Ladoga Canal major canals constructed in Russia. It was one of the projects of Peter the Great, who ordered its construction in 1718. Rapid economic development in Russia required a significant expansion of routes, especially waterways. One part of the Vyshny Volochek waterway (1709) linking the Volga river to the Baltic Sea, passed through Lake Ladoga. The Ladoga section of the route was one of the most difficult and dangerous because the lake is prone to winds and storms which destroyed hundreds of cargo ships. Peter the Great decided to avoid the navigation in the huge and stormy lake by building a
Finnish reconquest of Ladoga Karelia (1941) had already reached the shore of lake Ladoga at Lahdenpohja and cut the Soviet divisions north-west of lake Ladoga from their intended withdrawal routes. Near Sortavala the attacking Finnish forces of 2nd, 7th and 19th division were reorganized into the I Army Corps and the town fell to the Finnish forces on August 15. The defending Soviet forces of the 168th Rifle Division withdrew along the coast but were encircled. The Soviets managed to evacuate most of the manpower on barges over the lake Ladoga. Finns captured large amounts of war material that the Soviets had not been able to