As long as a society has a true freedom of speech it cannot be completely rotten. However, all totally rotten societies are lacking the true freedom of speech.
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27 August 2025
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26 August 2025
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25 August 2025
Deep Roots of Violence and Disregard for Human Dignity in History
As we all know, wars and battles have always been an essential part of human communities. Today, examples can easily be found in Ukraine, Palestine, and Sudan.
That is why it was particularly interesting to come across a French study analyzing skeletons from northeastern France dating to around 4300–4150 BCE—that is, the remains of people who lived more than 6,000 years ago.
Many of the skeletons showed unhealed injuries as well as skeletal segments of severed left upper limbs. They were therefore most likely the result of excessive violence, mutilation, and/or trophy-taking associated with ancient warfare.
In their work, the researchers reported a multi-isotope reconstruction, based on the bones, of the life histories of individuals defined as “victims” and of other deceased individuals from the same region who had received customary funerary treatment. In total, 82 humans were analyzed, together with 53 animals and 35 modern plants to establish regional isotope baselines.
The results revealed statistically significant isotopic differences between the victims and the nonvictims, which were interpreted as showing that the victims had belonged to invading groups or tribes that were defeated in battles against the local population. They were then brutally killed and deposited in pits—together with trophies in the form of severed upper limbs.
The study thus demonstrated that, more than 6,000 years ago, after a battle had been decided, the victors celebrated their triumph with acts of violence and disregard for human dignity. And this practice has not disappeared even today, as examples of Russian war crimes in Ukraine and the atrocities of fighting groups in Sudan sadly show—not to mention the events of October 7, 2023 in Israel.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Dark Brown Ancestors
Football-Associated Violence Is a Personality Problem
Russian army not comparable to western military services
24 August 2025
The War in Ukraine Came Close to Me
Oily Trap for Putin
AI Drones: Ukraine’s New Edge in the War?
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22 August 2025
Palestine Action Suomi - a Bona Fide Actor or False Flag Organization?
In Finland, there is an activist group called Palestine Action Suomi. Previously, it has terrorized, at least, the buildings of Finland’s Ministry of Defence, Allianz Trade Suomi and the Nammo company by defacing their entrances with red paint. Now the group has also targeted the entrance of the Patria company with paint.
Frankly, I find myself puzzled by the motives behind this group’s activities. Most clearly, they seem to amount to supporting the terrorism practiced by Hamas, since the group’s own actions are criminal and— as I noted at the outset— amount to terrorizing Finnish companies.
In a sense, this is logical, because the Palestinians’ own plight is largely due to terrorism as well. I am thinking in particular of the fact that after the long-time Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat rejected in 2000 an already-agreed treaty on establishing a Palestinian state comprising the West Bank and Gaza, rocket and other terrorist attacks resumed from Palestinian territories into Israel— culminating in the October 7, 2023 attack that ignited the current war.
* * *
Palestine Action Suomi claims to be advocating for the Palestinian cause, but I really wonder how they think their actions could increase support for that cause among Finns. Wouldn’t their vandalistic attacks on Finnish companies rather decrease it?
Of course, it could be a so-called false flag group, whose real purpose is not to promote Palestinian support but instead to work on behalf of Israel. In that case, Palestine Action Finland would only pretend to champion the Palestinian cause, while in reality seeking to damage the public image of the Palestinians and their supporters.
If that were the case, however, one would expect ordinary people who are positively inclined toward the Palestinians to expose such a false flag operation. Since I have not noticed that happening, I suppose I must also conclude that this is simply a pro-Palestinian group resorting to senseless methods.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
When Demands Become Damage
Organized Vandalism in Helsinki, Finland
Gambling Addiction and the Shadowy Instigator
21 August 2025
How Extremist Activists Endanger Hunters in Finland
Finland has a very large population of cervids, such as moose and deer. Due to their large numbers, they cause significant damage by destroying young forest plantations and causing traffic accidents. On the other hand, they provide hunters with both a hobby and food.
The balance of this whole system is overseen by the Finnish Wildlife Agency, which grants hunting permits for cervid species in such a way that each population remains viable and healthy. At the same time, attention is also paid to ensuring that predator populations—especially wolves—remain strong and safe for people, so that they do not need to hunt humans moving in nature due to lack of food. Wolves have not generally been hunted in Finland in this millennium, except for individuals that have threatened humans or specialized in attacking livestock.
This equation seems to be too difficult to grasp for those belonging to the Animal Liberation Front. That is why they have made hunting towers used by hunters dangerously unsafe by sawing them.
