75 years ago, in June-August 1944, the Red Army carried out the Vyborg-Petrozavodsk operation. The troops of the Leningrad and Karelian fronts broke through the "Mannerheim Line", inflicted a heavy defeat on the Finnish army, liberated Vyborg and Petrozavodsk, most of the Karelo-Finnish SSR. The Finnish government, under the threat of a complete military-political catastrophe, was forced to agree to peace negotiations with the USSR.
General situation
As a result of the successful offensive in the winter and spring of 1944 of the Red Army in the northwestern and southwestern directions, two large ledges were formed on the front. The first of them, which was located north of Pripyat, went into the Soviet side, the second, south of Pripyat, was facing the Germans. The northern ledge - the "Belarusian balcony", blocked the way for the Russians to Warsaw and Berlin. Also, the Nazis could use the Belarusian ledge to deliver flank attacks during the offensive of Soviet troops in the Baltic States to the borders of East Prussia, and in the southwestern direction - to Poland (Lvov direction) and Hungary. The southern ledge, which rested against the Carpathian Mountains, cut through the German front and made it difficult for the two German army groups to interact - "Northern Ukraine" and "Southern Ukraine".
In winter, the troops of the 1st Baltic, Western and Belorussian fronts tried to develop an offensive to the west, but without much success. The German Army Group Center firmly held the Belorussian salient. In the southwestern direction, the situation was favorable - our troops reached the Lublin and Lvov directions. The German high command, continuing to rely on strategic defense and dragging out the war, believed that the Russians would continue their offensive in the south in the summer. Army Groups Center and North were predicted to have a "calm summer." In addition, the Hitlerite command believed that the Russian army, after already conducted active and strategic operations in 1944, suffered serious losses and would not be able to actively attack along the entire front in the near future. Therefore, of the 22 German armored divisions that were in the East, 20 mobile units were located south of Pripyat, and only 2 to the north of it.
The assumptions of the Hitlerite rate were wrong. The Red Army retained its strength and quickly made up for the losses in manpower, equipment and weapons. The Soviet Headquarters was going to continue the offensive along the entire front, consistently delivering powerful blows in various directions. In the spring of 1944, the Soviet high command prepared a plan for the 1944 summer campaign. By the end of May 1944, this plan was approved by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I. Stalin. The start of the offensive was planned for June 1944. The main attack was planned to be delivered in the center - in the Belarusian Republic. The first to go on the offensive in the summer were the Leningrad and Karelian fronts (LF and KF) on the Karelian Isthmus and in South Karelia. Their successful blow was supposed to lead to the defeat of the Finnish army and the withdrawal of fascist Finland from the war. Also, the offensive of the Red Army in the northwest distracted Berlin from the central direction.
In addition, the summer offensive of the Red Army supported the Allies in opening a second front in France. On June 5, 1944, Stalin congratulated the Allies on the capture of Rome. On June 6, Churchill informed Stalin about the beginning of the landing of Anglo-American troops in Normandy. Congratulating Churchill and Roosevelt on the successful landing in France, the Soviet leader briefly informed the Allies about the further actions of the Red Army. The offensive of the Red Army on the Eastern Front facilitated the actions of Britain and the United States in the West. On June 9, Stalin additionally informed the British Prime Minister that preparations for the summer offensive of the Soviet troops were ending and on June 10 an offensive would be launched on the Leningrad Front.
Thus, the summer-autumn campaign of 1944 opened with the “fourth Stalinist blow”. It was inflicted by the troops of the Leningrad and Karelian fronts on the Karelian Isthmus and in Karelia. The first blow in January 1944 led to the complete liberation from the blockade of Leningrad and the Leningrad region; the second blow in February - March 1944 - to the liberation of the Right-Bank Ukraine; the third blow in March - May 1944 - to the liberation of Odessa and Crimea.
The position of Finland. Forces of the parties
By the summer of 1944, the position of fascist Finland had deteriorated significantly. In January - February 1944, the Wehrmacht was defeated near Leningrad and Novgorod. However, the Finnish command hoped that powerful defensive positions would allow them to hold their positions on the Karelian Isthmus and in Karelia.
The transfer of Russian activity from south to north came as a surprise to the enemy. The Nazis did not have time to quickly transfer troops to the northwest. However, during the three years of the war, the Finnish armed forces created a powerful defense here, strengthening the "Mannerheim line", created even before the Great Patriotic War. There were three defensive lines on the Karelian Isthmus. The depth of the enemy defense in the Vyborg direction reached 100 kilometers. Between the Ladoga and Onega lakes, the defense line ran along the Svir River. North of Onega Island, two defensive lines were set up.
Finnish troops were subdivided into three operational groups - "Karelian Isthmus", "Olonetskaya" (between Ladoga and Onega lakes) and "Maselskaya". The Finnish troops that defended these positions consisted of 15 divisions (including 1 tank), and 6 infantry brigades. A total of about 270 thousand people, 3200 guns and mortars, about 250 tanks and self-propelled guns and about 270 aircraft. The Finnish units were fully equipped and had rich combat experience. The Finnish soldiers had a high fighting efficiency, they fought stubbornly. At the same time, the terrain was difficult for large operations - lakes, rivers, swamps, forests, rocks and hills.
