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93-682: Colonel General Aleksandr Lapin took over as the new district's commander on 16 May 2024. It is one of two military districts of the Russian Armed Forces , with its jurisdiction primarily within the western central region of European Russia . The Leningrad Military District contains 11 federal subjects of Russia: the Republic of Karelia , the Komi Republic , Arkhangelsk , Vologda , Kaliningrad , Leningrad , Murmansk , Novgorod and Pskov oblasts , Saint Petersburg , and

186-448: A brigade and then which became a storage base, and the 64th Guards, reduced to a storage base). Left in their place were a number of weapons and equipment storage sites, and two motor rifle brigades (between January 1997 and June 1998 the 45th Guards MRD was reduced in size to become the 138th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade , and the 131st was reduced in size to become the 200th Independent Motor Rifle Brigade ). In terms of air forces, after

279-724: A half months later the Front was dissolved back into the District headquarters. On June 9, 1940, directive 02622ss/ov was given to the District by Semyon Timoshenko to be ready by June 12 to (a) capture the vessels of the Estonian , Latvian and Lithuanian Navy in their bases and/or at sea; (b) Capture the Estonian and Latvian commercial fleet and all other vessels; (c) Prepare for an invasion and landing in Tallinn and Paldiski ; (d) Close

372-523: A known fortification expert, with finishing the long-lasting project of fortifying the port. Münnich presented his plan in 1763, but it was deemed too grandiose and also less important than the port in Kronstadt . Ultimately, no new construction works began, only existing projects were to be worked on. Münnich died in 1767. On 18 November 1768, Catherine the Great ordered for works to be stopped. At this time,

465-532: A modest set of corps units and the 5189th BKhVT in Vologda. The 77th Guards Coastal Defence Division was then reorganised as a separate coastal defence brigade by 1 December 1994. In 1989 V.I. Feskov et al. reported that the 71st MRD became the 5186th VKhVT, the 115th Guards became a storage base, and the Motor Rifle Division at Chernaya Rechka (the 37th, it was apparent later) was reduced to become

558-567: A regular connection with Kapellskär in Sweden . Danish ferry operator DFDS is also operates a regular connection on the same route. Operation «Ämblik» (Spider) was conducted in Paldiski on 16 March 1993 by 33 Estonian police officers and 40 border guards to establish Estonian law in the area, including in the Russian military base . At the time in Paldiski, there was about 1,500 members of

651-547: A six-roundtrip operation to Kapellskär (Sweden) for passengers, and a Cargo and Navirail operation to and from Hanko (Finland). The old Soviet 'Pentagon' building has been demolished at some point between 2006 and 2009 to make way for a large and modern logistics park. The Pakri wind farm is located in Paldiski at the tip of the Pakri peninsula near the old lighthouse . It consists of eight wind turbines of type Nordex N-90, and generates 18.4 MW of clean electricity, when

744-488: A size of 18 oxgangs. The Pakri Islands , situated just off the coast of the current town, were first mentioned in 1283 as insula Rogoy , meaning "the rye island", but it is unknown if the islands had any inhabitants at the time or which island was referred to. However, in 1345, Suur-Pakri Island, belonging to Padise Monastery, and some territories in Laoküla, belonging to Keila Manor, were sold to Swedish settlers. It

837-538: A small Swedish port known as Rågervik, it evolved into an important ice-free port upon being incorporated into the Russian Empire in the 18th century. Following Estonia's independence in 1918, the port experienced a decline in significance, only to regain importance during the Soviet occupation. However, upon Estonia's restoration of independence, it subsequently diminished in significance once again. The town

930-555: A survey of the coasts of the new territories to identify potential locations for building new ports. The survey determined that Rågervik Bay (modern Paldiski Bay) was the only suitable place on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland for constructing a new warship port, despite having major drawbacks. Due to this, it was decided to temporarily utilize the already existing port in Reval instead, which also had major drawbacks. Dissatisfied with

1023-764: A tank platoon and tank company in the Leningrad Military District and in the Coastal Forces of the Northern Fleet . In 1997, he graduated from the Malinovsky Military Armored Forces Academy . After graduation, he served in the 58th Combined Arms Army as the commander of a separate tank battalion. Since 1999, Lapin was the chief of staff, commander of the 429th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 19th Motor Rifle Division . From 2001 to 2003, he became

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1116-601: Is a Russian army officer and commander of the Leningrad Military District from 16 May 2024. He was promoted to the rank of colonel general in 2019. He was the commander of the Army Group "Center" of the Russian Army Forces in the Russian invasion of Ukraine . On 10 January 2023, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Russian Ground Forces . As of May 2024 , he started to command

