Activity picked up in the second half of 1942, one year after the first winter war, but real work by the partisans in Latvia started only in 1943 after the German Army Group B stalled at Stalingrad and Kursk. The partisan regiment "Par Padomju Latviju" was organized and started training June 1942 in Leningrad and from Staraya Russa, three small Latvian partisan units (about 200 men) headed for Latvia. July 7, the regiment with combat reached Latvian Kārsava region, but there the German found and dispersed them with great losses and only several partisans escaped. Next partisan unit was formed September 1942 near Moscow from volunteers, from 201st Latvian Riflemen Division and Latvian partisan regiment "Par Padomju Latviju" combatants. Commander of these units was Vilis Samsons, who later became a Soviet historian. In March this unit was renamed to Latvian Partisan Brigade. This partisan regiment combat began East of Latvian borders and only at the end of 1943 they entered the territory of Latvia. Since the local population in Latvia would not support Soviet partisans, they could not gain a foothold. 3,000-man unit of Vilis Samsons was credited with the destruction of nearly 130 German trains; however, this seems to be a fabrication. Leningrad partisan brigade, which consisted only of Russians (commander M.I. Klementjev) fought around Lake Lubāns. In 1944 and 1945 in Courland they formed many small partisan units (2 to 12 men each) but very active. Most noted was "Sarkana bulta". The Latvian Red partisans suffered great losses, and many from smaller groups were completely eliminated.