Editing Operation Barbarossa (section)

===Baltic countries===
{{Main|Baltic Operation}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-009-0882-04, Russland-Nord, Vormarsch durch Lettland.jpg|thumb|German forces pushing through [[Latvia]], summer 1941]]
On 22 June, Army Group North attacked the Soviet Northwestern Front and broke through its 8th and 11th Armies.{{sfn|Glantz|2011|p=37}} The Soviets immediately launched a [[Battle of Raseiniai|powerful counterattack]] against the German 4th Panzer Group with the Soviet 3rd and 12th Mechanised Corps, but the Soviet attack was defeated.{{sfn|Glantz|2011|p=37}} On 25 June, the 8th and 11th Armies were ordered to withdraw to the Western Dvina River, where it was planned to meet up with the 21st Mechanised Corps and the 22nd and 27th Armies. However, on 26 June, [[Erich von Manstein]]'s LVI Panzer Corps reached the river first and secured a bridgehead across it.{{sfn|Glantz|2011|p=38}} The Northwestern Front was forced to abandon the river defences, and on 29 June Stavka ordered the Front to withdraw to the [[Stalin Line]] on the approaches to Leningrad.{{sfn|Glantz|2011|p=38}} On 2 July, Army Group North began its attack on the Stalin Line with its 4th Panzer Group, and on 8 July captured [[Pskov]], devastating the defences of the Stalin Line and reaching [[Leningrad oblast]].{{sfn|Glantz|2011|p=38}} The 4th Panzer Group had advanced about {{convert|450|km|mi}} since the start of the invasion and was now only about {{convert|250|km|mi}} from its primary objective Leningrad. On 9 July it began its attack towards the Soviet defences along the [[Luga River]] in Leningrad oblast.{{sfn|Glantz|2011|p=93}}