Malaya Zemlya

Overview

Malaya Zemlya was a Soviet uphill outpost on Cape Myskhako, situated westward from Tsemes Bay on the Black Sea, that was recaptured after battles with the Germans during the Battle of the Caucasus on the night of 4 February 1943. The episode paved way for a Soviet attack on German forces in Novorossiysk.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

Malaya Zemlya was a Soviet outpost on Cape Myskhako, west of Tsemes Bay on the Black Sea, recaptured from German forces on the night of 4 February 1943 during the broader Battle of the Caucasus. The operation was conducted by a force of 800 Soviet troops under Tsezar Kunikov against German positions commanded by Richard Ruoff. By reestablishing a foothold at this uphill position, the Soviets gained a tactical platform that paved the way for a subsequent attack on German forces in Novorossiysk, extending Soviet pressure along the Black Sea coast during the Caucasus campaign.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (3)