The Petsamo-Kirkenes operation of 1944 was of strategic importance for the Soviet command during the Second World War. The aim of the war was the liberation of the Arctic from the German invaders.
Petsamo-Kirkenes operation: photo, general information
The fighting of the Soviet troops allowed not only to complete the expulsion of the invaders from the country. The battles had a significant impact on the balance of power in northern Europe. Soviet troops needed to enter Petsamo and Luostari, where the 19th Wehrmacht mountain rifle corps was located, and then attack on Kirkenes.
Alignment of forces
On the territory there were 20 mountain army led by Colonel-General Lothar Rendulic and 19 mountain jaeger corps, headed by General Ferdinand Jodl. German forces were represented by 3 divisions and 4 brigades, 53 thousand people, more than 750 guns and mortars. The Nazi forces included aircraft (160 units). 19 Corps was in defense in depth in difficult terrain. The forces were deployed in rocky hills, near lakes and fjords. Soviet troops were represented by the forces of the Karelian Front. The command of the units was carried out by General Meretskov. The Soviet forces included 14 army, led by Lieutenant General Shcherbakov. It included:
- Rifle Divisions (8).
- Self-propelled artillery regiments (2).
- Brigades: 2 engineering, 1 tank, 5 rifle.
- Mortar and artillery regiments (21).
- Team of rocket launchers.
The number of the Russian army was 97 thousand people. At the disposal of the troops were 2112 mortars and guns, 107 self-propelled guns and tanks. From the air, the army was supported by 689 aircraft. The Petsamo-Kirkenes offensive operation took place with the participation of the Northern Fleet, under the command of Admiral Golovko. It included 2 marines, detachments of ships and naval aviation (276 aircraft). The advance of the troops was complicated by the use of heavy artillery, in this regard, General Meretskov requested KV tanks.
Petsamo-Kirkenes operation (briefly)
In accordance with the plan, it was supposed during the first week, using a deep roundabout maneuver, to clamp down the troops of the Germans from the north and south, who were defending in the area of B. Zapadnaya Litsa. In other words, Soviet forces were supposed to form a classic "cauldron". According to historians, the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation (the start date is October 7) was planned under the influence of the Leningrad and Stalingrad battles. During the movement of the Soviet troops, the Wehrmacht forces evacuated units from Finland and Norway. This operation was called Nordlicht. It, like the previous one (Birke), was conducted by Rendulich. Subsequently, for success in them, he received the Knight's Cross with oak leaves (the highest award of the Reich). The Petsamo-Kirkenes operation of 1944 took place in three stages. At the first stage, the Soviet troops faced the task of breaking through the German defenses. Then the army was to pursue the retreating invaders to Kirkenes and conduct the final battle in it. During the movement of the Soviet units, several sea ejections were made by infantry forces and army units. One of the landings was undertaken in Malaya Volokova Bay.
German defense breakthrough
On October 7, at 8 am, artillery bombardment began. After 2.5 hours, Soviet troops went on the offensive. On the first day, 131 corps reached the river. Titovka, and the forces of the 99th could not complete the task at once. The Germans managed to break through the defenses only in the morning of October 8. The next day - on the 9th - the offensive was launched by the forces of the group under the command of Lieutenant General Pigarevich. They were located east of the river. West Persons in the territory of the most active advancement of the Nazis towards Murmansk. On the same night, a landing was made in Malaya Volkova Bay (on the Mattivuono Fjord). The sailors crossed the ridge of Musta-Tunturi and headed to Petsamo, cutting off part of the forces of the German army.
Environment
126 light infantry corps, commanded by Colonel Soloviev, on the left flank successfully carried out a roundabout maneuver. On the fourth day, he stepped onto the Petsamo-Salmijärvi road and cut it west of Luostari. Beating off the counterattacks of the Germans, the corps continued its advance, reaching the Petsamo-Tarnet road. At night, units led by Major General Zhukov captured the airfield in Luostari. It was a strategically important takeover. Entering Luostari, Soviet troops deprived the Germans of one of the largest airfields in the North. Several enemy aircraft were captured as trophies. On the same day, the landing was transferred to Liinahamari. Together with the 114th division of the 99th Corps, the Marine Corps cleared the settlement of the Nazis. As a result, Petsamo was surrounded on all sides by Soviet troops. Marines and parts of the Pigarevich group were moving from the east to the village, from the west the situation was controlled by 72 naval brigades, from the south - 131 corps, and from the north came the landing force, which captured Liinahamari harbor on October 13.
