At 0045 hours, Soviet High...

history · 28 February 1940 · 84 years ago

At 0045 hours, Soviet High Command permitted the surrounded 34th Tank Brigade to retreat from the East Lemetti pocket in Finland. Finnish troops eased pressure and allowed 2,750 wounded Russian soldiers to escape on foot. About 1,000 out of the 1,250 who escaped to the south returned safely, but all 1,500 who escaped to the east were later caught by Finnish ski troops and killed. Finnish attacks on the East Lemetti pocket continued later in the day. On the Karelian Isthmus, however, Soviet troops were able to penetrate the second defensive line. Finally, troops of the Swedish Volunteer Corps took over front line duties against Soviet troops at Salla, Lapland in northern Finland. 

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