1941 campaign by German and Finnish forces against Soviet defenses at Salla, Finland
Operation Arctic Fox
Part of Operation Silver Fox
A column from Panzerabteilung 40 during the advance on the Murmansk railway, 1941.
Date
1 July 1941 – 17 November 1941
Location
Salla, Kestenga, Alakurtti, Verman River
Result
Stalemate
Belligerents
Germany Finland
Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Hans Feige Hjalmar Siilasvuo
Markian Popov Valerian A. Frolov Roman Panin[1]
Strength
XXXVI Corps
169th Infantry Division
SS-Division Nord (mot.)
Finnish 6th Division
Panzer-Abteilung 211
III Corps
Finnish 3rd Division
Panzer-Abteilung 40
14th Army
104th Rifle Division
122nd Rifle Division
1st Tank Division
88th Rifle Division (reinforcements)
Grivnik brigade[1](reinforcements)
1st Polar Rifle Division[note]
7th Army
54th Rifle Division
Casualties and losses
XXXVI Corps: 9,463 men[2] III Corps: unknown[note]
Heavy casualties
v
t
e
Continuation War
1941
Ladoga Karelia
Karelian Isthmus
East Karelia
Silver Fox
Reindeer
Platinum Fox
Arctic Fox
Petsamo
Hanko
Bengtskär
Porlampi
1942
Suursaari
Someri
1944
Vyborg–Petrozavodsk
Vyborg
Kuuterselkä
Beryozovye Islands
Kaprolat
Tienhaara
Tali-Ihantala
Gulf of Finland
Narvi Island
Vyborg Bay
Svir–Petrozavodsk
Vuosalmi
Nietjärvi
Ilomantsi
Hokki
Baltic Sea
v
t
e
Military operations, Arctic 1941–1945
Continuation War (1941–1944)
Silberfuchs
Rentier
Platinfuchs
Polarfuchs
RAF, RN, Fleet Air Arm
Benedict
EF
Orator
Svalbard (1941–1945)
Gauntlet
Fritham
Gearbox
Gearbox II
Zitronella
Haudegen
Lapland War
Birke
Nordlicht
Associated articles
British occupation of the Faroe Islands
Petsamo–Kirkenes offensive
Liberation of Finnmark
Operation Arctic Fox (German: Unternehmen Polarfuchs; Finnish: operaatio Napakettu; Russian: Кандалакшская операция)[a] was the codename given to a World War II campaign by German and Finnish forces against Soviet Northern Front defenses at Salla, Finland in July 1941. The operation was part of the larger Operation Silver Fox (Silberfuchs; Hopeakettu) which aimed to capture the vital port of Murmansk. Arctic Fox was conducted in parallel to Operation Platinum Fox (Platinfuchs; Platinakettu) in the far north of Lappland. The principal goal of Operation Arctic Fox was to capture the town of Salla and then to advance in the direction of Kandalaksha (Finnish: Kantalahti) to block the railway route to Murmansk.
As a joint operation by German and Finnish forces, it combined experienced Finnish arctic troops with relatively unsuitable German forces from Norway. They managed to capture Salla after fierce fighting, but the German troops were unable to overcome the old, pre-war Soviet border fortifications further east. The Finnish units were able to make better progress, and came to within 30 km (19 mi) of the Murmansk railway. Strong Soviet reinforcements prevented any further advance. Because of the escalating situation further south in Central Russia, the Germans were unwilling to assign more units to this theatre, calling an end to their offensive. With the Finns unwilling to continue the attack on their own, Arctic Fox ended in November 1941, when both sides dug in at their current positions.
^ abShirokorad (2001), pp. 708–720.
^Ziemke (1959), pp. 176, 184.
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