8th Army (Soviet Union)

The Finns made counterattacks in all fronts but were not successful – however the Red Army was now facing a position of defence rather than attack.

It was not until the period 6 to 16 January 1940 that the Finns made another major offensive, and cut the Soviet division into a smaller group of different sized mottis.

[2] Contrary to Finnish expectation, the encircled Soviets divisions did not try to break through to the east but instead they stayed put and entrenched themselves.

However, the Finns repelled all efforts of the Soviet Eighth Army to resupply the encircled troops, and they did not get enough supplies from the air.

As the Finns lacked the necessary heavy artillery equipment and were short of men, they did not directly attack the mottis they had created, but instead focussed on eliminating the most dangerous threats only and bide their time.

(Glantz, SC, 175) During July–August the troops of the 8th Army conducted persistent defensive actions in the territory of Estonia.

During November- December, they conducted persistent offensive combat for achieving Leningrad blockade break-through.

At the end of January 1942 the administration of the army, crossed on Lake Ladoga ice to the Volkhov direction, combined formations and units for the Sinyavino operations group of 54th Army, which occupied defenses from the south coast of Ladoga lake to the Kirov railroad.

During January 1943, the 8th Army participated in the Leningrad blockade break-through, covering the southern flank of the Front's assault group.

In September 1945, the Army was disbanded by being redesignated HQ Western Siberian Military District in Novosibirsk.