On 13 March the Totenkopf Division completed its wide sweep north of Kharkov, with SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Baum's panzergrenadier regiment, backed by a panzer battalion, capturing the Donets crossing at Chuguyev to tie the noose around Rybalko and his men. The Totenkopf attack punched south and eastwards to link up with the 6th Panzer Division advancing northeastwards. The Das Reich, Totenkopf, 6th Panzer and 11th Panzer Divisions then proceeded to chop up the huge Soviet force hiding in the pocket south of Kharkov. Stalin gave Rybalko permission to give up the defence of the city and break out to the east. The trapped Russians made desperate efforts to escape, staging massive human-wave assaults to break past the Totenkopf's blocking positions along the Donets.

The German noose was not pulled tight enough, and five days later the remnants of the Third Tank Army completed their breakout past Chuguyev, which was then held by weak army panzer divisions. Unlike Hitler, Stalin realized the importance of getting skilled troops out of pockets rather than leaving them to their fate (Rybalko survived the ordeal and went on to command his army with distinction at Kursk during the summer). The exposed Totenkopf Division would have been in real trouble if the Soviets had tried to break through to the forces trapped near Kharkov with their reserve Guards tank corps, but it was held back to secure the north Donets line.

To complete the German victory, Hausser dashed panzer kampfgruppen north to link up with the Grossdeutschland Division, which had been taking on Soviet armoured units defending Belgorod. An unofficial "race" developed between the Leibstandarte and the élite army division for the honour of seizing the last major centre of Soviet resistance in the Ukraine.

Luftwaffe air support

The first line of Soviet resistance, some 16km (10 miles) north of Kharkov, was rolled over on 16 March by the Leibstandarte's 2nd Panzergrenadier Regiment, supported by a huge barrage of Nebelwerfer and artillery fire, as well as by wave after wave of Stuka dive-bombers. A line of Soviet anti-tank guns and infantry bunkers ceased to exist. Next day, Peiper's kampfgruppe was unleashed northwards with strong armoured support, including the Leibstandarte's Tiger detachment. This powerful force made easy meat of another enemy anti-tank gun position during the afternoon.

After a pause during the night to rearm and organize air support, Peiper was off again. On cue, more Stukas attacked a large road-block just after dawn on the morning of 18 March. With the road now clear, Peiper ordered his armoured force forward again. He did not stop until his tanks and armoured carriers were in the centre of Belgorod at 11:35 hours. Eight T-34s encountered on the drive north were destroyed by the Tigers - all other Soviet positions had been ignored. "Sepp" Dietrich flew north in his Storch aircraft to congratulate Peiper on his success. The German coup de main operation may have taken the Russians by surprise, but during the afternoon they pulled themselves together and launched a string of armoured counterattacks. The Leibstandarte's panzers repulsed all the attacks, destroying 14 tanks, 38 trucks and 16 anti-tank guns.

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