Soviet Plans

        The Russian  Red Army had also begun planning for their own upcoming summmer offensive, and had setttled on a plan that mirrored that of the Germans.  Attacks in front of Orel and Kharkov would flatten out the line, and potentially lead to a breakout near the Pripyat Marshes.  Still though, concerns plagued the Soviets about the German plans. 
        Every previous German attack during the summer had left the Soviets guessing where the next strike would come from, and in the case of it being at Kursk, it seemed all too obvious for the Germans to really attack there.  However, Moscow had spy information from Switzerland that said it was true.
        A handful  of the Soviet General Staff (Stavka), and Stalin himself wanted to to be the ones to launch the summer offensive.  Up to this point in the war, the pattern had been that of massive German successes in the summer, with retreating done in the winter.  The Blitzkrieg tactic worked against every opposing Army that it faced, including the Red Army.  Nobody had succeded in stopping a German Blitzkrieg operation up to this point in the war.  Even though the German's dominated the previous summers, the Soviets dominated the previous winters, with their offensive actions being launched during the bitter cold, their offensives worked astoundingly well.  But the following German operation was going to be a summer battle, so an overwhelming majority of the Stavka, and most notably Georgi Zhukov, advised that they build up a tough defensive stronghold, and wait for the German strike, and exhaust them by digging in, at their fortifications, after holding out and defending, the Soviet's would be capable of overwhelming the tired German forces.  This plan of Zhukov's swayed everyones opinion. 
        The German delay in launching their summer offensive gave the Soviets four months in which to prepare, and with every passing day they turned the Salient into one of the most heavily defended points on the face of the earth.  The Red Army planted over 400,000 landmines.  They dug about 5,000 kilometers of trenches, which at some positions went as far back as 175 kilometers from the front line.  In addition to the defensives, the Soviets amassed a huge army of their own, of about 1,300,000 men, 3,600 tanks, 20,000 artillery pieces and 2,400 aircraft.