The "seed" partisan detachments, diversionist and organizational groups were formed and parachuted into German-occupied territories in the summer of 1941. Urban underground groups were formed as a force complementing the activities of partisan units, operating in rural areas. The network of underground structures was actively developed on German-occupied territories to control activities, and it received a steady influx of specially chosen party activists. By the end of 1941, more than 2,000 partisan detachments (with more than 90,000 personnel) operated in German-occupied territories.
[4][5]
However, the activity of partisan forces were not centrally coordinated and supplied until spring of 1942. In order to coordinate partisan operations the Central Headquarters of the Partisan Movement under
Stavka, headed by
Panteleimon Ponomarenko (Chief of Staff) and initially commanded by top Politburo member
Kliment Voroshilov, was organized on May 30, 1942. The Staff had its
liaison networks in the
Military Councils of the
Fronts and
Armies. The territorial Staffs were subsequently created, dealing with the partisan movement in the respective Soviet Republics and in the occupied provinces of the
Russian SFSR.
[6]
Initially, in
Ukraine and
Belorussia some of the local population were supportive of the German occupation that they hoped would bring about the end of
Stalinist rule.
Later, the
NKVD,
SMERSH and
GRU began training a special group of future partisans (effectively,
special forces units) in the rear and dropping them into occupied territories.[
citation needed] Candidates were chosen from among volunteers from the regular Red Army, the NKVD
Internal Troops, and Soviet sportsmen. Behind the German front-line, the groups were to organize and guide the local, self-established partisan units. Radio operators and
intelligence gathering officers were essential members of each group since amateur fighters could not be trusted with these tasks. Some commanders of these special units, such as
Dmitry Nikolaevich Medvedev, later became well-known partisan leaders.[
citation needed]