Stalingrad marked Germany's furthest advance into Soviet territory, and the city's ruins became the setting of some of the deadliest urban close combat fighting. On November 19 the Red Army closed a ring around 22 German Divisions of Army Group B commanded by German general Friedrich Paulus who surrendered on January 31, 1943 after three months of bitter battles and deprivation in below freezing temperatures.
This marked Germany's first major calamity against the Soviets and began Axis' loss of territorial dominance after three years of conquest.