Troops were ordered to build defensive fortifications, to offer false impressions to the Germans, while fake bridges were put up to divert attention from the real bridges being built across the Don River.
Tropper fik ordre til at bygge forsvarsstillinger for at give tyskerne et forkert indtryk af situationen, mens der blev bygget falske broer for at aflede opmærksomheden fra de ægte broer over Don floden.