WW2 AERIAL RECON STUDIES
Operation STAR: Soviet Attack in Sinelnikovo & Slavgorod
On 2 January 1943, the Red Army launched Operation STAR, part of campaign in the Donets Basin known as the Third Battle of Kharkov. Operation STAR --along with Operation GALLOP to the south-- aimed to take the cities of Kharkov and Belgorod and push the German army back from the Dnieper River. The offensive appeared to succeed until 19 February, when elements of SS Panzer-Grenadier Division “Das Reich” and the 6th Panzer Division counterattacked against the overextended Soviet lines.
Background
According to German and Soviet accounts, on 19 February Sinelnikovo was defended by a small element of the German 15th Infantry Division, which had only recently arrived in the area; the garrison also had a small complement of armor and an armored Flak train. Elements of three Flak units with a number of 20 mm guns and at least two 8.8 mm Flak guns arrived by train at about 0600. Two brigades of the Soviet 25th Tank Corps arrived at the same time and immediately attacked the eastern side of the town. The tanks. The tanks --along with elements of four infantry units--continued attacking from the east, SE and NW through the early the next day. The Luftwaffe contributed immediate air support
At 0900 on 20 February, additional elements of the 15th Infantry Division arrived at Sinelnikovo. At 1700, the Flak train headed to Slavgorod to re-engine, but continued on to Zaprozhia early at 0700 on the 21st. Shortly after leaving Slavgogod, the train hit a mine and was destroyed by Soviet tanks.
The Imagery
The Luftwaffe flew at least two reconnaissance sorties over Sinelnikovo and Slavgorod on 19 and 20 February, providing excellent coverage of the fighting. On the morning of 20 February, evidence of recent Luftwaffe bombing could be seen along the rail tracks at least eight kilometers east of Sinelnikovo and tracks in the snow traced the movement of Soviet tanks (Graphic). A confluence of tracks in several areas showed where the vehicles assembled during their attack. It appears most of the tanks deployed in a line about 500 meters from the east edge of town, but one group of armored vehicles seems to have made it to the first line of houses where several destroyed vehicles could be seen. Five kilometers east of town, smoke was rising from an area with heavy bombardment; several vehicles were parked in the vicinity. Inside Sinelnikovo, German vehicles were concentrated in the vicinity of the south rail station and a few others were scattered throughout the town. Tracks in the snow indicated the presence of armored vehicles in the town.
On 20 February, four German trains --probably the ones bringing infantry reinforcements--were active in an around Sinelnikovo (Graphic). Two were at the town stations and the others were west of town.
Coverage of the town from the late morning on 21 February showed evidence of continued Soviet attacks and Luftwaffe bombing north and east of the town; at least two of the trains had been moved (Graphic). A comparison of imagery of the German defensive area along the east side of town on the 20th and 21st shows destroyed vehicles from the first attack and tracks from German armor repelling a later attack. German vehicles remained around buildings near the rail track, suggesting it was the location of the defender’s command post (Graphic).
Coverage from 21 February confirmed the interception and destruction of the Flak train five kilometers south-southeast of Slavgorod. The train had already been attacked was attacked. Heavy track activity could be seen in the vicinity and fighting was still in progress. At least two Luftwaffe Ju 88’s (one not shown) were busy providing ground support.
On the march to Sinelnikovo and Slavgorod, the Red Army passed through Pavlograd, where evidence of bombing could clearly be seen on 20 February (Graphics). This was probably before the passage of elements of Panzer-Grenadier Division “Das Reich."