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 the Brigadier General Jukka Pennanen.
[edit] Composition
Karelia Brigade consists of the headquarters six battalion-sized units:
- Kymi Jaeger Battalion (Kymen Jääkäripataljoona)
- Karelia Artillery Regiment (Karjalan Tykistörykmentti)
- Salpausselkä Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (Salpausselän Ilmatorjuntapatteristo)
- Kymi Engineer Battalion (Kymen Pioneeripataljoona)
- Eastern Finland Signal Battalion (Itä-Suomen Viestipataljoona)
- Karelia Supply Battalion (Karjalan Huoltopataljoona)
[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.
