On 24 March 1942, the first stage of the evacuation of the soldiers serving in the so-called Anders Army from the Soviet Union to Persia began. About 78,000 exiles, who joined the Polish army and 37 thousand civilians, including about 18,000 Polish children were evacuated in total.

The first Siberian fortresses were built by Polish prisoners of war who had been taken captive by Moscow authorities precisely during the war initiated by Stefan Batory.