The Battle of Demyansk was part of the Soviet offensive Operation Polar Star against Axis forces which took place in Demyansk from 15 to 28 February 1943. The Northwestern Front and Mikhail Khozin Special Group engaged the 16th Army of Army Group North in an operation for control of Demyansk and to destroy Axis forces in the region. As a result of the Demyansk Offensive, the Northwestern Front eliminated the Demyansk salient, but the original plan of envelopment failed.