Glantz, David M. Barbarossa: Hitler's Invasion of Russia 1941. Tempus Publishing Inc. Charleston. 2001.
Appendix II
Russian planning documents associated with Operation Barbarossa
NKO Directive No. 1
NKO Directive No. I 'Concerning the Deployment of Forces in Accordance
with the plan for Covering Mobilization and Strategic Concentration'
To: The Military Councils of the Leningrad, Baltic, Western and Kiev Military
Districts.
Copy to: The People's Commissar of the Navy.
1. A surprise attack by the Germans on the fronts of the Leningrad, Baltic,
Western Special, Kiev Special and Odessa Military Districts is possible during
the course of 22-23 June 1941.
2. The mission of our forces is to avoid provocative actions of any kind, which
might produce major complications. At the same time, the Leningrad, Baltic,
Western Special, Kiev Special and Odessa Military Districts' forces are to be
at full combat readiness to meet a surprise blow by the Germans or their allies.
3. I order:
(a) Secretly man the firing points of the fortified regions on the state borders
during the night of 22 June 1941;
(b) Disperse all aircraft, including military planes among field airfields and
thoroughly camouflage them before dawn on 22 June 1941;
(c) Bring all forces to a state of combat readiness without the additional call
up of conscript personnel. Prepare all measures to black out cities and installations.
Take no other measures without special permission.
[signed] Timoshenko
Zhukov
Received by the Western Special Military District at 0045 hours 22 June 1941
Dispatched to subordinate forces at 0225-0235 hours 22 June 1941
NKO Directive No. 2
NKO Directive No. 2
0715 hours 22 June 1941
To: The Military Councils of the Leningrad, Baltic, Western and Kiev Military
Districts.
Copy to: The People's Commissar of the Navy.
On 22 June 1941 at 0400 hours in the morning, without any cause whatsoever,
German aircraft carried out flight to our airfields and cities along the western
frontier and subjected them to bombing.
Simultaneously, in a number of places German forces opened fire with artillery
and crossed our border.
In connection with the unprecedented attack by Germany on the Soviet Union.
I ORDER:
1. Troops in full strength and with all the means at their disposal will attack
the enemy and destroy him in those regions where lie has violated the Soviet
border. In the absence of special authorization, ground troops will not cross
the frontier.
2. Reconnaissance and combat aircraft will determine the concentration areas
of enemy aircraft and the deployment of his ground forces. Bomber and assault
|ground-attack] aircraft will destroy the aircraft on enemy airfields by powerful
strikes and will bomb concentrations of his ground forces. Mount aviation strikes
on German territory to a depth of 100-150km (60-90 miles).
Bomb Konigsberg and Meniel'.
Do not conduct flights over Finland and Rumania without special authorization.
[signed] Timoshenko
Malenkov
Zhukov
NKO Directive No. 3
NKO Directive No. 3 to the Military Councils of the
Northwestern, Western, Southwestern and Southern Fronts
Concerning Force Missions on 23-26 June
2115 hours 22 June 1941
1. Delivering main attacks from the Suvalki salient to Olita and from the Zamost'e
region to the Vladimir-Volynskii and Radzekhov front and secondary attacks along
the Til'sit, Shatiliai and Sedlits, Volkovysk axes, during the course of 22
June the enemy has achieved considerable success while suffering great losses.
In the remaining sectors of the state border with Germany and on the entire
state border with Rumania, the enemy attacks have been beaten off with heavy
losses to him.
2. I assign the forces [the following] immediate missions tor 23-24 June:
a) Encircle and destroy the enemy's Suvalki grouping by concentric, concentrated
attacks by the Northwestern and Western Fronts and capture the Suvalki region
by day's end on 24 June.
b) Encircle and destroy the enemy grouping attacking in the direction of Vladimir-Volynskii
and Brody by powerful concentric attacks by mechanized corps, all southwestern
Front aircraft and other forces of the 5th and 6th Annies. Capture the Lublin
region by day's end on 24 June.
3. I ORDER:
a) The Northern Front's armies to continue to protect the state borders firmly.
The left boundary - as exists.
b) While firmly holding on to the coast of the Baltic Sea, the Northwestern
Front's armies will deliver a powerful counterstroke from the Kaunas region
against the flanks and rear of the enemy's Suvalki grouping, destroy it in cooperation
with the Western Front and capture the Suvalki region by day's end on 24 June.
The left boundary - as exists.
c) While containing the enemy on the Warsaw axis, the Western Front's armies
will deliver a powerful counterstroke with a force of no fewer than two mechanized
corps and frontal aviation against the flank and rear of the enemy's Suvalki
grouping, destroy it in cooperation with the Northwestern Front and capture
the Suvalki region by day's end on 24 |une.
The left boundary - as exists.
d) While holding firmly to the border with Hungary, the Southwestern Front's
armies will encircle and destroy the enemy grouping advancing on the Vladimir-Volynskii,
Krystypol' front with concentric attacks in the general direction of Lublin
with the 5th and 6th Armies, no fewer than five mechanized corps and all of
the front's aviation, and capture the Lublin region by clay's end on 24 June.
Cover yourself reliably along the Krakov axis.
e) The Southern Front's armies will prevent an enemy invasion of our territory.
In the event the enemy attacks along the Chernovtsy axis or forces the Prut
and Danube Rivers, destroy him by powerful flank attacks by ground forces in
cooperation with aviation; concentrate two mechanized corps in the Kishinev
region and the forests northwest of Kishinev on the night of 23 June.
4. I authorize crossing of the borders along the front from the Baltic Sea to
the state border with Hungary and operations without regard for the borders.
5. The Aviation of the High Command:
a) Support the Northwestern Front with one flight from the 1st Long-range Aviation
Corps and the Western Front with one flight from the 3rd Long-range Aviation
Corps while they are fulfilling their missions of destroying the enemy's Suvalki
grouping;
b) Assign the 18th Long-range Aviation Corps to the Southwestern Front and support
the Southwestern Front with one flight from the 2nd Long-range Aviation Corps
while it is fulfilling its mission of destroying the enemy's Lublin grouping;
and
c) Leave the 4th Long-range Aviation corps at my disposal in readiness to assist
the Southwestern Front and, with part of its forces, the Black Sea Fleet.
The People’s Commisar of Defence, Member of the Main Military Council
Marshal of the Soviet Union Timoshenko Malenkov
Chief of the Red Army General Staff
Army General Zhukov
Sent at 2115 hours 22 June 1941