Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
29 June 1944
[No. 124]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Meretskov

Troops of the Karelian Front, as a result of a deep encircling manoeuvre with the landing of a force on the western shore of Lake Onega, liberated from the German-Finnish invaders the capital of the Karelo-Finnish Republic — the city of Petrozavodsk — seized the city and railway station of Kondopoga, thereby clearing the Kirov (Murmansk) railway of the enemy along its entire length.

In the fighting for the liberation of Petrozavodsk, distinction was won by seamen of Captain 1st Rank Antonov, Captain 2nd Rank Krokhin, Captain-Lieutenant Yelnikov, Captain 3rd Rank Nikulin, Captain Molchanov; troops of Lieutenant-General Gorelenko, Major-General Sopenko, Colonel Tsygankov, Colonel Alexeyev, Lieutenant-Colonel Pilshchikov; artillerymen of Colonel Glotov; sappers of Colonel Ivanchikhin, and signallers of Captain 2nd Rank Rozhdestvensky.

To commemorate the victory, the formations and units which distinguished themselves most in the fighting for the liberation of Petrozavodsk shall be recommended for conferment of the title "Petrozavodsk" and for award of orders.

Today, 29 June, at 22 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the Karelian Front that liberated the capital of the Karelo-Finnish Republic — Petrozavodsk — with twenty-four artillery salvoes from three hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I express my thanks to the troops under your command who participated in the fighting for the liberation of Petrozavodsk.

Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in the fighting for the freedom and independence of our Motherland!

Death to the German-Finnish invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

29 June 1944 [No. 124]

NOTES

30 Liberated on 28 June 1944.

31 Liberated on 28 June 1944.