Vilnius offensive

The Vilnius offensive (Lithuanian: Vilniaus operacija; Russian: Вильнюсская наступательная операция, lit. 'Vilnius offensive operation') occurred as part of the third phase of Operation Bagration, the Soviet Red Army's strategic summer offensive against the German Wehrmacht in June and July 1944. It lasted from 5 July to 13 July 1944 and ended with a Soviet victory.

This article is about the 1944 battle for Vilnius between the Red Army and the Wehrmacht. For combat between the Polish Home Army and the Wehrmacht, see Operation Ostra Brama. For the 1919 battle, see Vilna offensive.
Vilnius offensive
Part of Operation Bagration and the Eastern Front
Date5 July – 13 July 1944
(1 week and 1 day)
Location
Belarus (Minsk Region) and Lithuania (Vilnius and Alytus regions)
54°40′N 25°15′E
Result Soviet victory
Belligerents

 Soviet Union

 Polish Underground State
Air support:
France		  Germany
Commanders and leaders
Ivan Chernyakhovsky
Pavel Rotmistrov		 Walter Model
Dietrich von Saucken
Rainer Stahel
Theodor Tolsdorff
Strength

~100,000

13,000		 7,700
Casualties and losses
50–70 tanks destroyed 8,000 killed; 5,000 captured in Vilnius alone (Soviet estimate)

During the offensive, Soviet forces encircled and captured the city of Vilnius; this phase is sometimes referred to as the Battle of Vilnius. However, 3,000 German soldiers of the encircled garrison managed to break out with their commander, Reiner Stahel.

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