12. Direct Combat Engagements
Some partisan groups formed regular units, engaging in open combat with enemy troops. Soviet partisans, at times numbering over 300,000, conducted large-scale battles and liberated towns ahead of advancing Allied armies. For instance, during the Battle of Velikiye Luki in 1942, Soviet forces encircled and captured the German garrison, marking a significant victory. Similarly, the Battle of Batina in 1944 saw Yugoslav partisans, supported by the Red Army, defeat German forces, contributing to the liberation of the region (en.wikipedia.org).
