25th Mechanized Corps (Soviet Union)
| 25th Mechanized Corps | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941 |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Branch | Red Army |
| Type | Mechanized corps |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Semyon Krivoshein |
The 25th Mechanized Corps (Military Unit Number 7655) was a Mechanized corps of the Red Army. Formed in March 1941, the corps fought in the Battle of Smolensk. Its headquarters and that of the 20th Rifle Corps were combined in August 1941 to form the Bryansk Front headquarters.
The 25th Mechanized Corps was formed in March 1941 at Kharkov in the Kharkov Military District. The corps included the 50th and 55th Tank Divisions, and the 219th Motorized Division. The 50th Tank Division was formed at Kharkov, the 55th at Chuguyev, and the 219th Motorized Division at Akhtyrka. The corps was commanded by Major General Semyon Krivoshein.
The 25th Mechanized Corps was part of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command on 22 June 1941, the date of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Between 24 and 29 June it deployed by rail to the Kiev region. The corps was originally to support the 19th Army and was assigned to it on 30 June. The corps was slow in deploying forward from Kharkov. As a result, the 23rd Mechanized Corps supported the 19th Army instead. During the first half of July, it was assigned to support the 21st Army to replace the mechanized corps destroyed in the border battles. Between 3 and 8 July the corps moved to the Novozybkov region. The corps included 163 older model tanks on 1 July (6 BT tanks and 157 T-26 tanks) and was reinforced by 64 T-34 medium tanks by 13 July. On 13 July, the corps was ordered to concentrate the 219th Motorized Division in the Rudnia, Borkhov, and Pribor region, 15 to 25 kilometers to the west of Gomel. The 50th Tank Division was to attack along the Bykhov and Bobruisk axis from its positions. 300 tanks of the corps launched heavy unsuccessful attacks in cooperation with the 67th Rifle Corps against Heinz Guderian's forces south of Bykhov.
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