In preparation for the strategic counteroffensive called Operation Uranus, the 169th was transferred back to 57th Army in early November and moved southwards, to the vicinity of Tundutovo and Ivanovka, and reinforced. For the offensive it was supported by 90th Tank Brigade, and made up about half of 57th Army's shock group, with the 422nd Rifle Division and more armor making up the other half. After a 75-minute artillery preparation the division stepped off at 1115 hours on Nov. 20 and easily penetrated the defenses of the under-strength Romanian 2nd Infantry Division, which suffered "tank fright" and was virtually routed in the first hour. By mid-afternoon the shock group had advanced 6 to 8 kilometres and the 169th had captured Khara-Uson, Erdeshkin and Nariman. In the evening the division came under attack by the German 29th Motorized Division, which drove it back from Nariman; quick action by the 90th Tank Brigade saved the day by engaging the German armor and destroying several tanks. The division lost 93 men killed and 257 wounded in this action. 13th Tank Corps soon entered this seesaw battle through the night and next day, until the German division was ordered northward towards Stalingrad, after which the 169th and its supporting tanks continued to exploit their penetration westwards. Within days the shock group ran up against the 29th Motorized once again, as well as the 297th Infantry Division, defending the strongpoints of Tsybenko and Kravtsov, and the advance became a siege.