The city stood fast until, at the end of August, by Hitler’s decision, Heinz Guderian’s 2nd Panzer Group was removed from the German line of advance towards Moscow and sent south. On July 11, the HQ and Military Council of the Southwestern Front received a telegram from the Kremlin: “I warn you that, if you take even one step towards withdrawing troops to the left bank of the Dnieper and do not defend the fortified areas on the right bank of the Dnieper to the last, you will all suffer a cruel punishment, like cowards and deserters.” Georgy Zhukov, who raised the possibility of Soviet troops around Kiev ending up in a “pocket”, was removed from his post as chief of the General Staff on July 29. The forces of Army Group South were steadily advancing toward Kiev, the capital of Soviet Ukraine, the loss of which was unthinkable to Stalin.
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