Murmansk's port was an objective for the Germans in 1941. Panzer-Abteilung 40 together with Panzer-Abteilung 211 was attached to XXXVI Mountain Corps which conducted Operation Arctic Fox (a part of Operation Silver Fox), meant to recapture the Salla region from the Soviets and then proceed eastwards and cut the Murmansk railway at Kandalaksha. The offensive was launched on 1 July 1941. The German-Finnish force recaptured the Salla region, but was halted by attritional battles around Kestenga, where the operation became a stalemate. The unit remained in the area during 1942, later pulled back to Norway. It was disbanded on 10 June 1943.