Abstract
<jats:p>This article, based on newly introduced archival documents, examines the combat activities of the cavalry group of Hero of the Soviet Union L.M. Dovator during the first raid on the German rear in the Western direction in August 1941. The primary materials for this study consist of documents from the Central Archive of the Minis-try of Defense of the Russian Federation, including combat operation logs of Dovator’s cavalry group, the 50th and 53rd separate cavalry divisions, and the 37th and 43rd cavalry regiments. Additionally, the memoirs of I.A. Pliev, Hero of the Soviet Union and commander of the 50th separate cavalry division, a participant in L.M. Dova-tor’s first cavalry group raid, were used. When writing the article, the author used the works of Soviet and Rus-sian researchers, applied the principle of historicism, objectivity and the narrative method. In conclusion, the author deduces that following the successful breakthrough of German troops’ defenses in the Ustyye – Podvyazye area in August 1941, Dovator’s cavalry group penetrated the Wehrmacht’s rear to a depth of up to 100 km. Dovator’s cavalry group paralyzed the operations of the German rear, compelling the German com-mand to redeploy three infantry divisions to eliminate the Cossacks. The effective combat activities of Dovator’s cavalry group laid the groundwork for the subsequent utilization of cavalry divisions in the Wehrmacht’s rear areas.</jats:p>