Part 5/16:
With the Russian Army seemingly weakened after 1941, Hitler believed the Soviet will to fight was broken. The main goal of Blau was to take the remaining Ukrainian territories, seize the Caucasus oil fields—particularly Maikop and Grozny—and cut off Soviet oil supplies by advancing towards Astrakhan on the Volga.
Operational Goals: A Three-Pronged Advance
Blau was planned as a multi-phase operation:
Encircle and destroy Soviet forces in Eastern Ukraine.
Drive east alongside the Don River aiming for Astrakhan.
Moving into the Caucasus to seize vital oil fields, especially in Maikop and Grozny, to hinder Soviet war capacity.