⋄	Ammunition expenditure on 19 August – 0.5 combat loads.

♦	VVS of 19th Army. Missions:

⋄	Conduct reconnaissance to determine the nature of enemy forces in the Markovo, Voskresensk, Shatuny, and Vrakulino region and the approach of enemy reserves from the Dukhovshchina axes and to determine the grouping and nature of enemy operations in the Berdino, Kepeshnia Station, and Ponizov’e region;
⋄	Prevent enemy reserves from approaching the Tsarevich River;
⋄	Be prepared for combined operations with 202nd TR to destroy enemy forces at the crossings over the Tsarevich River;
⋄	Protect the army’s grouping of the army in the Ust’e, Balashova, Bolotino, Trukhanova, and Vasilisino regions; and
⋄	Pay special attention to providing cover for 89th RD and 202nd TR.

♦	Reports: – submit operational and reconnaissance summaries at 0100, 1300, and 2000 hours.45