Answer - https://github.com/actions/checkout/issues/270#issuecomment-804438275. Somehow action still requires LFS mode for few files. need add lfs: 'true' to actions/checkout

name: CI 
on:
  workflow_dispatch:
jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: windows-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/[email protected]
        with:
          lfs: 'true'
          submodules: 'recursive'
          ssh-key: ${{ secrets.git_ssh_key }}

        env:
          GIT_CURL_VERBOSE: '1'
          GIT_TRACE: '1'