ORDER OF BATTLE // August 25, 1945
Soviet invasion of South Sakhalin
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
2 sides catalogued · combined 119,000 estimated
Soviet Union
100,000
Medium-confidence figure
Japan
19,000
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Soviet invasion of South Sakhalin was one component of the broader Soviet–Japanese War, a campaign conducted in the Asian Theatre during the Second World War. Soviet forces numbering approximately 100,000 faced a Japanese garrison of around 19,000. Soviet casualties totaled 1,191 against Japanese losses of approximately 2,000. The operation resulted in Soviet seizure of the Japanese-administered portion of Sakhalin Island, known as Karafuto Prefecture, extending Soviet territorial control over the island.
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