during world war i, the still poorly developed peninsula suddenly found itself in a strategic position, as the communication between russia and the allies was cut and the ice-free harbors of the murman coast remained the only means of sending the war supplies to the eastern front. in march 1915, the construction of the railroad was rushed, and the railroad was quickly opened in 1916, even though it was only partially completed and poorly built. in 1916, romanov-na-murmane (modern murmansk) was founded as the terminal point of the new railroad; the town quickly grew to become the largest one on the peninsula.