While the Soviets underestimated Paulus' strength, the Germans exaggerated the Soviet encirclement. Galen's Eastern Front Foreign Forces estimated on February 4 that the Stalingrad encirclement contained 107 Soviet divisions and brigades, as well as 13 tank regiments. In fact, however, due to a serious underestimation of the strength of the besieged Germans, the Soviets deployed less than half the strength of the Germans.
Of course, in order to encircle Paulus, the Don Front was greatly strengthened. Stalin sent 1 artillery division, 2 regiments and 1 battalion of high-power artillery, 5 anti-tank destroyer regiments, 2 rocket artillery divisions, 3 tank regiments and 1 anti-aircraft artillery regiment, as well as 20,000 reinforcements.
By 1 January 1943, after taking over the former Stalingrad Front, Rokossovsky's Don Front was organized as follows:
39 infantry divisions, 9 infantry brigades of various types, 1 independent fighter brigade, 6 fortified areas, 3 ski battalions. Its reinforced artillery unit consisted of 3 artillery divisions (1st, 4th, and 19th artillery divisions), 12 independent artillery regiments, 2 independent mortar regiments, 12 independent anti-tank destroyer regiments, 1 rocket artillery brigade, 9 rocket artillery regiments, and 1 rocket artillery battalion. Nine days later, on 10 January, the Don Front was strengthed by 39 infantry divisions, 10 infantry brigades, motorized infantry brigades and Marine Brigades, 7 aviation divisions, 45 mortar and artillery regiments, 10 rocket artillery regiments, 5 tank brigades, 14 tank regiments, and 17 anti-aircraft artillery regiments.