About "Russian aggression" in Norway
75 years ago, in October 1944 of the year, the Red Army carried out the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation. As a result, the Soviet Arctic and Northern Norway were liberated from German invaders. In modern Norway, the myth of the "Soviet occupation" and the "Russian threat" is created.
They are trying to combine past “grievances” with new ones. Allegedly, Russian special forces violated the borders of Norway and "Russians threaten Norwegian sovereignty." The Norwegian king is urged not to participate in the celebration of the 75 anniversary of liberation if Russian representatives are invited to Kirkenes.
In an open letter to Valing Gorter offers the Norwegian monarch does not participate in the celebration of the 75 anniversary of the liberation of Norway in October 2019, if it is proved that the Russian special forces violated the sovereignty of Norway, including on Spitsbergen. The author also expresses doubts about the "liberation" of Norway. In his opinion, Stalin conducted an operation in the North of Europe only with the goal of "expanding the line of defense." In addition, the Russians allegedly were in no hurry with the start of the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation, they waited until October 7 for 1944, saving people and equipment. And on October 3, an order to retreat came from Berlin, so "not so many Soviet soldiers died on Norwegian soil." “Not so much”: over 6 thousand people - irretrievable losses and more than 15 thousand people - sanitary. It turns out that the Russians were advancing after the Germans left and “fought” mainly with broken roads. Kirkenes basically did not see the fighting and it was burned by the retreating German troops.
The situation is similar with the current Russian military exercises, the purpose of which is supposedly control over Spitsbergen and the Barents Sea. According to the author, at present “the same expansion of defense” is taking place in Russia as before the USSR, corresponding to the current situation. Against Norway and its allies. And if the Russian special forces are currently violating the sovereignty of Norway, then "we are entering a new phase of relations, although the traditions of such incidents have existed for a long time." And Norway should not get inside the line of defense of Russia, which "it is building against us and our allies within our state borders." The 75 anniversary of the “expansion of the USSR defense line,” which included East Finnmark (Norway's northernmost administrative territorial unit), cannot be celebrated.
It is worth noting that this is not the first accusation of the USSR by Norwegian stakeholders. In Norway, whose citizens actively supported the Third Reich and fought for it, they accused the Soviet Union of "the genocide of the Sami people." During the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation, the retreating German troops and Norwegian collaborators used the scorched earth tactics. The Nazis destroyed the entire infrastructure of the region and deported 50 thousand Sami community. About 300 people died. In Norway, they called this event "called" the greatest disaster in stories countries". It came to such impudence that the USSR was accused of the fact that the advancing Red Army "provoked" the Nazis to destroy and evict the population.
Composing the “grievances” that the Soviet Union inflicted on Norway, and participating in the creation of the myth of the “Russian threat” to the world community at present, Oslo tries not to recall that the kingdom was de facto an ally of Hitler during the Second World War.
Hundreds of Norwegian volunteers fought the USSR during the Soviet-Finnish War 1939 — 1940. In April 1940, ahead of England and France, Germany occupied Norway. The management of the occupation forces in Norway and the control of the Norwegian administration as the Reich Commissioner of Norway were entrusted to Obergruppenführer Terboven. The Norwegian Nazi Vidkun Quisling was appointed Acting Prime Minister, Head of the Norwegian Civil Administration (since 1942 - Norwegian Prime Minister).
Having captured Norway, Berlin decided for itself several strategic tasks. Firstly, the Germans did not allow England and France to occupy Norway, to occupy a strategic bridgehead in Northern Europe against the Third Reich. Now Norway was the strategic bridgehead of the German Empire, the base for surface and underwater fleet, aviationthat threatened the British Isles and the USSR. Non-freezing northern ports provided good opportunities for operations in the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. Secondly, the Germans retained access to strategic raw materials. In particular, to the Swedish iron ore, which was exported through the Norwegian port of Narvik. Thirdly, the Nazi elite regarded the Norwegians, like other peoples of the German language group, as part of the future "new world order", the "Nordic race" of the masters.