1209-458: Is dedicated to St Nicholas. Although closed for some years, this church has now reopened, with services held every Sunday at lunchtime. There are also a Pentecostal church, a Methodist church, and an Orthodox church. Paldiski is served by Paldiski railway station , a terminus station on the Elron rail line between Tallinn and Paldiski, providing a convenient link to the capital city. As part of

1302-634: Is home to the terminus of the Tallinn-Paldiski railway line and serves as the administrative center of Lääne-Harju Parish in Harju County . As of 1 January 2021, the town had a population of 3542. The first known name of Paldiski Bay is Rågervik, meaning "rye island bay" in Swedish, and is derived from the Swedish name for the Pakri islands , Rågöarna . A small port, also named Rågervik,

1395-469: Is speculated that the sales happened as a result of the Saint George's Night Uprising of 1343, to shield the coast from rebellious Estonians . It is also speculated that some of the settlers were from Uusimaa , as Padise Monastery owned territories there. The first written records of human activity on the territory of modern mainland Paldiski are about Pakri village from 1377, which was situated on

1488-637: The 23rd Army , the 1st Mechanised Corps (-), 177th Rifle Division , 191st Rifle Division , 8th Rifle Division , the 21st, 22nd, 25th, 29th Fortified Regions, Air Forces (six aviation divisions, including the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 39th, 41st, and 55th ), and other formations and units. Two days after the German invasion of the Soviet Union, on 24 June 1941, the District was reorganised as the Northern Front , and two months later, on 23 August 1941, it

1581-555: The 37th Motor Rifle Division (a mobilisation division, the double of the 63 MRTD) at Chernaya Rechka ; and the 63rd Guards Training Motor Rifle Division, and the 76th Guards Airborne Division , under district control. At Garbolovo ([60 20 14N, 30 29 55E]) there was the 36th Air Assault Brigade (effectively an airmobile brigade), which had been activated in autumn 1979. By 1990 the district included 60,000 servicemen, 822 tanks, 2,000 armored fighting vehicles, 1,100 guns, mortars and MLRS systems, and 100 helicopters. The composition of

1674-487: The 4th Guards Rifle Corps with three divisions, was transferred to the Baltic Military District on 27 January 1956. By 1946 the 2nd Guards Artillery Division had arrived at Pushkin , which would be its headquarters for nearly the next fifty years. The 13th Air Army was the district air force component and was redesignated as the 76th Air Army in 1949. General-Colonel of Aviation Fyodor Polynin

1767-580: The 54th Motor Rifle Division and other units were sent to the Far East. In 1967 the 44th Army Corps was moved to the Transbaikal Military District and established its headquarters at Ulan Ude . New units were formed to replace them, with the 26th Army Corps headquarters replacing the 44th, and a reshuffling of units to replace the 279th Regiment: the 221st Guards Motor Rifle Regiment of the 77th Guards Motor Rifle Division replaced

1860-653: The Crimean War , English ships were in Rogerwiek Bay between 23 June and 25 June in 1854, and threatened to bombard the town. By the end of the 18th century, after the Russo-Swedish War of 1788–1790 , the fortress and garrison had lost their importance and were abandoned, but the garrison was temporarily reestablished several times after that. The town's civilian population had grown significantly, reaching around 500 inhabitants The construction of

1953-465: The Gulf of Riga and blockade the coasts of Estonia and Latvia in Gulf of Finland and Baltic Sea ; (e) Prevent an evacuation of the Estonian and Latvian governments, military forces and assets; (f) Provide naval support for an invasion towards Rakvere ; (g) Prevent the Estonian and Latvian airplanes flying either to Finland or Sweden. On 22 June 1941 the District comprised the 7th Army , the 14th Army ,

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2046-1047: The Leningrad Military District . Lapin was born on 1 January 1964. After graduating from high school, he studied at the Kazan Chemical–Technological Institute from 1981 to 1982. From 1982 to 1984 he served in the ranks of the Soviet Army in the Soviet Air Defense Forces . After that, he entered the Kazan Higher Tank Command School named after the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic , from which he graduated in 1988. After graduation, he served as commander of

2139-794: The Nenets Autonomous District . Additionally, the command contains most of Russia's islands in the Arctic Ocean , including those located in federal subjects not within the district. It lies in the Northwestern Federal District . Military units of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs , the FSB Border Service of Russia , as well as units of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other ministries and departments of

