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Home , Aegna, Keri (island), Latvian Naval Forces, Naissaar

EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT OF THE COMMANDER OF THE RED BANNER BALTIC FLEET, VICE ADMIRAL V. F.TRIBUTS, REGARDING THE EXECUTION OF THE DIRECTIVE OF THE PEOPLES' COMMISSAR OF DEFENCE OF THE USSR OF JUNE 9 1940 ON OCCUPATION OF IN JUNE 1940.

After 21 June 1940 Strictly classified

EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT (of the Commander of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, Vice Admiral V.F. Tributs)

Sheet 171. According to the Directive of the Peoples ' Commissar for Defence of the U.S.S.R No.-02622ss of 9 June 1940, the Red Banner Baltic Fleet was assigned the following missions:

1. To capture all vessels of the Estonian and both at bases as well as at sea, to capture the naval forces of .

2. To capture mercantile marine and vessels of Estonia, , to disrupt sea connections between these countries.

3. To prepare and organise the landing of troops in Paldiski and , to seize the ports of Tallinn and batteries on the islands Nargen and Vulf, to be prepared to seize the Suurupi battery from the mainland.

4. To block the Gulf of and the coasts of Estonia and Latvia on the Gulf of and the , to prevent evacuation of the governments of these countries or troops and property.

5. To organise permanent and secure patrol service: on the - from the direction of Finland, and on the Baltic Sea - from the direction of and from the south.

6. To assist, in close collaboration with armed forces, the troops of the Leningrad military district in their advance towards Rakvere.

7. To prevent, by using air force, the air fleet of Estonia and Latvia from flying to Finland and Sweden.

Sheet 172. 120 vessels participated in the operation, include. 1 liner vessel, 1 cruiser, 2 leaders, 1 gun boat, 7 fighters, 5 guard ships, 7 base trawlers, 18 heavy trawlers, 17 submarines, 10 torpedo boats.

Air forces of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet including:

8th air base ...... - 7 sq. "SB" and "DB-3"

10th air base ...... - 64 planes, "MBR-2", "SB"

10th air force regiment ...... - 64 planes, "MBR-2"

73rd air force regiment ...... - 9 planes, "MBR-2"

61st fighter base in full for purveyance of the General Naval base.

Sheet 173. and land forces of the :

Special railway artillery batteries No. 11, 12, 18, coast and antiaircraft defence of the naval bases of Paldiski, Liepaja, Hanko (...).

Sheet 174. To facilitate achieval of the targets the battlefield on sea was divided into districts:

1. The northern coast of the Gulf of Finland from Bengskär to the island . - Commander of the Hanko naval base, Rear-Admiral S.F. Beloussov

2. The southern coast of the Gulf of Finland from the Bay of to the island Keri. - Commander of the 4th submarine brigade, of the 2nd rank A. I. Matveev.

3. The region from the island Keri to the Soela strait, included. - Commander of the Baltic naval base Rear-Admiral S.G. Kutsherov. .

4. Central region of the Baltic Sea. - Commander of the light force unit, Rear- Admiral F.I. Tshelpanov.

5. Liepaja naval base - Commander of the Base, Rear-Admiral P.A. Trainin.

6. East coast of Sweden - Commander of the 2nd submarine brigade, Captain of the second rank (...) Yakushkin.

7. Western region of the Gulf of Finland - Commander of the (...) squadron, Rear-Admiral (...) Nesvitski.

Sheet 175. Alerts : (...) 40. a. - alert (...)

(...) 40. a. - alert (...)

Sheet 176. During the negotiation period and after reaching the agreements between the government of the and the governments of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the Red Banner Baltic Fleet discharged the following missions:

A. Sea connection between these countries was disrupted.

B. The submarines of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th submarine brigades assumed their positions on the Baltic Sea, in the Gulfs of Riga and Finland executing the mission to prevent sea connections, sailing of vessels and evacuation of troops and property.

C. The squadron including the liner vessel "Oktiabrskaya Revolutsiya" within the 3rd destroyer division and guard ship division assumed the initial position to the west of the island in order to provide artillery support landing of the troops.