The police are currently investigating these crimes and searching for the perpetrators. According to Member of Parliament Sanna Antikainen (Finns Party), it would be important that the police and prosecutors treat these acts as endangerment of life rather than mere vandalism. This wish is worth supporting, so that various political activist groups, which are resorting to increasingly harsh measures, would be made to comply with the law and avoid endangering other people.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Demonstration Demonstrated the Selfishness of the Demonstrators
Organized Vandalism in Helsinki, Finland
Greta Thunberg in Search of a Greater Thrill
20 August 2025
Unintended Consequences of Modern Value Shifts
19 August 2025
Will Gaza Get a Ceasefire, or Will Hamas Hold On to Its Terrorist Capabilities?
17 August 2025
Love and a Regurgitated Gift
In the world of fruit flies, romance can take surprising forms. The species Drosophila subobscura has a peculiar courtship ritual: before mating, a male must win over the female by giving her a gift. But instead of flowers or chocolates, he offers her a tiny mouth-to-mouth meal of regurgitated food. Interestingly, their close cousin Drosophila melanogaster—the fruit fly most often used in laboratories—doesn’t do this at all.
So what makes one species a generous suitor while the other skips the gift exchange? Japanese researchers discovered that the difference comes down to a single gene, called FruitlessM (FruM), which helps wire male brains for courtship behavior. In D. subobscura, this gene switches on in a group of brain cells that regulate feeding. When FruM is missing, the cells don’t grow the connections they need, and the males fail to present their nuptial gift.
Even more intriguing, when scientists turned on FruM in the same brain cells of D. melanogaster, something remarkable happened: the cells sprouted new connections, and the males began regurgitating food more often—hinting at a hidden potential for gift-giving buried in their biology.
This research shows how a small genetic change can spark big differences in behavior between species. What looks like a simple act of food sharing is, in fact, the product of evolutionary history written deep in the wiring of the brain.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Climate Warning Signs Were There 130 Years Ago – If Only We Had Noticed
Preventing future fires in Hawaii is possible, but the question remains: Are animal activists and politicians prepared for the necessary measures?
Seeing sex developed novel cultures
16 August 2025
Appeasement in Alaska?
Vladimir Putin’s visit as Donald Trump’s guest in the U.S. state of Alaska did not, according to the first assessments (Yle, MTV3, HS, Uutissuomalainen), bring an end to the war in Ukraine. Instead, it postponed the U.S. tariff increases on countries buying oil from Russia by at least a couple of weeks. In other words, the meeting certainly did not make the aggressor’s war effort more difficult.
In practice, the main outcome of the meeting was to demonstrate that European states are not capable of being a significant party even in a war being fought on their own continent. And of course, the continuation of Ukraine’s tragedy and the suffering of its people.
After the negotiations, Pekka Kallioniemi, who comments on the war in Ukraine, drew an illustration showing the dynamics of the relationship between Putin and Trump.
According to it, Trump sets a deadline for Russia to continue the war → that deadline is crossed → Putin proposes pointless negotiations → the negotiations lead nowhere, since Russia’s demands are impossible. And then the cycle begins again. In this way, the war can continue for as long as Russia’s dictator wishes.
Donald Trump’s actions closely resemble those of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and the Western European powers before the Second World War, when Adolf Hitler annexed one territory after another into the Third Reich. The result was the strengthening of Nazi Germany militarily, the growing arrogance of the FĂĽhrer, and ultimately the outbreak of World War II.
The silver lining in the current situation is that Russia does not have the capacity to rise into a true great power threatening the rest of the world. Instead, after the end of the war in Ukraine, it will retain the ability to militarily threaten its small neighboring states, such as Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
Their security depends above all on how NATO’s Article 5 is interpreted in the alliance’s major member states. In other words, whether it is seen as obligating them to provide full-scale support to the victim of aggression, or whether even in such a case the logic of Kallioniemi’s illustration would be followed.
If the latter proves to be the case, Russia also becomes a threat to Finland, and possibly even to Poland. At the same time, our NATO membership would lose its meaning just as effectively as the support promised by Western powers to Poland—and also to Finland against Stalin’s Soviet Union—lost its meaning at the beginning of the Second World War.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Donald Trump’s Meeting With Vladimir Putin: The Advice He Needs
Border Residents Concerned Over NATO’s Article 5 Interpretation
Oily Trap for Putin
15 August 2025
High Rewards in Humanitarian Immigration Attract People to Illegal Businesses
14 August 2025
Finland Denies Blanket Asylum for Gazans, Confirms Tighter Immigration Policies
13 August 2025
Donald Trump’s Meeting With Vladimir Putin: The Advice He Needs
The presidents of the USA and Russia, Donald Trump and Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, will meet on Friday in Alaska. Initially, it was said that the meeting would seek a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, but later the U.S. president’s office announced that it was merely about Trump’s desire to listen to Putin.
