Kara Sea Novaya Zemlya are also registered as a sanctuary, the Russian Arctic National Park. Kara Sea The Kara Sea (, "Karskoye more") is part of the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia. It is separated from the Barents Sea to the west by the Kara Strait and Novaya Zemlya, and the Laptev Sea to the east by the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. It is named after the Kara River (flowing into Baydaratskaya Bay), which is now relatively insignificant but which played an important role in the Russian conquest of northern Siberia. The Kara River name is derived from Nenets word meaning "hummocked ice".
Convoy PQ 18 against Russian ships thought to be sailing along the route north of Siberia. "Admiral Scheer" sailed north of Novaya Zemlya and then to the east and sank a Soviet icebreaker. By 30 August "Admiral Scheer" was back in Narvik. "B-Dienst" signals interception and documents recovered from a crashed Hampden, revealed details about the PQ 18 and QP 14 convoys, including their crossover and escort changeover points. U-boats, destroyers and the minelayer "Ulm" sailed on Operation Zar ("Unternehmen Zar") to sow mines at the entrance of the White Sea and off Novaya Zemlya. On 25 August, Ultra revealed the itinerary of