In May - June 1944, the LF and KF front were reinforced from the Stavka reserve and from other sectors of the fronts by rifle divisions, a breakthrough artillery corps, and 3 air divisions. Artillery and mobile units have been strengthened - more than 600 tanks and self-propelled guns have been received. As a result, the Soviet Leningrad and Karelian fronts, under the command of Marshal Govorov and General of the Army Meretskov, had 41 rifle divisions, 5 brigades and 4 fortified areas. They numbered about 450 thousand people, about 10 thousand guns and mortars, more than 800 tanks and self-propelled guns, over 1500 aircraft. Thus, the Red Army had a serious advantage in manpower and equipment, especially in artillery, tanks and aircraft. The operation was also attended by the forces of the Baltic Fleet, Ladoga and Onega military flotillas.
On May 1, 1944, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief sent a directive on the preparation of the LF and KF troops for the offensive. Particular attention was paid to the need to conduct an offensive in a wooded-swampy and lake area, in which Soviet troops suffered heavy losses in the war of 1939-1940. At the end of May, the commander of the KF, General Meretskov, reported to Stalin about the preparation of the operation.
General concept of the operation
The main task of the Vyborg-Petrozavodsk operation was to destroy the Finnish armed forces and withdraw Finland from the war. The troops of the LF and KF were to defeat the opposing enemy groups, liberate Vyborg and Petrozavodsk, the territory of the Karelo-Finnish SSR and the northern part of the Leningrad region, and restore the state border with Finland. The defeat of the Finnish army and the threat of the Red Army to the Finnish territory proper should have forced Helsinki to break the alliance with Berlin and begin peace negotiations.
The first to begin the offensive were the LF troops, then the KF. The troops of Marshal Govorov were advancing with the forces of two combined-arms armies (the 21st and 23rd armies), with the support of the 13th air army, the Baltic Fleet and the Onega flotilla. The main blow was struck on the Karelian Isthmus along the northern coast of the Gulf of Finland in the direction of Beloostrov, Summa, Vyborg and Lappeenranta. The Red Army was supposed to break through the "Mannerheim Line", capture Vyborg - a strategic point and communications hub, posing a threat to the most important political and economic centers of Finland.
Meretskov's troops, in cooperation with the Onega and Ladoga flotillas, were supposed to force the Svir River, hack the Finnish defenses, develop an offensive on Olonets, Vidlitsa, Pitkyaranta and Sortavala, partly on Petrozavodsk, partly on Medvezhegorsk, Porosozero and Kuolisma. Soviet troops were to defeat the opposing enemy forces, liberate Petrozavodsk, and reach the state border with Finland in the Kuolisma area. At the same time, the command of the KF should not weaken the northern flank and the center of its front, fettering the German and Finnish troops located there. Under favorable conditions, it was supposed to go over to a general offensive along the entire front to Murmansk.
Thus, the Vyborg-Petrozavodsk strategic offensive operation was divided into two front-line offensive operations - the Vyborg operation, which was carried out by the troops of the Leningrad Front and the Svir-Petrozavodsk operation of the Karelian Front, which began one after the other.
To deceive the enemy and hide the main direction of the offensive, the Soviet Headquarters instructed the KF to conduct demonstrative preparations for an offensive in the northern sector of the front - in the Petsamo area. The LF was tasked with simulating a large-scale operation in the Narva area. The strictest secrecy was observed in the areas of the actual operation. This made it possible to ensure the surprise of the offensive operation. The enemy command did not expect the summer offensive of the Red Army in the north.
The defeat of the Finnish army in the Vyborg direction
On June 9, 1944, large-caliber artillery and bomber aircraft attacked the Finnish fortifications on the Karelian Isthmus. As a result, many fortifications were destroyed and minefields were blown up. On June 10, a full-scale artillery and aviation preparation was carried out. A significant role in this preparation was played by naval artillery and naval aviation of the Baltic Fleet. After that, the troops of the 21st Army of General Gusev went on the attack, on June 11 - the forces of the 23rd Army of Cherepanov. At the beginning of the offensive, they included 15 rifle divisions, 10 tank and self-propelled artillery regiments. Gusev's army delivered the main blow, so 70% of the LF forces on the Karelian Isthmus were concentrated in it. Most of these forces and assets were located in the 12.5 km section of the army's breakthrough.
On the very first day, our troops broke through the enemy defenses, crossed the Sestra River and advanced 12 to 17 kilometers deep into enemy territory. Neither the powerful fortifications, nor the stubbornness of the Finnish troops, could stop the offensive impulse of the Red Army. On June 11, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief issued an order in which he highly appreciated the actions of the Leningrad Front. A salute was fired in the capital in honor of the breakthrough of the enemy defense.
