Battle of Teriberka

The **Battle of Teriberka** (Russian: Битва за Териберку) was a major amphibious invasion that took place during the Third World War from the 14th of July towards October 9th 1969. The battle occurred as Teriberka was considered being a strategically important port settlement located along the northern coast as a way to breach the gap between the Norwegians through an amphibious assault and encircle the Comintern forces fighting in the north and establishing a foothold into Soviet Russia. The Allied forces composed of troops from various nations that were predominantly Norwegian, American, British, Canadian and French, with the Finnish Air Force being a third party during the battle but not engaging in any direct military confrontation with either side, rather for using reconnaissance, which would later be utilised by the Allies with Finland's entry later in the war. The Allies initially gained the upper hand against the Soviet defenders as previously, the convoy was protected by the Royal Navy and United States Navy and managed to repel attacks from Soviet naval vessels, as the Allied forces controlled the coastal stretch and held the city of Teriberka, the Soviet forces from Murmansk were dispatched to repulse the invasion force.

The Comintern forces, well aware of the strategic importance of Teriberka, dispatched 5 divisions to recapture the area and were prepared to retake the city at all costs. Although due to this hindsight and aerial reconnaissance by the Finnish Air Force, the Allied forces were ordered to fortify the town of Teriberka until further reinforcements arrives to relief them, limited naval and aerial support was present for the Allies. As soon as the Soviet forces reached the outskirts of Teriberka, the battle quickly devolved into intense street-to-street fighting and close-quarters combat as both sides fought tenaciously for control of the coastal settlement. The battle witnessed heavy casualties on both sides, with Allied forces suffering large amounts of casualties in comparison to their Soviet counterparts, benefitting from their well-prepared assault, the Soviet forces utilised their artillery and armoured firepower to penetrate through Allied fortifications and employed shock and awe offensive tactics to repel the invading forces. Despite the challenges faced, the Allied forces demonstrated resilience but were unable to launch and efficient counterattacks against the Soviet forces, but managed to hold out until reinforcements was arrived through a combination of tactical adjustments.

After three months of intense fighting on the beachhead, the Allied forces Soviet forces managed to commit a pincer movement as they were reinforced with rocket artillery, ballistic missiles and self-propelled guns and fighter-bombers which effectively overwhelmed the remaining Allied soldiers upon the beach and resistance became futile as a result as the Soviet forces recaptured the port settlement of Teriberka. The successful capture of Teriberka proved to be a decisive defeat for the Allies, as the Comintern forces gained a morale victory and captured various Western equipment that was left behind on the beach, roughly half the Allied forces which landed on the beach were captured on the beach, and Allied naval operations within the Barents Sea were significantly hindered, with the Allied operations to secure a front in Northern Russia failed immensely, as Allied operations would focus on the defence of Norway to prevent Soviet assaults deep into Norwegian territory.