Battle of Ilomantsi

Destroyed Soviet T-26 tank.

Date	July 26 to August 13, 1944
Location	North Karelia, Finland
Result	Finnish victory

Belligerents

Finland

Soviet Union

Commanders and leaders

Erkki Raappana

General-Lieutenant F.D. Gorelenko

Strength

initially 7,000
later 14,500

initially 16,000
later 20,000+

Casualties and losses

400 killed or missing
1,300 wounded

Between 24 July–13 August:

2,500 in total

3,200 killed
3,450 wounded
1,400 missing

Between 1–11 August:
1,500 KIA & MIA
3,500 WIA

Between 26 July–13 August

13,050 in total

400 killed or missing
1,300 wounded

Between 24 July–13 August:

3,200 killed
3,450 wounded
1,400 missing

Between 1–11 August:
1,500 KIA & MIA
3,500 WIA

Between 26 July–13 August

The Battle of Ilomantsi was a part of the Continuation War (1941–1944). It was fought from July 26 to August 13, 1944, between Finland and the Soviet Union in an area roughly 40 kilometers wide and 30 kilometers deep, near the Finnish-Soviet border, close to the small Finnish town of Ilomantsi, in North Karelia. The battle ended with a Finnish victory—the last major Soviet attack against Finland was stopped here.

Finnish forces in the area before the battle consisted of only the 21st Brigade under Colonel Ekman but they were reinforced by the Cavalry Brigade and three other battalions—3rd Border Jaeger Battalion and the two-battalion strong detachment P (Os. P). All Finnish forces were subordinated to a temporary formation named Group R—Group Raappana ("Ryhmä Raappana" in Finnish)—after its commanding officer, the famed Finnish Major General Erkki Raappana, a Knight of the Mannerheim Cross, tasked with defeating the advancing Soviet units and recapturing the crossroads at Kuolismaa village.

During the initial Soviet push the sole unit defending against and delaying it was the Finnish 21st Brigade (roughly 7,000 men). As the front in the Karelian Isthmus was stabilized the Cavalry Brigade was rushed to Ilomantsi to reinforce the 21st Brigade, bringing the Finnish strength on July 31, when the counterattack began, to roughly 13,000.

General Meretskov's Karelian Front's forces advancing towards Ilomantsi consisted of two divisions of the Soviet 32nd Army under Lieutenant General Filip D. Garelenko–the 176th (Colonel Zolotarjov) and 289th (Major General Tsernuha) Rifle Divisions. Later as the battle progressed and the advancing divisions were encircled, Soviet forces in the area were reinforced by the 3rd, 69th and 70th Naval Infantry Brigades and other formations.

According to Soviet archives, at the beginning of the Karelian Front's offensive at June 21, 1944 the two Soviet divisions had a combined strength of roughly 16,000 men. By the time (June 31) the Finnish counterattack at Ilomantsi started, their strength had dropped to 11,000 men. After the 3rd Naval Infantry (ru. Morskaya Pekhota) Brigade and the 69th and 70th Naval Rifle (ru. Morskaya Strelkovy) Brigades were brought to support the encircled 176th and 289th Rifle Divisions, the combined Soviet infantry strength in Ilomantsi was slightly higher than 20,000 men.

...
Wikipedia