Scapa Flow was the main port of the British Home Fleet, and the pride of the United Kingdom. In January 1941, as an act of retaliation for the Big Switch of 1940, the Soviet Air Force based out of Murmansk launched a hit and run raid on the harbour, fleeing before the RAF could give chase. Radio Moscow claimed the raid inflicted heavy damage while a Royal Navy spokes man was quoted in The Times as saying these claims were "greatly exaggerated."