the northern force, consisting of 16 divisions, captured the key daugavpils junction on the first day. this was soon followed by the capture of pskov and securing narva on 28 february. the central forces of the 10th army and xli corps advanced towards smolensk. on 21 february minsk was captured together with the headquarters of the western army group. the southern forces broke through the remains of the russian southwestern army group, capturing zhitomir on 24 february. kiev was secured on 2 march, one day after the ukrainian central rada troops had arrived there.