5 ▁par atro op ers ▁and ▁ 7 3 7 3 ▁supply ▁b ales ▁were ▁dropped ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁Zel anje . ▁The ▁landing ▁took ▁place ▁with ▁the ▁active ▁opposition ▁of ▁the ▁Germ ans . ▁On ▁ 2 3 ▁February , ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Corps ▁commander ▁Major ▁General ▁Alex ei ▁Le vas he v ▁was ▁killed , ▁when ▁his ▁transport ▁was ▁shot ▁down . ▁Corps ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁Colonel ▁Alexander ▁Kaz ank in ▁assumed ▁command . ▁On ▁the ▁ground , ▁the ▁air bor ne ▁troops ▁faced ▁strong ▁German ▁resistance . ▁However , ▁the ▁air bor ne ▁troops ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁link ▁up ▁with ▁the ▁ 5 0 th ▁Army ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁February , ▁but ▁the ▁ground ▁troops ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁break ▁through ▁the ▁German ▁lines , ▁and ▁the ▁off ensive ▁st alled . ▁ ▁After math ▁ ▁Left ▁in ▁the ▁German ▁rear , ▁ 4 th ▁Air bor ne ▁Corps , ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Gu ards ▁Caval ry ▁Corps ▁and ▁elements ▁of ▁ 3 3 rd ▁Army ▁conducted ▁active ▁military ▁operations . ▁Element s ▁of ▁the ▁air bor ne ▁troops ▁were ▁destroyed ▁during ▁Operation ▁Hannover . ▁In ▁early ▁April , ▁the ▁combined ▁forces ▁were ▁placed ▁under ▁command ▁of ▁Major ▁General ▁P avel ▁Alex ey ev ich ▁Bel ov . ▁The ▁un ited ▁forces ▁seized ▁the ▁area ▁south ▁of ▁V y az ma ▁and ▁held ▁it ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁May , ▁pin ning ▁down ▁a ▁few ▁German ▁divisions . ▁On ▁the