an island fort that controlled access to the port at Novorossiysk. Soviets hold this island until relieved in September, denying the use of the port to the Germans. 12 February 1943 – Red Army retakes Krasnodar 16 February 1943 – Red Army retakes Rostov 9 September 1943 – the Germans begin to retreat from the Blue Line defensive positions 16 September 1943 – Red Army occupies Novorossiysk, relieving the sailors and marines at Malaya Zemlya. 9 October 1943 – Red Army controls the whole of the Taman Peninsula 1944 During the Winter Spring Campaign of 1944 (1 January – 31 May), the Soviet army was able to launch an invasion of the Crimea from the Caucasus, which was fully recaptured by 12 May 1944. Operations included: Kerch-Eltingen Amphibious Offensive Operation (31 October 1943 – 11 December 1944) Perekop–Sevastopol Offensive (8 April – 12 May 1944) Kerch–Sevastopol Offensive (11 April – 12 May 1944) Anti-Soviet insurgency (1940–1944) 1940–1944 insurgency in Chechnya See also Army Group A action – Caucasus campaign Baku Air Defence Army References Alexander Werth, The Battle of Stalingrad, Chapter 7, "Caucasus, there and back", pp. 648–651 Ivan Tyulenev, "Cherez Tri Voyny" (Through Three Wars), Moscow, 1960, p. 176. Bibliography Иван Тюленев. Крах операции "Эдельвейс". Орджоникидзе, 1975. К.-М. Алиев. В зоне "Эдельвейса". М.-Ставрополь, 2005. Javrishvili K. Battle of Caucasus: Case for Georgian Alpinists, Translated by Michael P.Willis, 2017. External links Ясен Дьяченко. История альпинизма. Война на Кавказе Великая Война – Кавказ Операция "Эдельвейс". Последняя тайна Товарищи под знаком Эдельвейса / Kameraden unterm Edelweiss Conflicts in 1941 Conflicts in 1942 Conflicts in 1943 Conflicts in 1944 Battles and operations of the Soviet–German War World War II aerial operations and battles of the Eastern Front Battles of World War II involving Germany Mountain warfare History of the Caucasus under the Soviet Union