▁movement ▁of ▁Soviet ▁troops ▁at ▁Sm ol ensk . ▁Even ▁though ▁successful ▁in ▁enc ir cling ▁Soviet ▁troops , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁large ▁distances ▁it ▁had ▁to ▁cover , ▁many ▁Soviet ▁troops ▁escaped ▁the ▁po ckets . ▁Hitler ▁then ▁sent ▁the ▁Pan zer ▁forces ▁from ▁Army ▁Group ▁Center ▁to ▁the ▁northern ▁and ▁southern ▁front s ▁to ▁inf lict ▁severe ▁economic ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁The ▁ 9 th ▁Army ▁remained ▁static ▁from ▁late ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁until ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁when ▁Hitler ▁finally ▁decided ▁to ▁launch ▁his ▁long - await ed ▁attack ▁on ▁Moscow . ▁ ▁In ▁front ▁of ▁Moscow ▁were ▁two ▁elaborate ▁def ensive ▁lines : ▁the ▁first ▁was ▁ 2 5 0   km ▁long ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁V y az ma ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁on ▁Moz h ay sk . ▁The ▁ 9 th ▁Army ▁struck ▁from ▁the ▁north , ▁out - fl ank ing ▁the ▁V y az ma ▁def ensive ▁line ▁and , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁and ▁ 4 th ▁Pan zer ▁Arm ies , ▁enc ir cling ▁Soviet ▁forces ▁at ▁V y az ma . ▁This ▁would ▁prove ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁last ▁major ▁enc irc lement ▁operation ▁launched ▁by ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Army . ▁ ▁The ▁ 9 th ▁Army ▁was ▁placed ▁on ▁the ▁northern ▁fl ank ▁as ▁the ▁German ▁ 2 nd , ▁ 3 rd ▁and ▁ 4 th ▁Pan zer ▁and ▁ 4 th ▁Army ▁would ▁spe ar head ▁the ▁off ensive