The Finnish command, trying to stop the advance of the Soviet troops, transferred 2 divisions and 2 brigades from Northern Finland and South Karelia to the Karelian Isthmus. Finnish troops fought well, but could not stop the Red Army. On June 14, after a strong artillery and air preparation, our troops broke through the second defensive line of the enemy. The Finnish army retreated to the third line of defense. The Finnish leadership requested emergency assistance from the Germans. The Finns requested six divisions, the Germans were able to send one infantry division, one assault gun brigade and a squadron of aircraft.
Reinforced with one corps from the front reserve, Soviet troops also broke through the third line of defense of the enemy army. On the evening of June 20, 1944, our troops took Vyborg. As a result, in 10 days of the offensive, the Russian troops achieved the same result that was achieved during the bloody "winter war" of 1939-1940, and restored the positions lost by our army at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. The Red Army learned the bloody lessons well, its power and skill of soldiers, officers and generals increased dramatically.
The Red Army, reaching the Finnish defensive line, which ran along the lakes of the Vuoksa water system, completed the main tasks of the offensive operation. Further, the Soviet troops developed an offensive with the aim of reaching the Virojoki - Lappeenranta - Imatra - Kexholm line. The Finnish command, trying to avoid a complete collapse, hastily pulled up all forces from the depths of the country and troops from other sectors of the front, from South Karelia. By mid-July 1944, the Finns had gathered three quarters of the entire army in the Vyborg direction. At the same time, the Finnish troops took up defense mainly along water lines with a width of 300 meters to 3 km. The Finnish resistance has increased greatly. For 10 days in July, the troops of the 21st Army advanced only 10-12 kilometers. The 23rd Army eliminated enemy bridgeheads on the right bank of the Vuoksa River. The 59th Army, which was transferred to the left flank of the advancing LF troops in early July from the Peipsi region, with the support of the fleet, occupied the large islands of the Vyborg Bay. Considering that the main task of the operation was solved in order to avoid unnecessary losses, the Soviet high command stopped the offensive on July 12. The LF troops went on the defensive.
Liberation of Petrozavodsk. Victory
On June 21, 1944, the troops of the KF went on the offensive - the 32nd Army of General Gorolenko and the 7th Army of Krutikov. In connection with the transfer of part of its forces to the Vyborg region, the Finnish command reduced the front line, starting on June 20 the withdrawal of troops from the Petrozavodsk direction and other sectors of the front. On the very first day of the offensive, the strike group of the 7th Army, supported by aviation, crossed the river. Svir, broke through the enemy's main line of defense in a 12-kilometer sector and advanced 5 - 6 km in depth. On the same day, the troops of the 32nd Army in the Medvezhyegorsk direction, overcoming enemy resistance, advanced 14-16 kilometers.
Subsequently, the troops of the KF, with the support of the Ladoga and Onega flotilla (they landed troops in the enemy rear), liberated Olonets on June 25, Kondopoga on June 28, and then Petrozavodsk. On July 10, Krutikov's army entered the Loimolo area and occupied the city of Pitkäranta, and Gorolenko's 32nd army on July 21, in the Kuolisma area, reached the state border with Finland. On August 9, on the Kuolisma line - east of Loimolo - Pitkyaranta, our troops completed the operation.
The operation ended in complete success. The LP and KF troops broke into the powerful defenses of the enemy army, defeated the main forces of the Finnish army. On the Karelian Isthmus, our troops advanced 110 km, in South Karelia - 200 - 250 km. The northern part of the Leningrad region with Vyborg, the lands of the Karelo-Finnish SSR with Petrozavodsk, the Kirov railway and the White Sea-Baltic canal were liberated from the invaders. The Red Army reached the pre-war state border with Finland. Thus, the threat to Leningrad from the north was eliminated.
Also, the defeat of the Finnish armed forces created a favorable situation for the Red Army in the northern direction, for the development of an offensive in the Baltic and in the North. The Baltic Fleet received freedom of action in the entire eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and the possibility of basing on the islands of the Vyborg Bay and the Bjerk Islands.
The heavy defeat of the Finnish army and the hopelessness of a further war (the threat of the capture of the most important vital centers of Finland itself by the Red Army) forced Helsinki to abandon the continuation of the war. Finland begins to seek peace with the USSR. In August, Finnish President Risto Ryti resigned and was replaced by Karl Mannerheim. On August 25, Finnish Foreign Minister Enkel announced that the new president, Mannerheim, was not bound by an agreement with Berlin - he did not sign the secret treaty that Ryti signed in June 1944. According to it, Helsinki guaranteed Berlin military support and refusal of separate negotiations in exchange for the supply of weapons and military materials. The new Finnish government invited the USSR to start peace negotiations. Moscow agreed to negotiations if Helsinki sever relations with Berlin. On September 4, 1944, the Finnish government announced a break with the Third Reich. On September 5, the Soviet Union stopped fighting against Finland. On September 19, an armistice was signed in Moscow.