In reality, no one can know what will happen in Alaska. In Europe, there are fears that Trump might agree to support Putin in annexing part of Ukraine to Russia. That is, of course, one possibility, but not necessarily what will happen in Alaska—unless Trump is, in one way or another, in Putin’s pocket.
Assuming what I just wrote isn’t the case, it could well be that Trump realizes Putin is merely toying with him and is in fact only trying to weaken U.S. and other Western support for the Ukrainians—thus turning the battlefield situation to Russia’s advantage.
That is why it was unpleasant to learn that, right during the Alaska talks, Russia has achieved success east of the city of Dobropillia, where its forces have managed to advance along a strip over ten kilometers long but quite narrow. The risk is that Putin will succeed in convincing Trump that this breakthrough shows Ukrainian resistance is collapsing.
On the other hand, I think Russia’s narrow attack wedge will remind all Finns familiar with World War II of our own country’s successful motti battles, in which much larger Soviet units were destroyed by encircling them and cutting off their supply and relief. Unfortunately, it may be that Ukraine’s terrain is not as favorable for such a solution as Finland’s was.
After Trump and Putin agreed to meet, European leaders decided to influence the situation. This will take place later today in a telephone conference attended not only by representatives of Germany, France, Britain, Italy, and Poland, but also by the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
It remains to be seen whether this distinguished group will be able to influence Donald Trump, or whether he will simply listen politely and then, in discussions with Putin, do whatever he wants—in the worst case trying to sell Ukraine’s independence cheaply, and then leading the USA out of the community supporting Ukraine.
Even though I am quite certain that Trump will not read this blog, I cannot resist offering him one piece of advice. It goes like this: Vladimir Vladimirovich is a tough and ruthless dictator who, like others of his kind, listens only to someone similar. That is why Trump should not try to appease him, but instead show — without hesitation — his place as the leader of a state far weaker than the United States, and tell him to end the war here and now by promptly moving the “special operation’s” soldiers back behind Ukraine’s eastern border as it stood before 2014.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Border Residents Concerned Over NATO’s Article 5 Interpretation
It’s Time to Teach Putin: The Age of Empire Is Over
When the War Comes Home to Moscow
12 August 2025
Eviction of Inhabitants for Incoming Immigrants Sparks Controversy
In Finland, there was news today about a case in which the city of Mikkeli is renting out eighteen terraced houses for use as a reception centre. At the same time, it is evicting the current tenants from their homes. In other words, the Finnish residents of these homes are being replaced by immigrants – something many might associate with the idea — controversial as it is — that some kind of “population replacement” is taking place in Europe.
Right now, it appears that this decision is sparking considerable backlash among Finns. For example, Member of Parliament Jocka Träsbeck (National Coalition Party) commented that “In Mikkeli, the city’s priorities were set using the Tuppurainen method.” By this he was referring to a recent opinion of Tytti Tuppurainen – a Social Democratic politician and chair of her party’s parliamentary group – according to which “putting one’s own people first is harmful".
MP Tere Sammallahti (National Coalition Party) also weighed in on the matter, posing a rhetorical question: “What do you think – will this decision increase or decrease people’s willingness to pay taxes? Or racism?”
It is also worth noting that, in the minds of Finns, Mikkeli carries strong symbolic significance in connection with this change of residents. During the Second World War, the city served as the headquarters of the Finnish army.
It remains to be seen how the situation in Mikkeli will develop in the coming days. Will the social debate flare up into full blaze, or will it remain only a minor episode in the ongoing flow of Finland’s immigration discussion? And if it does flare up, will it lead to any political decisions – especially now, when the country’s leading anti-immigration party, the Finns Party, is part of the government.
11 August 2025
Has Modern Education Strayed Too Far — and Is It Time to Change Course?
10 August 2025
Finland to Cut Off Taxpayer Money for Immigration
Under the leadership of Finland’s Minister of Finance, Riikka Purra (Finns Party), a budget proposal has been drawn up which would allocate no state-collected tax money next year to the integration of immigrants or the reception of quota refugees. This would be a major change from the current situation, in which a significant share of tax revenue is used precisely for these purposes.
