Battle of Salla (1939)

The Battle of Salla was fought between Finnish and Soviet troops near Salla in northern Finland during the Winter War. The Soviets had orders to advance through Salla to Kemijärvi and Sodankylä, and from there to Rovaniemi in just two weeks. From there they were to advance to Tornio and cut Finland in two. The Finnish troops managed to stop the Soviet advance just east of Kemijärvi. During the last days of February 1940 the Finnish troops were replaced with the Swedish, Norwegian and Danish volunteers of the Stridsgruppen SFK.

Battle of Salla
Part of Winter War

A Finnish soldier on guard near Kemijärvi, 11 February 1940.
Date30 November 1939 – 13 March 1940
Location
Salla, Finnish Lapland
66°50′N 28°40′E
Result Finnish victory
Belligerents

 Finland

  • Swedish volunteers
  • Norwegian volunteers
  Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Kurt Martti Wallenius
Ernst Linder		 Mikhail Dukhanov
Vasily Chuikov
Units involved
North Finland Group
Lapland Group
  • Detachment Roininen
  • Stridsgruppen SFK
9th Army
Strength
c. 3,500
From 10 February 1940 9,400 Scandinavian volunteers		 Two infantry divisions
Casualties and losses
Finnish:
650 dead or missing
450 wounded
Volunteers:
33 dead
50 wounded
130 frostbitten		 4,000
Location within Finland
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