Shortly before the beginning of the Soviet offensive, the army commands had detected some enemy forces near the front and had identified the places where the main Soviet attacks would take place, with the exception of 6th Guards Army near Vitebsk.
Kort før den sovjetiske offensiv havde de forskellige arméchefer identificeret de fjendtlige styrker nær fronten og havde identificeret de steder, hvor hovedangrebet ville blive sat ind, bortset fra 6. gardearmé ved Vitebsk.