Karelia Brigade

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Karelia Brigade (Karjalan Prikaati) is one of the three Finnish Army readiness brigades. It is located in the Eastern Command at Valkeala. With some three thousand soldiers it is the second largest brigade in Finland. Karelia Brigade is currently commanded by Colonel Jorma Ala-Sankila.

[edit] Composition

Kymi Jaeger Battalion (Kymen Jääkäripataljoona)
- 1st Armored Jaeger Company (1. Panssarijääkärikomppania)
- 2nd Armored Jaeger Company (2. Panssarijääkärikomppania)
- 3rd Armored Jaeger Company (3. Panssarijääkärikomppania)

Karelia Artillery Regiment (Karjalan Tykistörykmentti)
- 1st Field Artillery Battery (1. Kenttätykistöpatteri)
- 2nd Field Artillery Battery (2. Kenttätykistöpatteri)
- 3rd Field Artillery Battery (3. Kenttätykistöpatteri)
- Artillery NCO School (Tykistöaliupseerikoulu)

Salpausselkä Air Defense Battalion (Salpausselän Ilmatorjuntapatteristo)
- 1st Air Defense Battery (1. Ilmatorjuntapatteri)
- 2nd Air Defense Battery (2. Ilmatorjuntapatteri)
- 3rd Air Defense Battery (3. Ilmatorjuntapatteri)

Kymi Engineer Battalion (Kymen Pioneeripataljoona)
- 1st Engineer Company (1. Pioneerikomppania)
- 2nd Engineer Company (2. Pioneerikomppania)

East Finland Signal Battalion (Itä-Suomen Viestipataljoona)
- HQ Company (Esikuntakomppania)
- 1st Signals Company (1. Viestikomppania)
- 2nd Signals Company (2. Viestikomppania)

Karelia Logistics Battalion (Karjalan Huoltopataljoona)
- Supply and Transportation Company (Huolto- ja Kuljetuskomppania)

[edit] History

Karelia Brigade was founded on January 1, 1957 when the 5th Brigade was renamed. 5th Brigade itself was the successor of the Infantry Regiment 8, which became famous by Väinö Linna's novel The Unknown Soldier. Karelia Brigade maintains the traditions of the Karelia Guard Regiment, which used to lie in Vyborg. The anniversary day of the Karelia Brigade is May 6, as on that day in 1618 the king of Sweden, Gustav II Adolf, gave the order to renew the Finnish military and when the Karelia Regiment was founded.