This book is devoted to the description of the Kyiv strategic defensive operation, which was carried out by the troops of the South-Western, Southern and Central fronts, as well as part of the forces of the Pinsk military flotilla. During 82 days of defensive battles - from July 7 to September 26, 1941 - our troops inflicted serious losses on the German group "South" and contributed to the disruption of German plans for the lightning-fast capture of Moscow. However, the "payment" for this was the encirclement and defeat of several Soviet armies and the tragic death in battle of almost the entire leadership of the Southwestern Front.