On 25 June, the Soviet troops encircled and soon defeated the Vitebsk fortified area. The troops of the 1st Baltic Front, together with the troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front, surrounded 5 enemy divisions west of Vitebsk by 25 June and eliminated them by 27 June. On 28 June, the Soviet troops liberated the town of Lepel.
About 8,000 German soldiers were able to break out of
the encirclement, but were again surrounded and capitulated. All in all, about
20,000 German soldiers and officers were killed near Vitebsk, about 10,000 were
captured.