According to Minister Purra, “The integration structures within the public sector, and the ‘private’ integration industry that has grown around them, form one branch of the welfare state that has become enormous. The taxpayer foots the bill. If immigration broadly worked, such structures wouldn’t be needed at all. The government has previously cut integration spending, and in my opinion, it could easily cut more.”
Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen (Finns Party) commented on the proposed change, stating that “Integration should not be measured by the amount of money spent, and society should have an incentive to push those granted permission straight into work. That would also put an end to all sorts of busywork back home, such as collecting droppings in matchboxes.”
It remains to be seen, however, how the other government parties and Parliament will respond to the Finance Minister’s proposal. It is expected that the ending of support for companies making their living from immigration would face opposition within the government, at least from the Swedish People’s Party, and in Parliament from the entire green-left bloc.
The taxpayer, on the other hand, would welcome it—since once Finland’s chronically deficit-ridden state budget is brought into balance, they might one day have a say over the use of a larger share of their own paycheck.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A New Beginning: Economic Independence in the Hands of Developing Nations
Finnish Branch of Extinction Rebellion Faces Possible Ban
Finland's Stance on NATO Defense Spending Is Linked to the Geopolitical Threat from Russia
9 August 2025
Border Residents Concerned Over NATO’s Article 5 Interpretation
Oily Trap for Putin
A Growing Sino-Russian Threat to the West
AI Drones: Ukraine’s New Edge in the War?
8 August 2025
New Framework for Post-Hamas Gaza
Israel’s Security Cabinet has announced that it will take control of Gaza and destroy the terrorist organization Hamas, which previously ruled the area. Additionally, it has outlined five principles to be applied in the region.
These principles include the disarmament of Hamas, the release of hostages, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, Israeli security oversight in Gaza, and the establishment of an entirely new Arab civil administration. The final decision on implementing these principles will be made by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s full cabinet, which is set to convene no earlier than Sunday.
To carry out this plan, Israel has repositioned its troops near the Gaza border in formations suggesting the beginning of a new large-scale ground offensive. It remains to be seen whether the war, sparked by Hamas’s terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, is now moving into a phase that could lead to a peaceful resolution.
* * *
At first glance, the plan raises many questions. It is certain that Hamas fighters will do everything they can to avoid capture—potentially even by using human shields. At the same time, they will undoubtedly seek to prevent the release of hostages.
I also approach with great skepticism the idea that an entirely new Arab administration could be established in Gaza without any involvement from previous powerholders. And even if such an administration were created, could it build enough military strength to prevent Hamas from resurging? One problem could be that such a government would likely be seen as an Israeli puppet regime, making it difficult to gain the trust of the local population—many of whom have traditionally supported Hamas.
On the other hand, any attempt to end the war in Gaza—and to achieve long-term, sustainable peace—is undoubtedly welcome from both the Palestinian Arab and Jewish perspectives. That is why I hope the proposed plan can materialize into an authority that wields real power in the region and succeeds in suppressing the terrorism that has taken root there for decades.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Hamas Continues the Suffering of Gaza's Civilians
A Night at the Opera
When Demands Become Damage
7 August 2025
Exceptionally Warm July Falls Short of Records
6 August 2025
678 Bomb Attacks in Six Months: Netherlands Faces Alarming Trend
4 August 2025
Oily Trap for Putin
Eight oil-producing countries have decided to increase their oil production by a total of 547,000 barrels per day. This amount is a significant addition to the market and is expected to lower the price Russia receives for its own oil.
If and when this happens, the change will have a crucial impact on the combat capability of Vladimir Putin’s army in Ukraine. This alone may influence the outcome of the war, but if U.S. President Donald Trump imposes the 100% tariffs he has threatened on countries that mediate Russian oil, the Russian dictator will face an extremely difficult situation as export revenues collapse.
Therefore, it is likely that in the near future, Putin will seek both a breakthrough on the Ukrainian front lines and a way to maintain his war chest. And of course, he cannot ignore the need to look after the standard of living of nearly 150 million Russians, since its collapse would increase the risk of revolution.
It remains to be seen whether significant changes will occur in the war between Russia and Ukraine during the current year, or whether its resolution will shift to next year or even further into the future. What is clear at this point is that the democratic world cannot accept a Russian victory in the war; it must end in a just peace—one that does not embolden Putin, or Moscow’s future rulers, to continue power politics against neighboring countries.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Growing Sino-Russian Threat to the West
AI Drones: Ukraine’s New Edge in the War?
