Jyrkänkoski Defence Positions

At the Jyrkänkoski defence positions, the advance of the Red Army’s 54th Mountain Division was halted in December 1939. After this, the fighting gradually subsided until 29 January 1940, when the Finnish troops initiated a counterattack. The strongpoint was renovated by the City of Kuhmo in 1995–1997 and 2006–2007, and by the National Defence Training Association of Finland in 2020. A number of anti-tank obstacles, trenches and other structures related to the Jyrkänkoski defence positions were restored.

Kuhmon Reserviläiset ry, a reservist association in Kuhmo, maintains the Jyrkänkoski area, where Winter War Base is open in the summer. There you can see a Soviet T-26 tank, a 37 mm Bofors anti-tank gun used by the Finns, several artillery pieces, mortars and other equipment.

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Source

• Text: Visit Kuhmo
• Photos: Lassi Piirainen (1, 2, 5, 6), Elina Puhakka (3, 4), SA-kuva (7)
• https://visitkuhmo.fi/en/traditions-stories/military-history-in-kuhmo/jyrkankoski-defence-positions/