fire until the tanks came close. When the tanks were only some 500 metres from the Polish lines the Polish Bofors wz. 36 anti-tank guns opened fire. Soon they were joined by the infantry and the 75 mm artillery. All Soviet tanks were destroyed and the battalion of major Balcerzak was ordered to attack the town of Shatsk. The Soviet units were taken by surprise and after a short hand-to-hand fight, the Soviet forces were routed. Only a small part of the motorised infantry managed to retreat but had to leave behind all their lorries, artillery and 9 T-26 tanks. The Poles also captured the staff headquarters. According to the orders of the Soviet 52nd, Rifle Division found in the headquarters, the Soviet units operating from the Kobryń area and were to "clean up the area east of Bug River from the bands of Polish officers". At 2 o'clock in the evening, the Soviet reserve units appeared in the area and Orlik-Rueckemann decided to withdraw his troops to the forests. Aftermath The Polish forces withdrew unopposed and started their march towards the Bug River. The only Polish unit destroyed by the Red Army was the tabor of KOP "Polesie" Brigade, caught by surprise near the village of Mielnik by the armoured troops of the Soviet 4th Army under general Vassili Chuikov. After a brief fight, the Polish unit surrendered. Upon the surrender all the Polish officers and NCOs were shot (about 500). The remaining Polish forces evaded capture and crossed the Bug River, where they took part in the Battle of Wytyczno. See also Border Defence Corps List of World War II military equipment of Poland List of Soviet Union military equipment of World War II Invasion of Poland References Further reading Stanley S. Seidner, Marshal Edward Śmigły-Rydz Rydz and the Defense of Poland, New York, 1978, 286–287 Shatsk Battles of the Soviet invasion of Poland Szack September 1939 events World War II prisoner of war massacres by the Soviet Union Massacres committed by the Soviet Union Wołyń Voivodeship (1921–1939)