Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
24 June 1944
[No. 114]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Meretskov

Troops of the Karelian Front, supported on the flank by vessels of the Ladoga Military Flotilla, going over to the offensive north and east of Lodeinoye Pole, forced the River Svir along the entire front from Lake Onega to Lake Ladoga, broke through the heavily fortified enemy defences, and in three days of offensive fighting advanced from 20 to 30 kilometres, seizing more than 200 populated places, among them: Podporozhye, Svirstroi, Voznessenye, Mikhailovskaya, Megrozero, Pechanaya Selga, Berezhnaya, Mikentyeva.

In the fighting to force the River Svir and break through the enemy's defences, distinction was won by troops of Lieutenant-General Krutikov, Lieutenant-General Mironov, Major-General Gnedin, Major-General Mikulsky, Major-General Alexeyev, Major-General Leshchinin, Major-General Absalyamov, Major-General Sopenko, Rear-Admiral Cherokov, Colonel Moskalev, Colonel Vindushev, Colonel Blazhevich, Colonel Kalinovsky, Colonel Zapirich, Engineer-Captain 1st Rank Gudimov, Lieutenant-Colonel Blak; artillerymen of Lieutenant-General of Artillery Degtyarev, Major-General of Artillery Brezhnev, Major-General of Artillery Pavlov, Major-General of Artillery Voevodin; tankmen of Major-General of Tank Troops Shneider, Lieutenant-Colonel Terentyev, Major Torchilin, Major Emelyanov, Major Krotov; airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Sokolov, Colonel Minayev, Colonel Kalugin, Colonel Udonin, Colonel Laryushkin, and sappers of Lieutenant-General of Engineering Troops Khrenov, Major-General of Engineering Troops Ilyin, Lieutenant-Colonel Arshba.

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

Today, 24 June, at 20 hours 30 minutes, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the Karelian Front that forced the River Svir and broke through the enemy's defences with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I express my thanks to the troops under your command who participated in the fighting to force the River Svir and break through the enemy's defences.

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

24 June 1944 [No. 114]