D. The 21 st bridge reconstruction battalion assumed initial positions to the north of Klooga, in order to advance towards the batteries of Suurupi, with the support of the 12th special railway artillery battery.

E. 1st special marine infantry brigade, in the body of the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 6th battalion, was relocated on the trawlers "Sibir", "Vloraya Piatilctka" and "Elton" from Koivisto to Paldiski.

F. The was blocked and the coasts of Estonia and Latvia were blockaded from the direction of the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea. The air forces of Estonia and Latvia were prevented from flying to Finland and Sweden.

G. Prepared landing of troops was organised and accomplished, Tallinn, the islands of Naissaar and were seized. During 14 June 1940 the following vessels and units participating in the operation:

A. Assumed the initial positions required to execute missions given to them.

B. Concentrated, in the state of alert, to land the troops (on troop carriers, barges, guard boats, torpedo boats) around the islands of Naissaar and Aegna.

C. The joint battalion of the guard unit, joint rifle company, special motorised rifle battalion and the rifle company of the regional construction unit of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet were relocated on the trawler "Dnestr", the destroyer "Storozhevoi" and the destroyer "Silnyi" from to Paldiski, the above troops were concentrated, in the state of alert, to land the troops on trawlers in Tallinn with the goal to seize the ports, mercantile vessels and vessels of the naval forces and to protect the targets.

Sheet 178.

In the Suurküla Bay on the island of Suursaar - the 50th rifle battalion on trawlers, 3rd division on trawlers and guard vessels as well as the gun boat "Krasnoye Znamya" are in the state of alert to land the troops in the Bay of Kunda. Coast defence, antiaircraft units, land forces of the naval base: in the Baltic naval base, in Hanko and Liepaja were ready for patrols.

Air forces of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet were conducting reconnaissance and antiaircraft control and were stationed on the air fields ready for assault.

After the government of the Soviet Union reached agreements with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the vessels and the units of the fleet, after receiving the relevant signal, commenced execution of the missions assigned to them:

06.00 17.06.1940 - 21st bridge reconstruction battalion conquered the territory of the Suurupi battery.

06.30 17.06.1940 - the troops landed from guard and torpedo boats seized the island of Aegna. 07.05

07.05 17.06.1940 - troops were landed and the island Naissaar was seized.

Sheet 179.

07.40 17.06.1940 - the joint battalion of the guard unit of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet seized the Miini port and the naval barracks of Tallinn. The liner vessel "Oktiabrskaya Revolutsiya", the 3rd destroyer division, guard ship division, rode at anchor on the roads of Tallinn.

08.00 17.06.1940 - the destroyer "Gordyi", submarines "S-I" and "S-3" rode at anchor on tile roads of the mouth of the river Daugava.

Blockade and patrol services continued according to the special plan. Winding up the operation commenced on 17.06.1940. Operation completed on 21.06.1940.

Beginning the state of alert of the blockade forces:

10.40 13.06.1940 - completion of the state of alert. 03.00 14.06.1940 - beginning of the blockade. 20.15 15.06.1940 - 12.00 20.06.1940 - end of the blockade.

Sheet 179b.

A total of 52 (Latvian, Estonian, Finnish and Swedish) vessels were captured by our ships and submarines during the blockade period.

Intelligence and various type of reconnaissance, was organised since 04.06.1940 during the period of tension, and it provided the headquarters with a certain amount of valuable information.

Sheet 251.

The light force unit of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet on board of the cruiser "Kirov", leaders "Minsk" and "Leningrad", destroyers "Gordyi" and "Lenin" captured 7 Latvian and 2 Estonian transports.

Sheet 252.

Due to resistance from the transports, the cruiser "Kirov", leader "Minsk", destroyer "Lenin" and submarine "S-I" fired warning shots, after which the transports halted.

Commander of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Vice-Admiral V. Tributs Commander of the Staff of the Red Banner

Baltic Fleet Rear-Admiral J. Panteleyev

Central State Archives of the Naval Forces, C. R-92, r.2c, f.672, s. 171-252 (excerpts)