Editing Rodion Malinovsky (section)

===Early assignments===
After Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, with the Red Army suffering enormous defeats and losing hundreds of thousands of troops in German encirclements, Malinovsky emerged a competent general. His corps of three partly formed rifle divisions faced German [[Blitzkrieg]] along the line of the [[Prut River]]. While, as a rule, Red Army generals would lead their forces from behind the frontline, Malinovsky went to the crucial sectors of the battles to be with his soldiers and encourage them. Unable to stop the  Wehrmacht, Malinovsky had to retreat along the [[Black Sea]] shore, while frustrating enemy attempts to encircle his troops. The Germans succeeded in cornering his corps in [[Mykolaiv|Nikolaev]], but Malinovsky breached their ring and retreated to [[Dnipropetrovsk]].

In August, he was promoted to Chief of Staff of the badly battered [[6th Army (Soviet Union)|6th Army]], and soon replaced its commander. He halted the German advance in his section of the front and was promoted to [[Lieutenant General]]. After the retreat of the Red Army to the [[Donbas]], Malinovsky commanded a joint operation of the 6th and 12th armies, managing to drive the Wehrmacht out of the region. In December 1941, Malinovsky received command of the [[Southern Front (Soviet Union)|Southern Front]], consisting of three weak field armies and two division-sized cavalry corps. They were short of manpower and equipment, but Malinovsky managed to push deep into the defenses of the Germans, who, after 6 months of fighting, were suffering from fatigue and shortages as well.