Seizure of the port
The Petsamo-Kirkenes operation was distinguished by the fact that not only the ground forces, but also the fleet participated in it. At the final stage of the battles of 181, a special reconnaissance detachment advanced towards the village of Liinahamari. The port was fortified by fascist invaders and covered the capes of Romanov and Krestovy. In the granite base of the latter, the Germans erected various fortifications, equipped firing points, dugouts, trenches, etc. On Cape Romanov, bunkers have been preserved to this day, in which there were German torpedo mounts. From these fortifications opened a good overview of the entrance to the port. This made it possible to torpedo any submarines or ships. On October 12, a sabotage detachment commanded by Major Barchenko-Emelyanov and Leonov attacked German batteries located on metro Krestovoi. The battle was short. With minimal losses, Soviet troops captured the batteries. Thanks to this, a successful landing was carried out in Liinahamari, the capture of the area and the subsequent capture of Petsamo.
Nickel Capture
His defense was provided by a group of troops under the command of General Vogel. It included formations and units that retreated from the Luostari and were transferred from Finland. The Petsamo-Kirkenes operation continued with battles for Nickel on October 18. The German army put up stubborn resistance. Despite this, the forces of the Soviet forces reached the Yarfjord and captured Nickel (Kolosjoki). Active actions of the Russian army forced the German command to speed up first, and after the air raid on Kirkenes on October 21 - to complete the evacuation. The city ran out of fresh water, which was used primarily for steamer boilers. On October 22, the 131st Corps launched the battle of Ha Tarnet. Along with this, the marines, supported by artillery, carried out a sweep of the coast.
The end of the fighting
On October 23-25, the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation entered the last phase. The Germans, retreating, mined roads and blew them up. It was noted that the speed of their progress was about 40 km / day. Meanwhile, Soviet formations covered about 8.5 km during the day. At noon on October 25, a rally of the local population took place in the main square of Kirkenes. After him, under the arms volleys, the anthem of the mayor of the city, the Norwegian flag was raised. From the Northern Fleet, 3 tactical landings were landed in the area of the southern coast of the Varanger Fjord:
- In the bays of Aresvuono and Suolavuono on October 18.
- In Cobholm Fjord - 23 Oct.
- In Holmengro Fjord - October 25th.
All three transfers were successful and had a positive impact on the course of the battle. On October 27, Soviet troops entered Nautsi: 31 corps led by Major General Absalyamov entered from the east, and 127 light-infantry formations from the north. The enemy, retreating to Kirkenes, erected increasingly large barriers, destroyed roads. The path to the city was completely mined, the suspension bridge was blown up. Nevertheless, on October 25, at 9 am, Soviet troops entered the city. Thus ended the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation.
Help from local patriots
During the liberation of many settlements outside the USSR, the support of the Soviet army was provided by their inhabitants. The Petsamo-Kirkenes operation was no exception. The results of the battle of moths would be less successful if it were not for the help of local patriots. So, forcing the Yarfjord was carried out on fishing boats and amphibians. Norwegian patriots entered the sea on two motobots, which greatly helped the Soviet soldiers. The locals rescued the crews of the boats, and under fire they sent soldiers to the other side. When crossing the territory of the Elvenes Fjord, Soviet troops had to start the offensive again. The 14th division was engaged in guidance of rafting. Norwegian patriots helped again. Also, local residents entered the Beck Fjord. As a result of the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation, large settlements were liberated:
- Svanvik.
- Sannes.
- Munkelven.
- Fosstord.
- Trangsund.
- Sturbuckt.
- Neiden.
- Tarnet.
- Langfjordbotn.
- Vokterbolig.
- Bjornovann.
- Croftfeterbukt.
- Vierlund.
- Buholmen.
Memory
Scouts of the Northern Fleet who died during the capture of Liinhamari are buried at Cape Krestovy, at its highest point. The mass grave contains the remains of 20 people. The foot of the monument is visible from afar. There is a tablet on it, which lists all the dead by name. In Kirkeness, a monument to a Soviet soldier with a gun was installed. This monument was created by the Norwegian sculptor Fredriksen. The Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces established the medal "For the Defense of the Arctic". It depicts a Soviet soldier in a cap with earflaps, a fur coat and with a machine gun on the background of tanks, planes and ships of the navy.