The First Battle of Kharkov was a battle that took place from 20 to 24 October 1941 for control of the city of Kharkov, located in the Ukrainian SSR, during the final stage of Operation Barbarossa. The battle was fought between the German 6th Army, part of Army Group South, and the Soviet Southwestern Front. The Soviet 38th Army was tasked with defending the city while its factories were dismantled and moved to a more easterly location.