bor ne ▁troops ▁attempted ▁to ▁cut ▁German ▁communic ations ▁west ▁of ▁V y az ma . ▁In ▁a ▁few ▁days , ▁they ▁knock ed ▁out ▁some ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁rail road ▁and ▁highway ▁and ▁captured ▁the ▁headquarters ▁of ▁some ▁German ▁units . ▁On ▁ 3 1 ▁January , ▁German ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁General ▁Staff ▁Franz ▁Hal der ▁wrote ▁that ▁" The ▁position ▁of ▁the ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Army ▁is ▁very ▁serious . ▁There ▁have ▁been ▁difficulties ▁with ▁supply ." ▁By ▁ 6 ▁February , ▁the ▁surv iv ors ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Brigade ▁had ▁linked ▁up ▁with ▁ 1 st ▁Gu ards ▁Caval ry ▁Corps . ▁Its ▁units ▁were ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁corps ▁structure ▁after ▁the ▁link up . ▁ ▁By ▁mid - F ebru ary ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁V y az ma ▁an ▁extremely ▁difficult ▁situation ▁had ▁developed . ▁The ▁Soviet ▁forces ▁failed ▁to ▁enc irc le ▁the ▁German ▁troops ▁and ▁the ▁fighting ▁drag ged ▁on . ▁St av ka ▁decided ▁to ▁drop ▁the ▁main ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Corps ▁west ▁of ▁Y uk hn ov ▁with ▁the ▁task ▁of ▁cutting ▁the ▁Wars aw ▁highway ▁and ▁linking ▁up ▁with ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 0 th ▁Army . ▁The ▁landing ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁and ▁ 2 1 4 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Brig ades ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁night ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁to ▁ 2 4 ▁February . ▁During ▁this ▁period , ▁ 1 5 2