The Zapadnaya Litsa (russian: Западная Лица ; german: Sapadnaja Liza ; fi, Litsajoki) is a

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...

in the north of the

Kola Peninsula The Kola Peninsula (russian: Кольский полуостров, Kolsky poluostrov; sjd, Куэлнэгк нёа̄ррк) is a peninsula in the extreme northwest of Russia, and one of the largest peninsulas of Europe. Constituting the bulk ...

Murmansk Oblast Murmansk Oblast (russian: Му́рманская о́бласть, p=ˈmurmənskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ, r=Murmanskaya oblast, ''Murmanskaya oblast''; Kildin Sami: Мурман е̄ммьне, ''Murman jemm'ne'') is a federal subject (an oblast) o ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

. It is long, and has a drainage basin of . The Zapadnaya Litsa River originates on the Kuchintundra and flows into the

Barents Sea The Barents Sea ( , also ; no, Barentshavet, ; russian: Баренцево море, Barentsevo More) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia and divided between Norwegian and Russian terr ...

. Its biggest

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drai ...

is the Lebyazhka River. From 1941 to 1944, the Litsa River formed the Arctic frontline between German and Finnish troops west of the river – trying to capture Murmansk – and Soviet troops on the east, defending the city. This frontier was of vital importance for both sides, as Murmansk was the only Soviet harbour left in Europe and the northern route to Murmansk and

Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina near ...

supplied the Soviet Union with approximately 25% of all lend-lease aid. During the stalemate that lasted four years, thousands perished in the tundras on both sides of the river. At the time the Litsa valley was called Death Valley (Долина смерти, ''Dolina smerti'') by the Soviets; though later the expression Valley of Honor (Долина славы, ''Dolina slavy'') became fashionable. The defense of Murmansk succeeded; the Germans never reached the city and the supply lines were not seriously interrupted, although the Germans bombed Murmansk to rubble from occupied Norway. See also:

Operation Silver Fox Operation Silver Fox (german: Silberfuchs; fi, Hopeakettu) from 29 June to 17 November 1941, was a joint German– Finnish military operation during the Continuation War on the Eastern Front of World War II against the Soviet Union. The objecti ...

and Operation Platinum Fox. The remains of the WW II fighting (trenches, pillboxes, defense pits etc.) can be visited with some specialised travel agencies.

Memorial for the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic on Litsa River (images)

File:Russia 2. Memorial for the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic, near Murmansk.jpg, Grave with helmet and flowers File:Russia 3. Memorial for the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic, near Murmansk.jpg, Memorial No. 1 File:Russia 4. Memorial for the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic, near Murmansk.jpg, Memorial No. 2 File:Russia 5. Memorial for the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic, near Murmansk.jpg, Messages by fallen soldiers File:Russia 6. Memorial for the Defenders of the Soviet Arctic, near Murmansk.jpg, List of names of the fallen

References

{{Reflist Rivers of Murmansk Oblast Drainage basins of the Barents Sea