Which canal in Russia connects the White Sea with Lake Onega?

The White Sea–Baltic Canal in Russia connects the White Sea with Lake Onega.

The waterway opened on August 2, 1933, after construction during the early Stalin era. It runs about 227 kilometers, although only roughly 48 kilometers are entirely man-made; the route also uses rivers and lakes, including Lake Vygozero. From Lake Onega, ships can continue through connected waterways toward Lake Ladoga, the Neva, and the Baltic Sea.

The project is closely tied to the Soviet Gulag system. Forced laborers built the canal under severe conditions, and estimates of deaths range from approximately 12,000 to 25,000 or more depending on the source and counting method. Until 1961, its official name included Stalin’s name.

It is often mistaken for the Volga–Don Canal or the Volga–Baltic Waterway. The White Sea–Baltic Canal is distinctive because its northern outlet is at Belomorsk and because its shallow channel limits the size of seagoing vessels that can use it.