Brigade Vuokko at Rasti
On 4 December 1939, the Headquarters assigned Brigade Vuokko to the Northern Finland Group for an offensive towards Repola. Before the operation could begin, however, the situation changed dramatically. The Finnish main defensive line at Saunajärvi collapsed on the evening of 5 December, and Soviet forces reached the Rasti crossroads the following evening. At the same time, the main elements of Brigade Vuokko were moving from Nurmes towards Rasti, while one of its battalions (III Battalion, Infantry Regiment 25) advanced from Kuhmo towards Jyrkänkoski.
Following a brief reconnaissance, the brigade launched its attack on 8 December. Two battalions (I and II/IR 25) attacked from the south towards Rasti and Sivakka, while III/IR 25 advanced from the north towards Klemetti. The operation succeeded only on the Sivakka road, where Finnish troops managed to cut the road used by the Soviet forces. Because of the limited success and the death of one battalion commander, Captain Taube, the attacking forces were ordered to withdraw.
An information board describing Brigade Vuokko’s operations is located at this site.
Meanwhile, the defensive positions of Separate Battalion 14 (Er.P 14) north of Rasti were breached on the evening of 11 December after a heavy artillery barrage and the lack of effective anti-tank weapons. Finnish troops north of the crossroads withdrew to the Jyrkänkoski area, where they successfully repelled further Soviet attacks. The Soviet forces retained control of the Rasti crossroads for the remainder of the Winter War, while Brigade Vuokko held the line south of the junction and prevented further advances.
The Finnish 9th Division launched its counter-offensive in the Kuhmo sector on 29 January 1940. Brigade Vuokko took part in the operation by encircling Soviet forces in the Luelahti pocket (motti). The Rasti–Sivakka pocket became the largest encircled Soviet force in the area and maintained its defensive capability until the end of the war. Approximately 3,000 Soviet soldiers survived inside the pocket until the armistice.
The site is easily accessible. A bus stop is located next to the “You Are Here” point shown on the battlefield map. Address: Lieksantie 206, FI-88900 Kuhmo, Finland. The memorial plaque to Captain Taube is located approximately 150 metres south of the site, on the eastern side of the road.
