▁soon ▁moved ▁into ▁ 1 3 th ▁Army ▁which ▁held ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁north ▁shoulder ▁of ▁the ▁Kur sk ▁sal ient . ▁The ▁division ▁def ended ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Ol kh ovat ka ▁sector . ▁When ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁launched ▁Operation ▁Cit adel ▁on ▁July ▁ 5 , ▁the ▁division ▁faced ▁elements ▁of ▁two ▁pan zer ▁corps ▁of ▁German ▁N inth ▁Army . ▁Rein for ced ▁with ▁over ▁ 5 0 ▁t anks ▁and ▁self - prop elled ▁guns ▁( SU - 1 2 2 s ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 4 4 1 st ▁SU ▁Regiment ), ▁ 7 2 ▁ant it ank ▁guns , ▁and ▁ 8 0 ▁heavy ▁guns , ▁mort ars ▁and ▁ro cket ▁launch ers , ▁the ▁division ▁stopped ▁the ▁German ▁attacks ▁literally ▁in ▁their ▁tracks , ▁with ▁German ▁losses ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 5 0 ▁t anks ▁a ▁day . ▁On ▁ 6 ▁July ▁the ▁division ▁stopped ▁the ▁advance ▁of ▁the ▁XX XX V II ▁Pan zer ▁Corps . ▁ ▁On ▁ 8 ▁July ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Pan zer ▁Division ▁broke ▁through ▁at ▁the ▁j unction ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 0 th ▁Gu ards ▁with ▁the ▁ 7 5 th ▁Gu ards ▁R if le ▁Division , ▁but ▁was ▁rep uls ed ▁after ▁heavy ▁fighting . ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 1 ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Len in . ▁Five ▁g unn ers ▁or ▁battery ▁command ers ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 3 7 th ▁Gu ards ▁Art illery ▁Regiment , ▁who ▁fought ▁off ▁German ▁t