THE WORST DEFEAT OF THE RED ARMY IN THE WINTER WAR

In January 1940 the whole world was covered with newsreel footage depicting long columns of armored vehicles of the two Soviet divisions of the 9th Army, captured and shot down by the Finns. For a long time it was not popular to remember these events, and the battle became a subject of research only for a small circle of specialists. At the battle of Suomussalmi village and Raate road Finnish troops under the command of Colonel Yalmar Siilasvuo defeated 163rd and 44th divisions from November 30th 1939 to January 14th 1940. The total losses of the Red Army were about 13 thousand men. This defeat forced the 9th Army to take the defensive, and the initiative on the front was fully transferred to the Finns.