The Norwegian German army (three army corps) was deployed in Norway, which used the country as a springboard to attack the Soviet Union. Also, part of the German fleet was based in Norwegian ports, and aircraft of the 5 air fleet were based at airfields. 29 June 1941 the German army "Norway" went on the offensive in Soviet territory, delivering the main blow to Murmansk and auxiliary attacks on Kandalaksha and Ukhta. By the end of 1941, the number of German troops in Norwegian territory reached 400 thousand people. Norway has become an important naval base for the Third Reich in the North Atlantic. Stalin even suggested that Churchill open a second front in Norway. However, the British prime minister refused, due to the unpreparedness and lack of allied forces for such an operation.
Already in the autumn of 1940, the Norwegian Nazis proposed the formation of Norwegian units in the German armed forces. This initiative was supported by the Norwegian pro-German government of Quisling. According to Quisling, the participation of the Norwegians in the war on the side of the Third Reich provided them with a privileged position in the future “new world order”. In December 1940, Quisling in Berlin agreed to begin the formation of the Norwegian volunteer unit as part of the SS troops. In January 1941, the Norwegian leadership sent an official request to Berlin to allow Norwegian volunteers to serve in the SS troops. The Germans responded positively. 13 January 1941 Mr. Widkun Quisling addressed the people on the radio with an appeal to record as volunteers in the SS regiment Nordland.
On January 28, 1941, the first 200 Norwegian volunteers, mostly members of the Nazi paramilitary organization Hird, in the presence of SS Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler, Norwegian Reich Commissioner Terboven and Quisling, swore allegiance to the “German leader” Adolf Hitler. Norwegians were enrolled in the SS Nordland regiment as part of the 5th tank SS Viking divisions (later this regiment became the core of the 11th SS Nordland Motorized Infantry Division). Some Norwegian volunteers served in other parts of the SS. Norwegian SS men fought in Little Russia, the Don, the North Caucasus, near Leningrad, in Hungary and Yugoslavia. Norwegians also fought in the 6th SS mountain division “Nord” in the Murmansk region.
In the summer of 1941, a wide information campaign began in Norway to attract volunteers to the SS troops. The Norwegian writer Nobel Prize Laureate Knut Gamsun actively participated in it. Recruitment centers were opened in the cities, where more than 2 thousand people arrived. In July 1941, the first volunteers were sent to Germany (training camps in Kiel). On 1 on August 1941 the Norwegian SS Legion was created (SS Legion "Norway"). The first commander of the legion was the former colonel of the Norwegian army, Sturmbanführer SS Jorgen Bakke. In October, the legion totaled over 1 thousand fighters. It consisted of one infantry battalion (three infantry companies and one machine gun company), one anti-tank company and a platoon of war correspondents.
In February 1942, the Legion "Norway" arrived near Luga (Leningrad Region). The Norwegian Legion became part of the 2 SS Infantry Brigade. Norwegians fought on the front line and carried out patrol service. So, after heavy fighting in April 1942 near Pulkovo in the Norwegian Legion, 600 people remained. Over the next months, despite the constantly growing replenishment, bringing the size of the Norway legion to 1100 — 1200 people, heavy losses constantly reduced the number of Norwegian volunteers to 600 — 700 people. Also, the 1 SS police company was formed from volunteers (it was recruited from the Norwegian police), it also acted in the Leningrad direction; a police ski company (then a battalion) as part of the 6 SS mountain division, which fought in the Murmansk direction; The 2 SS Police Company as part of the 6 SS Mountain Division; 6 SS Security Battalion, formed in Oslo, etc.
In August 1943, the pro-German Quisling government declared war on the Soviet Union. In January 1944, it was decided to mobilize 70 thousand people for service in the Wehrmacht. However, mobilization failed, the war was coming to an end. Germany was defeated and there were few who wanted to die. On 2 of May 1945, the last Norwegian SS men capitulated along with the rest of the Wehrmacht's Berlin group. In total, through the Norwegian units as part of the SS troops on the Russian Front for 1941 — 1945. 6 thousand of Norwegians passed, of which about 1 thousand died.
