  The break up of the deuteron is studied at high $Q^2$ kinematics, with main
motivation to probe the deuteron at small internucleon distances. For this, two
main issues are studied: electromagnetic interaction of the virtual photon with
the bound nucleon and the strong interactions of the produced baryons in the
final state of the reaction. Within virtual nucleon approximation we developed
a new prescription to account for the bound nucleon effects in the
electromagnetic interaction. The final state interaction at high $Q^2$
kinematics is calculated within generalized eikonal approximation ~ (GEA).
Comparison with the first experimental data confirm GEA's early prediction that
the rescattering is maximal at $\sim 70^0$ of recoil nucleon production
relative to the momentum of the virtual photon. Also the forward recoil nucleon
angles are best suited for studies of the deuteron at small distances.
