ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Meretskov

The troops of the Karelian Front, continuing their offensive to the west and south-west of Petsamo, under the difficult conditions of the Arctic, liberated the entire nickel-production region from the German invaders and in fighting seized the important populated places of the Pechenga (Petsamo) Region — Nikel, Ahmalahti, Salmijarvi.

In the battles for the liberation of the nickel-production region and the populated places of Nikel, Ahmalahti, Salmijarvi, the following distinguished themselves: the troops of Lieutenant-General Shcherbakov, Major-General Korotkov, Major-General Mikulsky, Major-General Absalyamov, Major-General Zhukov, Colonel Solovyev, Colonel Grebenkin, Major-General Panin, Colonel Kaverin, Colonel Kalinovsky, Colonel Koshchienko, Major-General Khudalov, Colonel Lysenko, Colonel Blak, Colonel Amvrosov, Lieutenant-Colonel Evmenov, Colonel Nikandrov, Colonel Startsev; the artillerymen of Lieutenant-General of Artillery Degtyarev, Major-General of Artillery Panitkina, [Lieutenant-Colonel] Grigoryev, Colonel Yaroslavtsev, Colonel Bozhkov, Colonel Ukhanov, Lieutenant-Colonel Yusov, Colonel Perlov, Lieutenant-Colonel Zubarev, Lieutenant-Colonel Shapiro, Lieutenant-Colonel Shepel, Lieutenant-Colonel Berezin, Major Fetisov, Major Doludenko, Lieutenant-Colonel Kitovichev, Lieutenant-Colonel Kozlov, Colonel Bandyukevich, Lieutenant-Colonel Rogovoy; the airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Sokolov, Colonel Pushkarev, Colonel Minaev, Colonel Laryushkin, Colonel Udonin, Colonel Kalugin, Colonel Pogreshaev, Colonel Finogenov; the tankmen of Lieutenant-General of Tank Forces Kononov, Lieutenant-Colonel Arshinevsky, Colonel Yurenkov, Colonel Sokolov, Lieutenant-Colonel Torchilin, Lieutenant-Colonel Terentiev, [Major] Korshunov, Lieutenant-Colonel Leshchenko, Lieutenant-Colonel Suchkov; the sappers of Lieutenant-General of Engineer Forces Khrenov, Colonel Leichik, Lieutenant-Colonel Arshba, Lieutenant-Colonel Zakharov; the signal troops of Lieutenant-General of Signal Forces Dobykin, Colonel Yekimov.

In commemoration of the victory achieved, the formations and units that most distinguished themselves in the battles for the liberation of the Nikel, Ahmalahti, Salmijarvi region are to be submitted for decoration with orders.

Today, October 23, at 22:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland Moscow, in the name of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the Karelian Front who liberated the Nikel, Ahmalahti, Salmijarvi region with twelve artillery salvoes from one hundred and twenty-four guns.

For the excellent combat operations I declare gratitude to the troops under your command who participated in the battles for the liberation of the Nikel, Ahmalahti, Salmijarvi region.

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

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

October 23, 1944 [No. 202]