This was a Soviet operation otherwise known as 'Mars' (i) and constituting the second battle in the Rzhev-Sychevka salient within the 'Rzhev-Sychevka Strategic Offensive Operation' against the German forces in the salient created by 'Taifun' (i) and 'Wotan' to the north-west of Moscow (25 November/20 December 1942).