In addition, about 500 Norwegian volunteers served in the German Navy. In 1941, the Norwegian pro-German government formed the Volunteer Air Corps under the command of the famous Arctic and Antarctic explorer polar pilot Trigve Gran. About 100 Norwegians joined the German Air Force. Thousands of Norwegians also served in paramilitary construction organizations that built important facilities (fortifications, bridges, roads, an airfield, docks, etc.) in Germany, Italy, France, and Finland. In 1941 — 1942 12 thousand Norwegians were involved in the construction of highways in the frontline zone in Northern Finland. At various times from 20 to 30, thousands of Norwegians served in Todt's paramilitary organization, in the Viking Task Force, which was engaged in the construction of military facilities in Finland and Norway. Norwegian volunteers were employed in the transport and security units of the Wehrmacht. Guarded the concentration camps. On the territory of Norway, 15 500 citizens of the USSR and 2839 citizens of Yugoslavia died in the camps. Norwegian women served as nurses in the Wehrmacht military hospitals.
In total during the Second World War with weapons up to 15 thousands of Norwegians fought in the hands of the Third Reich and tens of thousands more voluntarily worked for the glory of the Third Reich. For comparison, by the end of the war, the Norwegian armed forces, subordinate to the Norwegian government in exile, totaled about 4,5 thousand infantry, 2,6 thousand Air Force personnel and 7,4 thousand Navy employees.
Thus, the facts show that Norway fought on the side of the Third Reich. Thousands of Norwegians served in the armed forces of Germany, took part in aggression against the USSR, fought on the Eastern Front, tens of thousands worked for Hitler's victory. The Norwegian SS men participated in the genocide of the Soviet (Russian) people in the territory of the Ukrainian SSR and the RSFSR. Thousands of Soviet citizens died in concentration camps in Norway, which were also guarded by Norwegian citizens. There is no limit to the hypocrisy and cynicism of our "Western partners." During World War II, they fought together for Hitler and openly supported the "German European Union." And after the Red Army took Berlin, they unanimously declared themselves "members of the anti-Hitler coalition", "victims of Nazism", and now they accuse the Russians of aggression, the USSR-Russia.
By the beginning of October 1944, the Nazis continued to hold positions in the Arctic. The 19 German mountain corps of the 20 Army (about 3 infantry divisions, 53 thousand people, 753 guns and mortars, 27 tanks and self-propelled guns, 160 aircraft) occupied a foothold in the Petsamo area. The Germans relied on a powerful defense, where natural obstacles were reinforced by long-term structures. Also, German forces could support the fleet, which was based in Northern Norway. There was the battleship Tirpitz, one and a half hundred combat (including 12 - 14 destroyers, up to 30 submarines) and auxiliary ships. The Murmansk destination was important for Berlin because of strategic considerations. Control over this area allowed Germany to receive strategic raw materials for the military industry - copper, nickel and molybdenum. The region was also important for the Third Reich as a strategic bridgehead for the fleet and the Air Force.
Finland's withdrawal from the war and the successful offensive of the 19 and 26 armies of the Karelian front in September, which disrupted the Germans' plan to withdraw the main forces of the 20 mountain army to the Petsamo region, created favorable conditions for the advance of the Red Army in the Arctic. On the Soviet side, the troops of the 14 Army (from the Karelian Front) participated in the operation under the command of General Shcherbakov, consisting of 5 Rifle Corps and 1 Operational Group (8 Rifle Divisions, 6 Rifle and 1 Tank Brigades), in total about 100 thousand people over 2100 guns and mortars, 126 tanks and self-propelled guns. Also, the 7 Air Army (about 700 aircraft), and the forces of the Northern Fleet (two marines, reconnaissance squad, ship detachment and air group - 275 aircraft).