2232-598: The Russian armed forces . The aim of the police operation was to contain illegal activities including weapons trade and to restrict the activities of thugs in Paldiski, who behaved like they ran the town. For example, on 9 March 1993, several Russian armed forces officers were detained by Estonian authorities in Tallinn due to an attempt to sell firearms. This operation was not agreed to with the Russian government beforehand and preparations were kept in secrecy. Confusion in Paldiski among Russian military personnel helped to achieve

2325-482: The Russo-Swedish War of 1788–1790 , Swedish warships sailing under Dutch flags seized the port for a day and destroyed its artillery batteries. Rogerwiek Bay was blockaded by Swedish and English ships in the fall of 1808 as part of the Finnish War . When the blockade was lifted, Russian ships left for Kronstadt , leading to Baltiiski Port being bombarded by English ships, but little damage caused. As part of

2418-553: The St. Petersburg - Tallinn - Paldiski railway was finished in 1870, with the intent to utilize the ice-free port of Baltiiski to transport goods to St. Petersburg. Due to this, a passenger station, a depot, a water tower, a fire station, a naval school, and warehouses were built. By around 1914, the town had reached around 1300 inhabitants. On 22 June 1912, Russian emperor Nicholas II and German kaiser Wilhelm II met in Baltiiski for

2511-467: The World War II -era 45th Rifle Division , which later became the 131st Motor Rifle Division. In 2006–07, the 35th Base for Storage of Weapons & Equipment, the former 54th Motor Rifle Division at Alakurtti , was disbanded. The Russian Airborne Troops ' 76th Air Assault Division was also based within the district's boundaries, at Pskov . Presidential Decree 900 dated July 27, 1998 gave

2604-470: The breakwater between the mainland and Väike-Pakri Island. As part of the preparations, among other things, church, barracks and two piers were built, but relatively little work was actually done. Real work only started in 1723, when the Great Northern War had concluded. Many things were built, including bastions and central rampart for the fortress, an almost 300 meter long breakwater for

2697-435: The collapse of Soviet union , it became permanent, and nuclear material was transported back to Russia in 1994. The reactors were thereafter decommissioned. The reactors were protected with sarcophagus, finished by 2006, in Paldiski as they were potentially dangerous due to the radioactivity. Incidents, when Paldiski was a closed military town under Soviet/Russian jurisdiction, did happen rarely and if something happened, it

2790-601: The 23rd on the Karelian Isthmus . The 10th Guards Army was reduced to the 4th Guards Rifle Corps in April 1948, and that of the 23rd Army disbanded as a result of the postwar demobilization. The district was thus left with the 4th Guards Rifle Corps, the 30th Guards Rifle Corps , the 2nd Guards Tank Division , and the 1st and 2nd Machine Gun Artillery Divisions. Control of forces in the Estonian SSR, which included

2883-406: The 26th Army Corps at Arkhangelsk , formed in 1967, with the 69th ( Vologda ) and 77th Guards Motor Rifle Divisions ( Arkhangelsk ), the 258th Independent Helicopter Squadron at Luostari/Pechenga airfield near Luostari , and other smaller units; the 30th Guards Leningrad Red Banner Army Corps at Vyborg , with the 45th Guards Motor Rifle Division , the 64th Guards Motor Rifle Division , and

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2976-492: The 279th in the 54th Motor Rifle Division. In turn the new 481st Motor Rifle Regiment was formed to complete the 77th Guards. During the 1970s and 1980s the 6th Combined Arms Army and the 30th Guards and 26th Army Corps were based in the territory of the district. General, later Marshal, Sergei Sokolov assumed command in 1965. Marshal Sokolov later became the Minister of Defence in 1984. On 22 February 1968, in conjunction with

3069-542: The 30th Guards Army Corps was used to create the mobilization 37th Motor Rifle Division. In 1962 the troops of the district participated in Operation Anadyr , the Soviet military deployment to Cuba that resulted in the Cuban Missile Crisis . As a result of tensions with China in the late 1960s, the headquarters of the 44th Army Corps , 2nd Guards Tank Division, the 279th Motor Rifle Regiment of

3162-638: The 30th Guards Army Corps. Also in 1994 the 5186th VkHVT at Petrozavodsk was seemingly upgraded into the 30th Independent Motor Rifle Brigade. In early December 1997, President Boris Yeltsin said in Sweden that Russia would make unilateral reductions to forces in the northwest, which included the Leningrad Military District. He promised that land and naval units would be reduced by 40 per cent by January 1999. In May 1999, when Russian defense minister Marshal Igor Sergeyev confirmed that

