The German superiority in manpower, machinery and aviation was clear and Soviet troops were forced to retreat after bloody battles. On December 2 the offensive began in the Luhan River direction. At the same time, the Italian Division began to move towards Voroshilovgrad. The fiercest fighting lasted December 8 − 15. The Red Army inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. In the daily fight of December 8, 1941 at the station Borzhikovka units under the command of Martsinkevich killed 428 Germans (among them 3 officers), seized two 75 mm cannons, 1 mortar, 1 machine gun, 15 rifles, 7 submachine guns, 1 radio, 50 ammunition boxes (mortars), 5 ammunition boxes (cartridges), and a staff car with documents. During twenty-four hours on December 10, 1941, the Italian Division "Torino" by two regiments continually attacked positions of the 1st Motorized Infantry Battalion which repelled nine enemy attacks and made two counterattacks.