The Soviet high command set the main goal of the defeat of the enemy group, the capture of Petsamo (Pechenga), then - Norwegian Kirkenes. 7 October 1944 year, the shock group of the 14 Army launched an offensive (Tenth Stalinist strike: Petsamo-Kirkenes operation) from the area south of the lake. Chap bypassing the right flank of the German corps. By October 10, parts of the 131 rifle corps intercepted the Titovka-Petsamo road, parts of the 99 rifle corps crossed the river. Titovka, and the 126 and 127 corps bypassed German positions south of Luostari. On the night of October 10, the Soviet fleet (30 boats) landed units of the 63th Marine Brigade in Mattivuono. At the same time, the 12-I Marine Corps attacked on the isthmus of the Sredny Peninsula and captured the Musta-Tunturi ridge. Endangered, the German forces began a retreat.
On October 12, scouts of the Northern Fleet, landed by boats, took possession of batteries at Cape Krestovy after fierce battles. 13 - On 14 on October, paratroopers and units of the 63th Marine Brigade occupied Linahamari. Thus, a threat was created surrounding Pechenga from the north. On October 15, our troops occupied Pechenga-Petsamo, on October 22 - Nickel. Landings were planted in the bays of Suolavuono and Aresvuono, which contributed to the capture of the Norwegian settlement Tornet on October 24. On October 25, parts of the 141 Corps, with the support of the landing, took Kirkenes. On October 29, our troops stopped their advance in Norway, reaching the line north of Neiden and southwest of Nautsi.
Thus, Soviet troops liberated the area of the Soviet Arctic and Northern Norway. After the end of the Great War, Soviet troops were withdrawn from Northern Norway (in September 1945 of the year).
"Russian threat"
They are trying to combine past “grievances” with new ones. Allegedly, Russian special forces violated the borders of Norway and "Russians threaten Norwegian sovereignty." The Norwegian king is urged not to participate in the celebration of the 75 anniversary of liberation if Russian representatives are invited to Kirkenes.
In an open letter to Valing Gorter offers the Norwegian monarch does not participate in the celebration of the 75 anniversary of the liberation of Norway in October 2019, if it is proved that the Russian special forces violated the sovereignty of Norway, including on Spitsbergen. The author also expresses doubts about the "liberation" of Norway. In his opinion, Stalin conducted an operation in the North of Europe only with the goal of "expanding the line of defense." In addition, the Russians allegedly were in no hurry with the start of the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation, they waited until October 7 for 1944, saving people and equipment. And on October 3, an order to retreat came from Berlin, so "not so many Soviet soldiers died on Norwegian soil." “Not so much”: over 6 thousand people - irretrievable losses and more than 15 thousand people - sanitary. It turns out that the Russians were advancing after the Germans left and “fought” mainly with broken roads. Kirkenes basically did not see the fighting and it was burned by the retreating German troops.
The situation is similar with the current Russian military exercises, the purpose of which is supposedly control over Spitsbergen and the Barents Sea. According to the author, at present “the same expansion of defense” is taking place in Russia as before the USSR, corresponding to the current situation. Against Norway and its allies. And if the Russian special forces are currently violating the sovereignty of Norway, then "we are entering a new phase of relations, although the traditions of such incidents have existed for a long time." And Norway should not get inside the line of defense of Russia, which "it is building against us and our allies within our state borders." The 75 anniversary of the “expansion of the USSR defense line,” which included East Finnmark (Norway's northernmost administrative territorial unit), cannot be celebrated.
It is worth noting that this is not the first accusation of the USSR by Norwegian stakeholders. In Norway, whose citizens actively supported the Third Reich and fought for it, they accused the Soviet Union of "the genocide of the Sami people." During the Petsamo-Kirkenes operation, the retreating German troops and Norwegian collaborators used the scorched earth tactics. The Nazis destroyed the entire infrastructure of the region and deported 50 thousand Sami community. About 300 people died. In Norway, they called this event "called" the greatest disaster in stories countries". It came to such impudence that the USSR was accused of the fact that the advancing Red Army "provoked" the Nazis to destroy and evict the population.
