The Great Patriotic War started 69 years ago

22.06.2010 34-year old Nikolai Kuznetsov was appointed People's Commissar to Soviet Navy on the eve of the war. The young commander spent prewar years to prepare the navy for war. In 1940-1941 he developed and implemented system of operational readiness levels for fleets and flotillas. In 1941 People's Commissariat to Navy ordered to open fire at any foreign aircraft appearing over Soviet naval bases. In March German reconnaissance planes were attacked at Liepaja, Libava, and Polyarny bases.

On June 22, 1941 at 3 am German aviation conducted aerial attacks upon the main naval base Sevastopol. Germans faced antiaircraft fire of Danube Flotilla. Liepaja and Riga naval bases also fell under aerial attacks. Nazi aircrafts dropped limpet mines near Kronshtadt. Northern Fleet main base Polyarny was also bombed. Not expecting for higher instructions and having reported to Kremlin about attack on Sevastopol, Admiral Kuznetsov ordered all fleets to start immediate mining according to defense plan.

Soviet Navy opposed high level of combat readiness against Germany's surprise aggression; on June 22, 1941 the USSR lost neither a single ship nor naval aircraft. All aerial attacks upon Soviet naval bases were repelled by shipborne and coastal artillery. In Aug 1941 when Soviet troops were retreating with intense battles, aircrafts of naval long-range aviation bombed Berlin.

According to prewar plans, the Navy was supposed to defend coastline from sea attacks and landing operations; conduct warfare at sea lanes; and destroy enemy's forces at sea, naval bases and ports. Main targets were large surface ships; it was supposed to destroy them by surface ships, submarines, and aviation (even more, using mines and artillery where possible). Thus, every effort was oriented against sea enemy. However, the war adjusted those plans from the very first days.

With the beginning of the war, not sea but land and air enemy became the main opponent of Soviet Navy. Through the war up to 85% of shipborne artillery shells were fired at land targets and up to 40% air sorties of naval aviation were aimed to deliver strikes on land forces. Support of land troops' seaward flank had become the principal task of Soviet Navy then. Performing this task, the Navy conducted 88 operations, including participation in 23 army group operations. Mainline of the World War II and the Great Patriotic War was aimed at land theater, so the Navy's plans and actions were complied with land groupings at coastal zones.

During the war Soviet Navy dispatched over 400,000 men to land fronts; provided transportation of 9.8 mln servicemen and civilians, and about 94 mln tons of military and commercial cargo; and scuppered over 1,600 enemy's warships.