55th and 43rd Armies are now firmly behind the Oka-Tuskar line. 21st Army links up with the advanced elements of 19th Army, fleeing from the Dnepr battles, and with Southwestern Front. Typical of this stage of the battle is the odyssey of 61st Rifle Division, which, in stead of suffering encirclement and destruction, retreats before six attacks, only to escape with 6000 men.


