German advance through the Baltic states. On 22–24 June it carried out attacks against Red Air Force airfields and armoured formations in the Siauliai. Fyodor Kuznetsov, commander of the Baltic Military District, ordered counter-attacks against the German advance on 22 June. The Soviet 3rd and 12th Mechanised Corps congregated for an attack on the XXXXI Panzer Corps west of Siauliai. The Soviet armour was detected by German aerial reconnaissance. Ju 88s from Luftflotte 1, KG 76 among them, destroyed 40 tanks and lorries belonging to the 23rd Tank Division, 12th Mechanised Corps. The 12th Mechanised Corps committed the 28th Tank Division and 202nd Mechanised Division near Siauliai and a large tank-battle developed. 76, with KG 77 and KG 1 were forced to operate in the close support role because the air fleet lacked Ju 87s. 77 and 76 lost 22 Ju 88s in total, 21 were completely destroyed. A notable loss to KG 76 on this date was Hauptmann Robert von Sichart, commanding I Gruppe who was killed on 23 June. On 26 June KG 76 operated in the Zigare and Pskov area on 29 June. The three bomber wings carried out effective interdiction operations in support of Panzergruppe 4 on 2 July. On 4 July KG 76 and KG 77 flew attacks against Soviet airfields at Idritsa and Opochka to relieve pressure on the German 16th Army. On 5 July the German bomber contingent claimed 112 aircraft destroyed in the ground. The three bomber wings supported the hard-pressed 1. Panzer Division near Ostrov. For the loss of two bombers in total, KG 1, 76 and 77, 140 Soviet tanks were destroyed along with the supply lines to the town. Army Group North's advance toward Leningrad was slowed by severe resistance. From 22 June to 13 July the three bomber wings from Fliegerlorps I had claimed 1,211 aircraft on the ground. On 13 July Army Group North reported 354 Soviet aircraft over its front necessitating repeated attacks upon airfields. By 22 July KG 76 reported it had lost 30 Ju 88s destroyed or damaged by hostile action. KG 1 and KG 77 reported 24 and 35 respectively. From mid-July KG 76 was directed at interdiction missions against the Soviet 8th Army. The Soviet field army had mounted severe resistance to German progress in the battle for Estonia. In late July KG 76 flew attacks against the rail links between Leningrad