3255-586: The 3807th Base for Storage of Weapons and Equipment. The 36th Landing-Assault Brigade was under district control until June 1990, when it was transferred to the Soviet Airborne Troops . Becoming part of the Russian Airborne Troops as the country dissolved, it was active until February 1997. In 1990 the 63rd Guards became the 56th Guards District Training Centre . In 1993 the 5189th Base for Storage of Weapons and Equipment

3348-643: The 4th Turkestan and 20th Rifle Divisions . The 19th Rifle Corps also included the Separate Karelian Rifle Brigade and Separate Murmansk Rifle Regiment. Markian Popov was appointed District Commander in 1939. Its main purpose was the defence of the Kola Peninsula and the northern shores of the Gulf of Finland. On the right flank it bordered with the Arkhangelsk Military District , on the left — with

3441-715: The 50th anniversary of the Soviet Army and for its successes in combat and in political training, the District was awarded the Order of Lenin . On 3 June 1968 the District was placed on alert. The Norwegian Army raised its alert levels in response. Within a couple of days the mobilized forces in the Leningrad region reached 11,000 soldiers, 4,000 naval infantry, 210 tanks, 500 troop transports, 265 self-propelled cannons, 1,300 logistics transports, 50 helicopters and 20 Antonov An-12 transport aircraft , all of which were staged in

3534-605: The Baltic MD. Among the defensive works started in the 1930s to protect the frontiers was the Karelian Fortified Region . The Winter War of 1939–40 with Finland prompted a close examination of the combat performance of the District's troops, and for the better control of the 7th and 13th Armies the North-Western Front was formed from the staff of the District on 7 January 1940. Three and

3627-721: The Chief of Staff of the 20th Guards Motorized Rifle Carpathian-Berlin Division. From 2003 to 2006, Lapin became the commander of the 205th Motorized Rifle Cossack Brigade and promoted to major general. From 2006 to 2007, he was the commander of the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division . In 2009, he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces . After graduating from

3720-650: The District's composition as the Republic of Karelia , the Komi Republic , Arkhangelsk , Vologda , Leningrad , Murmansk , Novgorod , and Pskov oblasts, Saint Petersburg , and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug . The district headquarters is now in the General Staff Building on Palace Square in Saint Petersburg . General Lieutenant Nikolai Bogdanovsky , commanded the district, between March 2009 and September 2010. On

3813-499: The Leningrad Military District once more. In March 2024, Shoigu announced that another new district's army corps (44th Army Corps, which is already in action in Kharkiv Oblast ), would be formed through the year. The reforms also include reinforcement of the 11th Army Corps and 14th Army Corps into armies. All of the new or reinforced formations will be based within the Leningrad Military District. On 2 September, 2024, it

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3906-754: The Petchenga-Murmansk area near Norway. On the evening of 7 June, the Norwegian Garnisonen i Sør-Varanger garrison heard the noise of powerful engines coming from the manoeuvres along the entire Soviet front of the Norwegian-Soviet border. Actual observations were not possible over the border in the dark. On that same night the GSV commanding officer ordered all GSV reserve forces to report to their emergency muster locations. The Soviet demonstration of strength lasted until 10 June, when

3999-666: The Russian Federation performing tasks on the territory of the district are under its operational subordination. The district was founded in 1864 as the Petersburg Military District in the Russian Empire during the military district reform of that year. After World War I began Saint Petersburg was renamed Petrograd and the district also changed its name to the Petrograd Military District. The Leningrad Military District

4092-538: The Russian army withdrew. An investigation by NPR alleged that troops under Lapin's command had killed civilians in Nova Basan and Bobrovytsia during the first months of the invasion and suggested that Lapin could be prosecuted for war crimes under the doctrine of command responsibility if the killings were sufficiently widespread. Following the October 2022 recapture of Lyman by Ukrainian forces, Lapin

4185-407: The Soviet forces stood down. In 1979, Scott and Scott reported the headquarters address as Leningrad, L-13, Pod'ezdnoy Per., Dom 4. In 1988 the district's forces were reported as consisting of the 6th Army ( Petrozavodsk ) with the 54th ( Alakurtti ), 111th ( Sortavala ) and 131st Motor Rifle Divisions , plus three zero-strength mobilisation divisions at Petrozavodsk, Alakurtti, and Nagornyy;