Norwegians in the armed forces of the Third Reich
Composing the “grievances” that the Soviet Union inflicted on Norway, and participating in the creation of the myth of the “Russian threat” to the world community at present, Oslo tries not to recall that the kingdom was de facto an ally of Hitler during the Second World War.
Hundreds of Norwegian volunteers fought the USSR during the Soviet-Finnish War 1939 — 1940. In April 1940, ahead of England and France, Germany occupied Norway. The management of the occupation forces in Norway and the control of the Norwegian administration as the Reich Commissioner of Norway were entrusted to Obergruppenführer Terboven. The Norwegian Nazi Vidkun Quisling was appointed Acting Prime Minister, Head of the Norwegian Civil Administration (since 1942 - Norwegian Prime Minister).
Having captured Norway, Berlin decided for itself several strategic tasks. Firstly, the Germans did not allow England and France to occupy Norway, to occupy a strategic bridgehead in Northern Europe against the Third Reich. Now Norway was the strategic bridgehead of the German Empire, the base for surface and underwater fleet, aviationthat threatened the British Isles and the USSR. Non-freezing northern ports provided good opportunities for operations in the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. Secondly, the Germans retained access to strategic raw materials. In particular, to the Swedish iron ore, which was exported through the Norwegian port of Narvik. Thirdly, the Nazi elite regarded the Norwegians, like other peoples of the German language group, as part of the future "new world order", the "Nordic race" of the masters.
The Norwegian German army (three army corps) was deployed in Norway, which used the country as a springboard to attack the Soviet Union. Also, part of the German fleet was based in Norwegian ports, and aircraft of the 5 air fleet were based at airfields. 29 June 1941 the German army "Norway" went on the offensive in Soviet territory, delivering the main blow to Murmansk and auxiliary attacks on Kandalaksha and Ukhta. By the end of 1941, the number of German troops in Norwegian territory reached 400 thousand people. Norway has become an important naval base for the Third Reich in the North Atlantic. Stalin even suggested that Churchill open a second front in Norway. However, the British prime minister refused, due to the unpreparedness and lack of allied forces for such an operation.
Already in the autumn of 1940, the Norwegian Nazis proposed the formation of Norwegian units in the German armed forces. This initiative was supported by the Norwegian pro-German government of Quisling. According to Quisling, the participation of the Norwegians in the war on the side of the Third Reich provided them with a privileged position in the future “new world order”. In December 1940, Quisling in Berlin agreed to begin the formation of the Norwegian volunteer unit as part of the SS troops. In January 1941, the Norwegian leadership sent an official request to Berlin to allow Norwegian volunteers to serve in the SS troops. The Germans responded positively. 13 January 1941 Mr. Widkun Quisling addressed the people on the radio with an appeal to record as volunteers in the SS regiment Nordland.
On January 28, 1941, the first 200 Norwegian volunteers, mostly members of the Nazi paramilitary organization Hird, in the presence of SS Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler, Norwegian Reich Commissioner Terboven and Quisling, swore allegiance to the “German leader” Adolf Hitler. Norwegians were enrolled in the SS Nordland regiment as part of the 5th tank SS Viking divisions (later this regiment became the core of the 11th SS Nordland Motorized Infantry Division). Some Norwegian volunteers served in other parts of the SS. Norwegian SS men fought in Little Russia, the Don, the North Caucasus, near Leningrad, in Hungary and Yugoslavia. Norwegians also fought in the 6th SS mountain division “Nord” in the Murmansk region.
