7th Army (Soviet Union)
Encyclopedia
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
's 7th Army first saw action in the 1939-40 Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
against Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. In November 1939, just before the initial Soviet attack, it consisted of the 19th Rifle Corps (24th Rifle Division
24th Rifle Division (Soviet Union)
style="float: right; clear: right; background-color: transparent"| The 24th Samaro-Ulyanovsk Division was a rifle, then a motor-rifle division of the Red Army of the USSR...
, 43 RD, 70 RD, 123 RD), 50th Rifle Corps (49 RD, 90 RD, 142 RD), 10th Tank Corps, 138th Rifle Division, and an independent tank brigade. The Army was first under Commander (Second rank) Yakovlev
Yakovlev
The Yak Aircraft Corporation is a Russian aircraft designer and manufacturer...
, but he was removed from command of his army and returned to Leningrad. Command of the war operation Kirill Meretskov
Kirill Meretskov
Kirill Afanasievich Meretskov was a Soviet military commander. Having joined the Communist Party in 1917, he served in the Red Army from 1920. During the Winter War, he was responsible for penetrating the Mannerheim Line as commander of the 7th Army...
was called-off due to extensive failures and heavy casualties, and he replaced Yakovlev as the commander of the Seventh Army.
7th Army was reformed in Autumn (second half of) 1940 in the Leningrad Military District
Leningrad Military District
The Leningrad Military District was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.-History:...
. Before the German Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
began it covered the Soviet frontier to the north of Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
. Since 24 June 1941 the army including the 54th, 71st, 168th and 237th Rifle Divisions, the 26th Fortified Region and some artillery, aviation and engineering formations was included in the Northern Front
Northern Front
Northern Front may refer to one of the following.* Russian Northern Front , a unit of the Imperial Russian army during the World War I.* Polish Northern Front , a unit of the Polish Army during the Polish-Bolshevik War...
, then the Karelian Front
Karelian Front
The Karelian Front was a Front of the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II, and operated in Karelia.- Wartime :...
, and conducted defensive operations in Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
, however losing Ladoga Karelia
Finnish reconquest of Ladoga Karelia (1941)
The Finnish reconquest of Ladoga Karelia refers to a military campaign carried out by Finland in 1941. It was part of what is commonly referred to as the Continuation War.-Initial layout of forces:...
to the Finns in July–August 1941. On 25 September 1941 it was renamed the 7th Separate Army, directly subordinate to STAVKA
Stavka
Stavka was the term used to refer to a command element of the armed forces from the time of the Kievan Rus′, more formally during the history of Imperial Russia as administrative staff and General Headquarters during late 19th Century Imperial Russian armed forces and those of the Soviet Union...
, (VGK- the Supreme High Command), and it remained in that status until February 1944. In the middle of October 1941 - June 1944 it defended the Svir River
Svir River
Svir is a river in the north-east of Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It flows from Lake Onega west to Lake Ladoga, thus connecting the two largest lakes of Europe. It is the largest river flowing into Lake Ladoga....
line between Lakes Onega
Lake Onega
Lake Onega is a lake in the north-west European part of Russia, located on the territory of Republic of Karelia, Leningrad Oblast and Vologda Oblast. It belongs to the basin of Baltic Sea, Atlantic Ocean, and is the second largest lake in Europe after Lake Ladoga...
and Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
.
From June to August 1944 the army, comprising now the 37th Guards, 4th, 94th and 99th Rifle Corps, 150th and 162nd Fortified Regions, and a number of artillery, tank, engineering and other units, as part of the Karelian Front
Karelian Front
The Karelian Front was a Front of the Soviet Union's Red Army during World War II, and operated in Karelia.- Wartime :...
, participated in the Svir-Petrozavodsk Operation. It was disbanded in the beginning of January 1945. On the basis of its headquarters the 9th Guards Army of the Airborne Forces was created on 18 December 1944.
Commanders:
- General-Lieutenant Pilip Danilovich Gorelenko (June - September 1941 and November 1941 - June 1942);
- General K.A.MeretskovKirill MeretskovKirill Afanasievich Meretskov was a Soviet military commander. Having joined the Communist Party in 1917, he served in the Red Army from 1920. During the Winter War, he was responsible for penetrating the Mannerheim Line as commander of the 7th Army...
(September - November 1941); - General-Lieutenant S.G. TrofimenkoSergei TrofimenkoSergei G. Trofimenko was a Soviet military commander, active in the Russian Civil War and Second World War. His final rank was colonel-general....
(July 1942 - January 1943); - General-Major A.N. Krutikov (January 1943 - August 1944), (promoted to General-Lieutenant at the end of April 1943);
- General-Lieutenant A. Gluzdovsky (August - November 1944);