They dominate the sea lanes to Helsinki, St. Petersburg (Leningrad), Tallinn (German: Reval) as well as the bay of Riga.

The troops were transported to the first beachhead at Kuivastu on Muhu Island using lend-lease landing craft, including amphibious DUKWs on 29 September 1944.

The Finnish detachment Arho took part in the operations, especially on 4 and 5 October, providing logistic support to the Soviet infantry units.

The Soviet plan had originally envisaged clearing the archipelago not later than 5 October but bad weather and German resistance interfered with their advance.

However, after securing Hiiumaa, Soviet forces eventually landed between Jaani and Keskvere in the north of Saaremaa on 5 October.

The rest of the island, including the city of Kuressaare (German: Arensburg), was now in Soviet hands, who now reinforced their attacking units with the 30th Guards Rifle Corps.

[2] A few days before the end of the battle, the Germans received effective naval gunfire support from flotillas, including the heavy cruisers Admiral Scheer and Prinz Eugen.

By 23 November, the German defences had become untenable, and the Army Group commander, Ferdinand Schörner, gave the order to evacuate.

The entire island of Saaremaa was declared a restricted zone and much of the territory was off-limits to civilians, including most of the Sõrve Peninsula.