4278-513: The abolition of the district General Bogdansky became Deputy Commander of the Russian Ground Forces . Order of Lenin Leningrad Military District in 2010: In 2024, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine the district was reestablished. Since the middle of January 2024, the Northern Fleet lost its status as a military-administrative unit in line with a military district, and the territory it administered became part of

4371-421: The academy, he was deputy commander of the 58th Army. From April 2012 to July 2014, Lapin commanded the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army . In 2014, he was awarded the military rank of Lieutenant General. From 2014 to 2017, he was the Chief of Staff - First Deputy Commander of the Eastern Military District . In 2017, Lapin became the chief of staff of the grouping of the Russian troops and forces in Syria . He

4464-438: The aggression against Ukraine.". For similar reasons, he is on the sanctions lists of Australia and New Zealand. He is married and has a son, identified by BBC Russia as Lt. Colonel Denis Aleksandrovich Lapin, commanding officer of the 1st Guards Tank Regiment v/ch 58198. Paldiski Paldiski is a town and Baltic Sea port located on the Pakri Peninsula in northwestern Estonia . Originally established as

4557-404: The background of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Lapin was placed on the UK sanctions list as being responsible for the deployment of Russian troops involved in the attack on Ukraine. On 5 May, he is listed on Canada's sanctions list for "complicity in President Putin's choice to invade a peaceful and sovereign country." On October 19, 2022, he fell under the sanctions of Ukraine as "involved in

4650-480: The breakwater on the mainland was 400 meters long, with the breakwater on Väike-Pakri being 100 meters long. The port was 447 meters by 1067 meters in size. Baltiiski Port received town rights on 3 July 1783 being the center of the Baltiiski Kreis that existed between 1783 and 1796. Between 1787 and 1820, Baltiiski Port also held the status of a county town, which resulted in a court and other governmental institutions being established. On 6 March 1790, during

4743-569: The city had not enough Estonian citizens, and Paldiski was then subordinated to Keila until 30 October 1996. Located some 45 km west of Tallinn , Paldiski was then made a municipality within Harju County . Derelict Soviet-style apartment buildings made up much of the town, and the relics of military bases were widespread. The significant portion of the town's residents are ethnic Russians, originally from other parts of Soviet Union and were relocated to Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic by Soviet policy . The ferry company Tallink operates

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4836-420: The collapse of the Soviet Union the 76th Army of the Soviet Air Forces and the 6th Air Army of the Soviet Air Defence Forces , were left operating in the district. The two forces were merged as the 6th Army of VVS and PVO in 1998. The 138th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade at Kamenka was deployed for operations during the Second Chechen War , in which, along with other Russian Ground Forces units, its personnel

4929-438: The cuts had taken place, Sergeyev said that the personnel of the Leningrad Military District had been drawn down by 52 per cent. In terms of formations, the series of disbandments left the district almost unrecognisable. The 6th Army ’s staff at Petrozavodsk , the staff of the 30th Guards Army Corps at Vyborg, and all the motor rifle divisions previously in the district disbanded (including the 54th Guards MRD, reduced in size to

5022-487: The early 1990s. Soviet naval base headquarters was located in Paldiski. During World War II , Germans occupied town 28 August 1941 and left 1944. During the retreat, most of the town was burnt down, only 20 buildings survived. In 1962, Paldiski became a Soviet Navy nuclear submarine training centre. The training center had whole soviet nuclear submarine constructed by complete sections for naval personnel training purposes. The training center, known by locals as Pentagon,

5115-416: The eastern edge of the modern administrative border of Paldiski, in the middle of the peninsula. In Estonian, Pakri Peninsula and Pakri Islands are named after this village. Väike-Pakri was first mentioned in 1425. The island was likely settled by Laoküla Swedes, as both were a part of Keila Manor. Pakri Peninsula also belonged to Keila Manor. On the north-eastern coast of the peninsula, Leetse village

5208-413: The faculty of retraining and advanced training of the highest command personnel of the Military Academy of the General Staff. In June 2022 it was revealed that he was the commander of the Army Group "Center" of the Russian Army Forces in the Russian invasion of Ukraine . In late March, he visited the front line and awarded a medal to his son, the commander fighting in Sumy and Chernihiv , just before

5301-420: The fall of 1944 helped seize Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania . The Front was reorganized under the Leningrad District into a peacetime status on 9 July 1945. Marshal Leonid Govorov took command shortly afterwards. The reestablished district was responsible for the Estonian SSR, Leningrad, Pskov, and Novgorod Oblasts. Initially the district controlled two combined arms armies: the 10th Guards in Estonia and

