In November the corps was assigned to Kalinin Front, and reinforced 3rd Shock Army in its attack against German Third Panzer Army in and around the city of Velikiye Luki. Its first battle was costly, and in spite of receiving the 162nd Machinegun Battalion and a training battalion as replacements in December, by the end of the battle on Feb. 1, 1943, the 249th was at about 50% strength, with a total of 4,213 officers and men. The division and its corps remained directly under Front command (in October Kalinin Front became 2nd Baltic Front) for the remainder of the year, attacking alongside 4th Shock Army towards Vitebsk in the Battle of Nevel in November and December.