▁the ▁German ▁lines ▁were ▁bre ached ▁in ▁several ▁places . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁facil itate ▁the ▁advance ▁of ▁the ▁troops , ▁St av ka ▁decided ▁to ▁land ▁troops ▁south ▁of ▁V y az ma ▁with ▁the ▁objective ▁of ▁cutting ▁the ▁V y az ma - Y uk hn ov ▁highway ▁and ▁the ▁V y az ma - B ry ansk ▁rail road . ▁The ▁planned ▁drop ▁zone ▁was ▁guard ed ▁by ▁scattered ▁German ▁units . ▁The ▁first ▁group ▁of ▁air bor ne ▁troops , ▁composed ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 st ▁Air bor ne ▁Brigade ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 5 0 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Regiment , ▁was ▁land ed ▁in ▁the ▁rear ▁of ▁German ▁troops ▁south ▁of ▁V y az ma ▁from ▁ 1 8 ▁to ▁ 2 2 ▁January . ▁The ▁landing ▁was ▁made ▁at ▁night , ▁and ▁the ▁par atro op ers ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁German ▁rear ▁helped ▁the ▁attacks ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 3 rd ▁Army ▁and ▁ 1 st ▁Gu ards ▁Caval ry ▁Corps . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁January , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Gu ards ▁Caval ry ▁Corps , ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁P avel ▁Alex ey ev ich ▁Bel ov , ▁broke ▁through ▁the ▁German ▁lines . ▁To ▁prevent ▁a ▁German ▁retre at ▁from ▁the ▁planned ▁enc irc lement , ▁St av ka ▁decided ▁to ▁land ▁troops ▁in ▁the ▁V y az ma ▁area ▁to ▁cut ▁the ▁V y az ma - Sm ol ensk ▁rail ro ads ▁and ▁high ways . ▁On