soviet union's occupation of Finland
During Winter War Soviets used 2 division to conquer Petsamo. In Moscow Peace 1940 Soviets retreated from there but got very small part of most northern part of Petsamo area (From "Second hand of Finland" as we say here).Cheshire Yeomanry wrote:Continuing my ignorance off all things Finnish after WW2, is/was or has the Petsamo region been returned to Finnish control?
Andy from the Shire
In cease fire agreement 1944 and finally in Paris Agreement 1947 Soivets got entire Petsamo and its nickel mines. They also demanded more areas in Paris and got it (small area where was powerplants and dams for Petsamo and northern Lapland area). Petsamo is still under Russian control.
So Petsamo was part of independent Finland during 1917-1944 and belongs to so called deced areas (Petsamo, Salla, Karelia, Islands of Gulf of Finland (and Porkkala, which is got back already). 4 to go :roll:
Petsamo
No, it still belongs to Russia nowadays and called Pechenga by Russians. And there is little change of situation to change as Russians are still actively mining nickel in there. Nickel mine of Petsamo was a real factor during Interim Peace as it had the largest nickel deposit in Europe at that time and nickel belong(ed) to strategic materials. German military even made plans of capturing it if Finland would not have joined to war at 1941. Anyway, Petsamo is basically spoiled nowadays (mining and refining nickel is not too environment-friendly to begin with and when Soviet environment protection was also nonexistent the area is now severely polluted). At this day Petsamo/Pechenga nickel mines are surrounded by huge wasteland with trees that have died to its pollusition, according Finnish newspapers 2 or 3 years ago the growing wasteland was starting to spread to Finnish side of the border also.Cheshire Yeomanry wrote:Continuing my ignorance off all things Finnish after WW2, is/was or has the Petsamo region been returned to Finnish control?