In the summer of 1941, a wide information campaign began in Norway to attract volunteers to the SS troops. The Norwegian writer Nobel Prize Laureate Knut Gamsun actively participated in it. Recruitment centers were opened in the cities, where more than 2 thousand people arrived. In July 1941, the first volunteers were sent to Germany (training camps in Kiel). On 1 on August 1941 the Norwegian SS Legion was created (SS Legion "Norway"). The first commander of the legion was the former colonel of the Norwegian army, Sturmbanführer SS Jorgen Bakke. In October, the legion totaled over 1 thousand fighters. It consisted of one infantry battalion (three infantry companies and one machine gun company), one anti-tank company and a platoon of war correspondents.
In February 1942, the Legion "Norway" arrived near Luga (Leningrad Region). The Norwegian Legion became part of the 2 SS Infantry Brigade. Norwegians fought on the front line and carried out patrol service. So, after heavy fighting in April 1942 near Pulkovo in the Norwegian Legion, 600 people remained. Over the next months, despite the constantly growing replenishment, bringing the size of the Norway legion to 1100 — 1200 people, heavy losses constantly reduced the number of Norwegian volunteers to 600 — 700 people. Also, the 1 SS police company was formed from volunteers (it was recruited from the Norwegian police), it also acted in the Leningrad direction; a police ski company (then a battalion) as part of the 6 SS mountain division, which fought in the Murmansk direction; The 2 SS Police Company as part of the 6 SS Mountain Division; 6 SS Security Battalion, formed in Oslo, etc.
In August 1943, the pro-German Quisling government declared war on the Soviet Union. In January 1944, it was decided to mobilize 70 thousand people for service in the Wehrmacht. However, mobilization failed, the war was coming to an end. Germany was defeated and there were few who wanted to die. On 2 of May 1945, the last Norwegian SS men capitulated along with the rest of the Wehrmacht's Berlin group. In total, through the Norwegian units as part of the SS troops on the Russian Front for 1941 — 1945. 6 thousand of Norwegians passed, of which about 1 thousand died.
In addition, about 500 Norwegian volunteers served in the German Navy. In 1941, the Norwegian pro-German government formed the Volunteer Air Corps under the command of the famous Arctic and Antarctic explorer polar pilot Trigve Gran. About 100 Norwegians joined the German Air Force. Thousands of Norwegians also served in paramilitary construction organizations that built important facilities (fortifications, bridges, roads, an airfield, docks, etc.) in Germany, Italy, France, and Finland. In 1941 — 1942 12 thousand Norwegians were involved in the construction of highways in the frontline zone in Northern Finland. At various times from 20 to 30, thousands of Norwegians served in Todt's paramilitary organization, in the Viking Task Force, which was engaged in the construction of military facilities in Finland and Norway. Norwegian volunteers were employed in the transport and security units of the Wehrmacht. Guarded the concentration camps. On the territory of Norway, 15 500 citizens of the USSR and 2839 citizens of Yugoslavia died in the camps. Norwegian women served as nurses in the Wehrmacht military hospitals.
In total during the Second World War with weapons up to 15 thousands of Norwegians fought in the hands of the Third Reich and tens of thousands more voluntarily worked for the glory of the Third Reich. For comparison, by the end of the war, the Norwegian armed forces, subordinate to the Norwegian government in exile, totaled about 4,5 thousand infantry, 2,6 thousand Air Force personnel and 7,4 thousand Navy employees.
Thus, the facts show that Norway fought on the side of the Third Reich. Thousands of Norwegians served in the armed forces of Germany, took part in aggression against the USSR, fought on the Eastern Front, tens of thousands worked for Hitler's victory. The Norwegian SS men participated in the genocide of the Soviet (Russian) people in the territory of the Ukrainian SSR and the RSFSR. Thousands of Soviet citizens died in concentration camps in Norway, which were also guarded by Norwegian citizens. There is no limit to the hypocrisy and cynicism of our "Western partners." During World War II, they fought together for Hitler and openly supported the "German European Union." And after the Red Army took Berlin, they unanimously declared themselves "members of the anti-Hitler coalition", "victims of Nazism", and now they accuse the Russians of aggression, the USSR-Russia.
