v ich ▁Nik it in ' s ▁ 2 0 th ▁Mechan ized ▁Corps ▁against ▁the ▁supply ▁lines ▁of ▁Colonel ▁General ▁Hein z ▁G uder ian ' s ▁ 2 nd ▁Pan zer ▁Group , ▁but ▁there ▁was ▁little ▁information ▁on ▁the ▁condition ▁of ▁ 4 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Corps ▁or ▁exactly ▁where ▁it ▁was . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁June , ▁the ▁corps ▁had ▁been ▁ordered ▁by ▁the ▁Western ▁Front ▁headquarters ▁to ▁withdraw ▁to ▁the ▁region ▁of ▁the ▁Bere z ina ▁River ▁beyond ▁the ▁German ▁enc irc lement , ▁therefore ▁Z had ov ▁had ▁to ▁drive ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁hopes ▁of ▁finding ▁any ▁personnel ▁from ▁the ▁unit ' s ▁headquarters . ▁At ▁first , ▁he ▁couldn ' t ▁locate ▁his ▁unit , ▁but ▁after ▁a ▁few ▁more ▁tri als , ▁he ▁made ▁contact ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁unit ▁on ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁ 2 9 ▁June . ▁ ▁In ▁Z had ov ' s ▁absence , ▁the ▁corps ' ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁Colonel ▁Alexander ▁Fed or ov ich ▁Kaz ank in ▁had ▁been ▁command ing ▁the ▁unit , ▁and ▁had ▁started ▁prepar ations ▁to ▁execute ▁Pav lov ' s ▁orders ▁of ▁ 2 8 ▁June . ▁On ▁ 3 0 ▁June , ▁the ▁ 2 1 4 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Brigade ▁began ▁their ▁attack , ▁but ▁since ▁its ▁par atro op ers ▁lack ed ▁the ▁aircraft ▁necessary ▁to ▁launch ▁the ▁air bor ne ▁assault ▁they ▁deployed ▁on ▁tr uck s . ▁The ▁brig ade ▁failed ▁to ▁link ▁up ▁with