What the significance of capturing Ukraine for the German Army during WW2?

Answer 1

There were three main reasons for the importance of Ukraine to Germany during WWII.

1) Ukraine was the major food-producing region for the Soviet Union. It has more agricultural land than any other country in Europe. That's why Russia is still anxious to control the independent Ukraine today.

2) Ukraine's relatively flat country offered an easily crossed "highway" into the Soviet Union, unlike the marshy expanse of southern Belorussa. Since one of the main objectives of the German invasion was control of the oilfields north of the Caucasus mountains, crossing Ukraine was the direct route.

3) Ukraine's population hated Stalin and the Soviet Union after the forced famines of the 1930s. There was a feeling in the German government that using that hatred against the Soviets would be a useful tool and might lead the Ukrainians to revolt. However, Hitler's anti-Slavic stance led quickly to atrocities against the Ukrainians and so turned them against Germany.

Answer 2

It gave them access to raw materials such as coal and the agricultural produce of a very fertile part of the Soviet Union.
They were welcomed by some Ukrainians who thought they were being liberated from Russia and a lot of Ukrainians joined the German forces.

Answer 3

The Ukraine was considered the breadbasket for Russia and as such, the Germans were then able to deny those resources to the Russians abnd use it themselves.