The German offensive against the Soviet Union began early on 22 June 1941 with an artillery barrage. The 16th Panzer Division was subordinated to "Heeresgruppe Süd" (Army Group South) under the command of "Generalfeldmarschall" Von Rundstedt. The goal, together with the 6. Armee and 17. Armee as well as "Panzergruppe" I, was to follow the pincers of both armies, heading for Kiev and rolling up the Soviet flanks in the process, and finally encircling them at the Dnieper River. The main objective was to conquer the economically important Donets Basin as well as the oil field in the Caucasus.