 With the Soviet advance around Bogodukhov stopped, the Germans now began to attempt to close the gap between Akhtyrka and Krasnokutsk.The counterattack started on 18 August, and on 20 August "Totenkopf" and "Großdeutschland" met behind the Soviet units.Parts of two Soviet armies and two tank corps were trapped, but the trapped units heavily outnumbered the German units.