5394-405: The first half of the 19th century. However, it only became the official name on 19 June 1933. Prior to that, the official name of the town in Estonian was Baltiski. The bay was also renamed Paldiski Bay around the same time. Laoküla village , situated just south-east of Paldiski, was first mentioned in the Danish Census Book in 1241 as Laiduscæ . It was a part of the ancient Keila parish and had

5487-460: The former Baltic Military District . Since 1992 many formations and units of the District have participated in local conflicts and peace-keeping missions, especially in the North Caucasus . The 111th Motor Rifle Division (still part of 6th Army) was active until 1994, and then seemingly became the 20th Independent MR Bde, which became a VKhVT between January 1997 and June 1998. As the 20th Independent Motor Rifle Brigade it shifted formations into

5580-418: The former bürgermeister of Riga . Additionally, Thomas von Ramm purchased Väike-Pakri Island from Keila Manor in 1628. Von Ramms kept the ownership of both islands and the Padise Manor until Estonia became independent. The Swedish port of Rågervik was established sometime during the 17th century, being located approximately one kilometer south of where Peter the Great was later going to establish his port by

5673-499: The goals of the operation. Operation had a shock effect on the criminal element as per Jüri Liim. On 21 April 1993, there were half a dozen Estonian police officers and Estonian border service personnel. The amenities in Paldiski include three grocery stores, a pizza place, a tavern, and a café. The housing blocks in the town do not all appear dilapidated and abandoned, and several have been refitted and re-painted in recent years. There are also several new apartment buildings, and

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5766-414: The green areas along with children's parks have been restored. The Logistics Battalion of the Estonian Defense Forces is stationed in Paldiski. The Pakri Science and Industrial Park with its 60 hectare Pakri Smart Industrial City lies within the limits of the city. On 20 July 1718, Peter the Great of Russia ceremoniously initiated the construction of the breakwater between Väike-Pakri island and

5859-415: The lack of a suitable warship port on the southern shore of the gulf and near the open sea, Peter the Great personally began searching for the ideal location of the port. On July 23, 1715, he decided that the new port was going to be built on the shores of Rågervik Bay. Preparatory work finally started on 20 July 1718, when Peter the Great of Russia ceremoniously initiated the construction of the fortress and

5952-428: The last time before going to war with each other two years later, as part of World War I . Only one Russian warship was destroyed in the bay as part of the war. During one shelling by the Germans, 20 houses were destroyed and 10 people died. Germans also tried to bomb the town from a zeppelin but failed. Near the end of the war, Russia started building fortifications around the town and established artillery batteries at

6045-400: The mainland during the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743 . In 1746, Elizabeth of Russia ordered for works to be continued, but ultimately nothing came of it. Some works on the port and the breakwater continued in 1751 and 1753, respectively. On 20 August 1762, Catherine the Great of Russia gave orders to rename Rogerwiek to Baltiiski Port. She also tasked Burkhard Christoph von Münnich ,

6138-433: The mainland, which was never fully completed. Nowadays, Paldiski commemorates this event by celebrating its birthday on July 20th. Paldiski received town rights on 3 July 1783. Paldiski has two schools: Paldiski Gümnaasium and Vene Gümnaasium (Russian Gymnasium). In addition, there is a private pre-school facility, called Paladski Beebi Maja. There are several churches in town. The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church

6231-490: The port, and a lighthouse at the tip of the peninsula. There were also plans to build a fortress on the Väike-Pakri Island, right across the bay from the mainland fortress, but these plans were ultimately abandoned, when Peter the Great died in January 1725. Works on the mainland slowed down significantly, and were completely halted by 1731. Two artillery batteries were finished on the mainland in 1726 and at least one on Väike-Pakri in 1731. Two additional batteries being built on

6324-459: The port. Ohtra village, just south of Pakri village, had existed since at least the end of the 17th century. There are reports of severe Russian raids and looting in the area from around 1576–1580, which were repeated by the Polish around the years 1601 and 1611. This led to a significant loss of population in the area. In 1622, Gustav II Adolf of Sweden granted the lands of the Padise monastery, including Suur-Pakri Island, to Thomas von Ramm,

6417-410: The same name. Peter the Great , on behalf of Russia , entered the Great Northern War against Sweden in 1700 with the aim of restoring Russia's access to the Baltic Sea , which it had previously lost. He began building a fleet on the Baltic Sea in 1702, established Saint Petersburg in 1703, and by 1710, he had gained full control over Estonia and Livonia . Upon assuming control, Peter ordered