Vidkun Quisling (left) and Terboven (right) before the militia formation of the organization "Druzhina"
Norwegian legionnaires arrive in the USSR. Autumn 1941 of the year. Source: https://ru.wikipedia.org
Battle for the north
By the beginning of October 1944, the Nazis continued to hold positions in the Arctic. The 19 German mountain corps of the 20 Army (about 3 infantry divisions, 53 thousand people, 753 guns and mortars, 27 tanks and self-propelled guns, 160 aircraft) occupied a foothold in the Petsamo area. The Germans relied on a powerful defense, where natural obstacles were reinforced by long-term structures. Also, German forces could support the fleet, which was based in Northern Norway. There was the battleship Tirpitz, one and a half hundred combat (including 12 - 14 destroyers, up to 30 submarines) and auxiliary ships. The Murmansk destination was important for Berlin because of strategic considerations. Control over this area allowed Germany to receive strategic raw materials for the military industry - copper, nickel and molybdenum. The region was also important for the Third Reich as a strategic bridgehead for the fleet and the Air Force.
Finland's withdrawal from the war and the successful offensive of the 19 and 26 armies of the Karelian front in September, which disrupted the Germans' plan to withdraw the main forces of the 20 mountain army to the Petsamo region, created favorable conditions for the advance of the Red Army in the Arctic. On the Soviet side, the troops of the 14 Army (from the Karelian Front) participated in the operation under the command of General Shcherbakov, consisting of 5 Rifle Corps and 1 Operational Group (8 Rifle Divisions, 6 Rifle and 1 Tank Brigades), in total about 100 thousand people over 2100 guns and mortars, 126 tanks and self-propelled guns. Also, the 7 Air Army (about 700 aircraft), and the forces of the Northern Fleet (two marines, reconnaissance squad, ship detachment and air group - 275 aircraft).
The Soviet high command set the main goal of the defeat of the enemy group, the capture of Petsamo (Pechenga), then - Norwegian Kirkenes. 7 October 1944 year, the shock group of the 14 Army launched an offensive (Tenth Stalinist strike: Petsamo-Kirkenes operation) from the area south of the lake. Chap bypassing the right flank of the German corps. By October 10, parts of the 131 rifle corps intercepted the Titovka-Petsamo road, parts of the 99 rifle corps crossed the river. Titovka, and the 126 and 127 corps bypassed German positions south of Luostari. On the night of October 10, the Soviet fleet (30 boats) landed units of the 63th Marine Brigade in Mattivuono. At the same time, the 12-I Marine Corps attacked on the isthmus of the Sredny Peninsula and captured the Musta-Tunturi ridge. Endangered, the German forces began a retreat.
On October 12, scouts of the Northern Fleet, landed by boats, took possession of batteries at Cape Krestovy after fierce battles. 13 - On 14 on October, paratroopers and units of the 63th Marine Brigade occupied Linahamari. Thus, a threat was created surrounding Pechenga from the north. On October 15, our troops occupied Pechenga-Petsamo, on October 22 - Nickel. Landings were planted in the bays of Suolavuono and Aresvuono, which contributed to the capture of the Norwegian settlement Tornet on October 24. On October 25, parts of the 141 Corps, with the support of the landing, took Kirkenes. On October 29, our troops stopped their advance in Norway, reaching the line north of Neiden and southwest of Nautsi.
Thus, Soviet troops liberated the area of the Soviet Arctic and Northern Norway. After the end of the Great War, Soviet troops were withdrawn from Northern Norway (in September 1945 of the year).
Soldiers of the 12th Northern Fleet Marine Brigade at the firing position of a captured German coastal battery in Liinahamari (Petsamo Fjord)
181th Northern Fleet Special Reconnaissance Unit. 1944 g., After the capture of Cape Cross. On 12 on October 1944, a detachment under the command of Lieutenant Viktor Leonov attacked two German batteries at Cape Krestovoy, which controlled the entrance to Petsamo Bay, and captured them, ensuring the landing of a naval assault. Source: http://waralbum.ru
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