In June 1941 the unit's "Gruppen" participated in Operation Barbarossa and spent the next years on the Eastern front. flew most of its operations on the southern sector in support of Army Group South, a front-level battle group of the German Army. groups participated in the early successes which included the large battles of encirclements at Kiev and First Battle of Kharkov. The command also took part in the Battle of Moscow and bombed the city.