In this battle, the Soviet defenders deployed reinforced company strength entrenched positions on each of the hills flanking the main town, with entrenched AT guns deployed in a ring around the town as well. The remaining forces defended in or near the town, with minefields to limit the approaches. The tanks were in reserve behind the town. The SS deployed two strong flanks to sweep the hills, the western flank being stronger, and a central pinning force to demonstrate against the town. The StuG assault guns were initially to stay out of line of fire of the Russian AT guns and be ready to deal with Soviet tanks and reinforcements.

The battle turned into three parallel, bloody brawls, centered on each hill and the town. The stronger SS left flank tried to sweep around the left hill to engage the town from the rear, but they struggled to move in the face of Soviet rocket artillery barrages. The SS assault guns pitched in early as the Soviet AT guns were silenced by airstrikes and artillery, but made little impression on the town defenders. When the Guards T-34s joined the town defense by sweeping down on the SS left, the StuGs met and defeated them.

Soviet RKKA tank reinforcements, with SMG tank riders, began moving toward the town from the north. The StuGs and a couple of platoons of SS schutzen tried to position themselves to meet the counterattack. The StuGs were wiped out while inflicting a few losses themselves, but the tank riders took heavy losses. By this point the Soviets had inflicted significant enough losses on the SS to feel assured of at least a draw, so they drove hard with their RKKA T-34s to link up with the beleaguered Guards in the town. The SS "pinning" force had, with the help of the left flank sweeping force that had finally moved up to the town, begun to clear the southwest part of the town. The threat of the RKKA tanks proved overstated, as they failed to break into the town on the German flank.

By the final hour of the battle, the SS were in control of the town but had sustained heavy losses in the process. The Soviets still controlled strong positions on each flanking hill, and in the areas north of town. While technically a draw, the SS were in a tenuous position at best.