6510-402: The target, the flight routes were often over Paldiski and this led to few incidents. Once a live bomb fell by accident to the local kindergartens cabbage field. Fortunately the bomb malfunctioned and caused no damage. On another occasion, a bomb fell by accident 15 meters from the working nuclear reactors. This bomb also malfunctioned and did not explode. After Estonia restored its independence,

6603-418: The tip of the peninsula. After the war, Russian and German prisoners of war were exchanged through the port. As Estonia became independent in 1918, the importance of Baltiiski Port significantly decreased, with the main economic activities now being fishing and fish processing. In the 1930s, marble from Vasalemma began to be transported to Sweden through the port. On 19 June 1933, the official name of

6696-592: The town became Paldiski. Before that, Baltiski and Paldiski were used in parallel. In 1939, the Soviet Union built a naval base in Paldiski, under the Bases Treaty it forced on Estonia. In 1940, the whole population of Paldiski and the Pakri Islands were forcibly relocated and replaced by Soviet military personnel. Under the soviets, the settlement became a closed town and stayed that way until

6789-420: The town's redevelopment, this once near-derelict station has been renovated and painted in bright yellow and white colours. A great deal of investment has been put into the two ports and their facilities with a number of new berths having been created. From Paldiski Southern Port, Transfennica runs a number of ships to the port from Hanko (Finland) and Lübeck (Germany). From Paldiski Northern Port, DFDS runs

6882-414: The troops of the district was as follows: In December 1989, the 77th Guards Motorized Rifle Division Moscow-Chernigov was transformed into a coastal defense division of the same name, and the 69th Sevsk Motorized Rifle Division in Vologda was transformed into the 5189th Base for Storage of Weapons and Equipment (Russian acronym VKhVT). Accordingly, in 1991, the 26th ("Arkhangelsk") Army Corps had more than

6975-460: Was announced that the district's deputy commander, Valery Mumindzhanov , a Shoigu loyalist, was arrested on corruption charges as part of an apparent purge by Andrey Belousov . As of 2024 ground combat units deployed within the 11th Corps include: During its existence, the district was commanded by the following officers: Aleksandr Lapin (general) Aleksandr Pavlovich Lapin ( Russian : Александр Павлович Лапин ; born 1 January 1964)

7068-466: Was classified. At the time Jüri Liim , first member of Supreme council and later expert of Estonian Ministry of Defense and Estonian government special representative in Paldiski, had an undercover and secret access to the closed city. As per his testimony, the Pakri Islands just next to Paldiski were the practice bombing targets for Soviet air force, including the soviet nuclear bombers. There

7161-422: Was demolished largely by 2007 Employing some 16,000 people, and with two land-based nuclear reactors (at 70 MW and 90 MW power, respectively), it was the largest such facility in the Soviet Union . In total Soviet navy used the facilities 27 years. Because of its importance, the whole city was closed off with barbed wire until the Russian military base was finally closed on 31 August 1994. Paldiski nuclear centre

7254-482: Was disbanded. The fall of the Soviet Union caused much reassessment of the Russian Federation ’s military situation. During most of the 1990s, economic constraints greatly hampered military effectiveness. Several formations, such as the 25th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade , formed on 1 January 1993 from the disbanding 24th Tank Training Division at Riga , arrived in the district having been withdrawn from

7347-559: Was dismissed as commander from the Central Military District, replaced by Alexander Linkov. On 10 January 2023 Russian media reported that Lapin had been assigned to the post of chief of staff of the Russian Ground Forces . In the months leading up to the August 2024 Ukrainian incursion into Kursk , Lapin dismantled a border guard council that had been responsible for its protection. On 15 March 2022, against

7440-499: Was established on the southern coast of the Pakri Peninsula sometime during the 17th century. This port has also been referred to as Rudewa and Ragövik . When Estonia was conquered by Peter the Great of Russia in 1710s, a new port was built approximately one kilometer north of the old Swedish port, but the name remained virtually unchanged, except for being transliterated into Russian as Ро́гервик . Additionally, it

7533-430: Was first mentioned in 1561, and the manor was established in 1677. Sometime during the 19th century, the village directly to the west of the manor, in the interior of the peninsula, that previously had been referred to as Perraste , Paresta and Pärast , was renamed Leetse village. Pallaste village was first mentioned in 1582, with the manor being established in 1802. The manor was located 1.5 kilometers north-east of