Ukraine Risks Losing Western Trust by Muzzling Corruption Watchdog
3 August 2025
A Growing Sino-Russian Threat to the West
The war in Ukraine is increasingly dividing the industrialized world into two opposing camps. One consists of the Western nations, and the other of China and Russia. The latest sign of this division is the fact that the Chinese and Russian navies have begun joint exercises in the Sea of Japan.
The exercise, named Joint Sea 2025, began off the coast of the city of Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East. The drills include submarine rescue, anti-submarine warfare, air defense, and missile defense exercises. While China and Russia have conducted joint military drills before, there have also been significant disagreements between them in the past.
However, as Russia has become increasingly dependent on Chinese support due to the war in Ukraine, the cooperation has deepened. According to China's Ministry of Defense, the purpose of the newly launched exercises is to "further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership."
This is something the West should take seriously. Although Russia has proven to be a paper tiger in conventional warfare in Ukraine, it remains the world’s second most powerful nuclear state. Furthermore, it's important to remember that China's actual military capability has not truly been tested since the Korean War—making it a significant unknown.
In solving this unknown, it's crucial to recognize that China has made giant leaps forward both technologically and economically. It would not be a major surprise if China’s military capability turned out to be strong enough to challenge even the United States.
All of this is one reason why the West must continue to develop its own military capabilities and technical proficiency. After all, it would be a major humanitarian catastrophe if the current, even partially free, world were to become subordinate to superpowers based on dictatorial authoritarianism.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Trump Jeopardizes NATO Progress
Warnings from Jussi Halla-aho and Igor Girkin About Europe's Near Future
The Free World Needs America’s Leadership Now
2 August 2025
Library Scrubs Queer Creator’s Character from Moomin Exhibit
"Wokeism" does not appear to have ended in the United States yet, according to a news report from Hufvudstadsbladet relayed by MTV3. A picture of the character Stinky was removed from an exhibition dedicated to the inhabitants of Moominvalley and their creator Tove Jansson, held at the Brooklyn Public Library in New York, due to allegations of racism. According to a spokesperson for the library, the aim was to create an environment where everyone feels welcome.
In reality, Stinky has nothing to do with racism. He is simply a somewhat annoying character from the stories, created at a time when there was no discussion of racism in Finland—Tove Jansson’s homeland—because the population was racially homogeneous. Stinky’s black color does not allude to any skin tone; it was simply a color the artist felt suited the character.
Well, what can one say to that? Perhaps that the Brooklyn library doesn’t seem to be showing much respect for the artistic work of Tove Jansson — the creator of Stinky, and herself a member of both a sexual and linguistic minority. But surely they couldn’t actually be homophobic... could they?
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finnish Trans Woman Speaks Out on Transgender Rights in Sports
An African and an Iranian Immigrant Educated a Woke-Blinded Deputy Mayor
A Finnish Deputy Mayor Wanted to Ban an Old Board Game from Children
1 August 2025
Demonstration Demonstrated the Selfishness of the Demonstrators
A World Rally Championship event is currently taking place in Jyväskylä, Finland. In connection with this, the Finnish branch of Extinction Rebellion, known as Elokapina, organized a protest without prior notice—in other words, an illegal demonstration—intended to disrupt the event. While the incident caused little actual disturbance to the rally itself, it demonstrated how little these identity politics-driven activists care about the law or other people.
This phenomenon is far from new. In fact, it has become an almost permanent feature of major sporting events (example). And it’s likely only a matter of time before the situation escalates to the point where the highlight of someone’s career—perhaps even the culmination of a lifetime dedicated to sport—is ruined.
That’s why it’s important that the activists who protested in Jyväskylä are brought to court, and that the full extent of penalties allowed by law be applied, to make clear that their actions are not acceptable. At the same time, lawmakers in Finland and elsewhere should revise legislation so that the threshold for disrupting major sporting events is raised as high as possible.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finnish Branch of Extinction Rebellion Faces Possible Ban
Eco-Fascist Blackmail: Threats of Sabotage Loom Over the World Ski Championships
Criminal Attack Against Finnish Democracy
31 July 2025
Burning a Man Alive Led to Life Imprisonment
29 July 2025
Hamas at a Crossroads: Are Weapons More Important Than Gaza Belonging to the Palestinians?
