Since late 1939, "osadniks" were being deported "en masse" to Northern European Russia, Ural and Siberia, according to the Sovnarkom's "Decree about special settlement and labor engagement of "osadniks" deported from Western areas of USSR and BSSR" of December 29, 1939. It was broadened to include all formerly Polish citizens who purchased any land after 1918, whether real settlers from other parts of Poland or local peasants who bought land in neighbouring villages. An etimated 140,000 "osadniks" were deported on February 10, 1940, be they real or alleged osadniks. Most of them (about 115,000) were of Polish, but there were 10,000 Ukrainians, 11,000 Belarusians and 2,000 others. In gulag paperwork, "osadniks" were in a separate category of deportees: "special settlers — 'osadniks' and 'foresters'". Then, three more waves of Polish deportations were carried out and classified with different categories. The largest deported Polish population was in Arkhangelsk Oblast: all of the Soviet labor camps in the Kotlas area were filled with Polish nationals. High mortality of deported was reported. For example, by July 1, 1941, over 10,000 "osadniks" were officially reported dead. The original settlers formed a much smaller group than those who were labelled as "osadniks" by the Soviet authorities.