7626-544: Was handed by Russians to Estonian authorities on 30 September 1995. This followed the events of 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed and Estonia regained independence. To house the stationing troops and those in training, many barracks buildings were built, which have since been left in disrepair. Russia relinquished control of reactor facilities in September 1995; the nuclear reactors were shut down in 1989, first on temporary basis because of Chernobyl accident and due to

7719-486: Was heavily criticized by the head of the Chechen Republic , Ramzan Kadyrov . Kadyrov blamed Lapin for the Russian retreat, saying he would demote Lapin to the rank of private, strip him of his medals, and send him to the front line barefoot with a light machine gun to "wipe away his shame with blood". The Kremlin told Kadyrov to "set aside emotions" during the " special military operation ". On October 29 Lapin

7812-626: Was known as Rogerwiek in German. On 20 August 1762, Catherine the Great of Russia gave orders to rename Rågervik to Baltiiski Port ( Russian : Балтійскій Порт , Estonian : Baltiski sadam German : Baltisch-Port , French : Port Baltique ). This name is directly derived from the name of the Baltic Sea , on which the port resides. The name of the bay, however, remained unchanged as Рогэвикъ . The modern, phonetically spelled Estonian name Paldiski first appeared in literature during

7905-411: Was no actual nuclear bombs used but bombs that were in similar weight and size category. Sometimes when the real combat bombs were used, the small earthquakes created from it could be felt in Paldiski and at the nuclear reactors. The personnel working at the site were concerned about potential cracks or other issues with the reactor due to this shaking. When approaching the Pakri Islands or leaving from

7998-741: Was originally formed as the Petrograd Military District after the October Revolution of 1917 up to the beginning of the formation of the Red Army . The Petrograd District was reestablished as a part of the Red Army (RKKA) by an order of the Highest Military Council of 6 September 1918. On 1 February 1924, the Petrograd military district was renamed the Leningrad Military District when the city

8091-720: Was promoted to colonel general in 2019. From September to November 2017, Lapin was the Head of the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation . Lapin was the commander of the Central Military District from 22 November 2017. From October 2018 to January 2019, he was the commander of the grouping of the Russian troops and forces in Syria . In 2020, he graduated from

8184-500: Was renamed Leningrad. The district included Leningrad, Pskov , Novgorod, Olonets, Cherepovets, and Murmansk Governorates and the Karelian SSR. In 1927 the governorates were merged into the new Leningrad Oblast, with the territory of the district remaining the same between the wars. By 1935 the district included the 1st Rifle Corps at Novgorod with the 16th and 56th Rifle Divisions , and the 19th Rifle Corps at Leningrad with

8277-484: Was reported to have behaved badly at times. A 22-year-old woman in Ingushetia was shot by drunken soldiers from the brigade scavenging for alcohol. The deployment of a tank battalion of the brigade was apparently halted when it was discovered that soldiers had been selling the explosive from their tanks' reactive armour . The second fully operational brigade in the district, the 200th Motor Rifle Brigade descends from

8370-667: Was split into the Leningrad and Karelian Fronts . The Front's forces efforts played a major part in resisting the German attacks during the Siege of Leningrad . By the joint efforts of troops of the Leningrad Front, Volkhov Front , and the 2nd Baltic Front during January 1944 the Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive ended the siege of the city. Pressing home the attack, the forces of the Leningrad Front in summer and in

8463-429: Was subsumed into the Leningrad Military District. Accordingly, Headquarters Northern Military District became Headquarters 6th Combined Arms Army . That year, the 37th Guards Motor Rifle Division of the 30th Guards Army Corps was reorganized as the district's motor rifle training division, returning to its wartime designation as the 63rd Guards in 1964. In the late 1960s the 14th Separate Machine Gun Artillery Regiment of

8556-463: Was the first commander of the 76th Air Army. Apart from a brief period when the air army was redesignated the Air Forces of the Leningrad Military District from 1980 to 1988, the 76th Air Army would be active in the region until 1998. In Arkhangelsk, Arkhangelsk Oblast, the 44th Special Rifle Corps was activated on 22 June 1956 from HQ Arkhangelsk Military District . The 2nd Guards Tank Division

8649-593: Was transferred to the district from the Estonian SSR in 1958, based at Garbolovo and Vladimirsky Lager . In June 1957 44th Special Rifle Corps was renamed the 44th Special Army Corps. Three years later it comprised the 69th and 77th Motor Rifle Divisions. In August 1961, it was renamed the 44th Army Corps. In May 1960 the Northern Military District, controlling forces in the Karelian and Komi ASSRs, and Arkhangelsk, Murmansk and Vologda Oblasts,

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