Combat operations at the junction of the operational groups of Tsvetaev and Antonyuk in the Olonets-Petrozavodsk area in 1941

The article analyzes little-known events that took place at the junction of two operational formations of the 7th Army of the RKKA in August-September 1941 and led to a series of consequences, including the breakthrough of the Finnish troops in the Olonets direction, the subsequent withdrawal of the Soviet troops to the Svir River and, finally, the fall of Petrozavodsk. No previous research of these events has been conducted due to the fact that both Soviet and Russian historiographies have historically relied on sources covering strategic and operational levels (and less frequently, the army level), and through such kind of sources the events in question are not visible. This study is based on archival documents from two primary sources: the Central Archives of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (CAMD RF), which contains materials related to the Red Army formations and units, and the National Archives of Finland (Kansallisarkisto), which holds Finnish military records. The analysis of the historical evidence resulted in revealing of the stages of concentration of troops and attacks of the 17th Infantry Division of Finland in the Gushkala – Niniselga sector to the North-East of Syandeba, where the Finnish troops fought hard with the Leningrad militia. The command of the 7th Army underestimated the importance of that direction. Consequently, the area was only slowly saturated with weak Red Army detachments. However, their heroic resistance held back the superior enemy forces and made the Finns transfer more and more troops to organize a breakthrough. The actions of the Kronshtadt sailors and the Leningrad militia delayed the offensive of the VI Army Corps of Finland for three weeks. On 3–5 September 1941, the Finnish troops with deciding superiority broke through the Red Army’s defenses in the Torosozero – Kotkozero sector and cut the Olonets – Petrozavodsk combat belt road. Thus they gained the rear of Tsvetaev’s Operational Group, which led to the collapse of the defensive line and to the withdrawal of the Soviet troops to the Svir River. The research conducted by the author of the article revealed one of the pages of the military history of Karelia which, however little-known, proved to be an important reason for the defeat of the Red Army in the Olonets direction.