The Haaretz newspaper, published in Tel Aviv, has reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his intention to permanently annex parts of Gaza to Israel if Hamas refuses to agree to a ceasefire. According to him, this plan has the support of the U.S. administration under President Donald Trump
The annexation of parts of Gaza is to continue as long as Hamas refuses a ceasefire – or until the entire area has become part of Israel. However, according to Haaretz, which is known for its left-wing and socially liberal stance, Netanyahu’s plan would only lead to more Western countries recognizing the State of Palestine – something France has already announced it is considering. Meanwhile, Netanyahu’s government aims to pressure Hamas into abandoning its armed resistance.
From here in Finland, it is interesting to observe how the situation unfolds. Will Hamas – and its leadership – acknowledge that it has reached a dead end, or will it continue armed resistance, thereby placing the entire population of Gaza in a situation where they permanently lose their homes?
It also remains to be seen what France and its president, Emmanuel Macron, will do if Hamas refuses to lay down its arms and recognize Israel – conditions he has previously stated are prerequisites for recognition. Or will the potential annexation of Gaza areas lead him to forgo even these conditions before recognizing Palestine?
More broadly, I find the entire recognition debate absurd. After all, Palestine does not exist as a state, so its recognition would change the very definition of an independent state. It would therefore be more of a disingenuous political gesture than a serious acknowledgment of a state-level reality.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Hamas Continues the Suffering of Gaza's Civilians
A Night at the Opera
When Demands Become Damage
28 July 2025
AI Drones: Ukraine’s New Edge in the War?
27 July 2025
Green Politician: "I'm Glad We Never Gained Real Political Power"
26 July 2025
Why Did Finland Remain an Independent Democracy After World War II?
During World War II, Finland and the Soviet Union fought two wars. The first of these was the Winter War, which broke out as a result of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. In that agreement, the foreign ministers of Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler agreed to divide Eastern Europe between the socialist Soviet Union and the National Socialist Germany.
Despite receiving little help from abroad, tiny Finland managed to resist the Soviet Union’s massive army. Although the peace treaty forced Finland to cede territory far west of the prevailing front lines, the Soviet Union did not succeed in conquering its neighbor. This created a strong sense of injustice among the Finnish people.
After the Winter War, Finland sought a defense alliance with the other Nordic countries, but especially Sweden opposed the idea. Eventually, the whole concept became impossible when Germany, through its blitzkrieg strategy, conquered Norway, and the Soviet Union—pursuant to the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact—occupied the Baltic states. As a result, Finland and Sweden became isolated from the Western powers, France and Britain. Protection against the Soviet Union now had to be sought either from Germany—or vice versa. Finland chose Germany, which at the time was considered militarily superior, even though Finland did not embrace Nazi ideology and remained a democracy throughout World War II.
This led to the so-called Continuation War, whose first military actions in Finland were Soviet strikes against Finnish targets. The reason for this was Hitler’s false claim that Finland had joined Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union.
* * *
The events described above are well known in Finland. Less known is the final battle between the Soviet army and Finnish forces. This took place in the Ilomantsi region, where the Soviets launched an attack with two divisions against the Finns.
The Finnish troops were led by Major General Erkki Raappana, who accepted the challenge and launched a bold counterattack based on a double envelopment maneuver. The Finnish forces surrounded both Soviet divisions in separate pockets in the areas of Leppävaara–Lutikkavaara and Vellivaara–Lehmivaara, then broke them down and destroyed them. The battle was fought over a 40-kilometer-wide and approximately 30-kilometer-deep area.
At the same time, three Soviet marine brigades, a tank brigade, and an engineer brigade attempted to come to the aid of the encircled divisions from the east, but they were repelled. Eventually, the encircled Soviet troops saw their situation as hopeless, and the remnants of the divisions broke out eastward—effectively fleeing the battlefield.
As a result of this crushing defeat of the Red Army, the Soviets left behind heavy equipment, including over a hundred artillery pieces and nearly a hundred mortars, which became Finnish war trophies. The battlefield was left in the hands of the victorious Finns. This defeat prompted Stalin to abandon his goal of conquering Finland. He began peace negotiations and redirected his forces to the front against Germany, aiming to reach Berlin before the Western Allies.
Due to this battle, along with the earlier failed Soviet offensives at Tali-Ihantala and the Bay of Vyborg, Finland remained an independent democracy—unlike other European countries with long borders with the Soviet Union: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Why the Soviet Union Failed to Break Finland—And Why Russia Won’t Succeed Today
Fear Lurks in Vladimir Putin's Mind as He Celebrates on the Wrong Date
When the War Comes Home to Moscow