Editing Operation Barbarossa (section)

===Karelia===
{{Main|Finnish reconquest of Ladoga Karelia (1941)|Finnish reconquest of the Karelian Isthmus (1941)}}
[[File:Finnish troops advancing near Rautjärvi.jpg|thumb|Finnish troops advancing in Karelia in August 1941]]
The Finnish plan in the south in Karelia was to advance as swiftly as possible to Lake Ladoga, cutting the Soviet forces in half. Then the Finnish territories east of Lake Ladoga were to be recaptured before the advance along the Karelian Isthmus, including the recapture of Viipuri, commenced. The Finnish attack was launched on 10 July. The Army of Karelia held a numerical advantage versus the Soviet defenders of the 7th Army and [[23rd Army (Soviet Union)|23rd Army]], so it could advance swiftly. The important road junction at Loimola was captured on 14 July. By 16 July, the first Finnish units reached Lake Ladoga at Koirinoja, achieving the goal of splitting the Soviet forces. During the rest of July, the Army of Karelia advanced further southeast into Karelia, coming to a halt at the former Finnish-Soviet border at Mansila.{{sfnp|Nenye|Munter|Wirtanen|Birks|2016|pp=67–86}}{{sfnp|Ueberschär|1998|pp=970–974}}

With the Soviet forces cut in half, the attack on the Karelian Isthmus could commence. The Finnish army attempted to encircle large Soviet formations at [[Sortavala]] and [[Hiitola]] by advancing to the western shores of Lake Ladoga. By mid-August the encirclement had succeeded and both towns were taken, but many Soviet formations were able to evacuate by sea. Further west, the attack on Viipuri was launched. With Soviet resistance breaking down, the Finns were able to encircle Viipuri by advancing to the [[Vuoksi River]]. The city itself was taken on 29 August,{{sfn|Enkenberg|2021|p=70}} along with a broad advance on the rest of the Karelian Isthmus. By the beginning of September, Finland had restored its pre-Winter War borders.{{sfnp|Nenye|Munter|Wirtanen|Birks|2016|pp=87–109}}{{sfnp|Ueberschär|1998|pp=970–974}}