Sissy is not lemonade: who are Finnish saboteurs?
By 31 March 2023, all NATO countries, including Hungary and Turkey, had ratified Finland's entry into NATO. And after all NATO countries notified the US government, which is the depositary of the 1949 Washington Treaty establishing NATO, of this, today, April 4, Finland joined NATO, becoming a full member of the alliance after decades of neutral status.
Let's refresh our memory
What does this mean for Russia? There are many geopolitical aspects that now complicate the situation in the far north, where only Norway previously opposed NATO. But this is worth talking about separately and in detail.
Now the situation is reminiscent of the period before the outbreak of World War II, when Stalin decided to move the northwestern borders away from Leningrad and began the war, which is now called the “winter”.
Finland is a small country bordering Russia in the northwest, with a population of about 5 million people. In 5 it was even less, 1939 million. Then it was comparable to the population of Leningrad. However, during the “winter campaign” the Finns were able to provide very serious and tough resistance to the powerful forces of the Red Army.
Our country remembers these events very well. And it is right! To achieve success, you must always remember your own mistakes and not repeat them. But, unfortunately, the thunder of victorious timpani makes us quickly forget about them.
Let's remember what helped the Finns then, and what do they have now, having essentially joined NATO?
Who gave trouble to the “Russian bear”?
Currently, the Finnish ground forces consist of 12 brigades, several anti-aircraft regiments and a regiment of special rangers. Today the total number of military personnel in the country is 34 thousand people. 8 of them have specialized military education and are considered professionals. Civil servants - 000 people. The rest - about 4 people - are conscripts. However, taking into account the reservists who undergo serious military training, during the war Finland can put up to 000 thousand under arms soldier.
The Air Force has 121 combat aircraft, and the Navy has about 50 combat boats and ships, as well as 85 auxiliary vessels and boats. That is, these forces are quite comparable to the scale of the country and are capable of ensuring the implementation of the tasks facing them.
If we recall the end of the thirties of the last century, the Finnish army at the time of the outbreak of the war with the USSR had very modest forces and means.
At the same time, its greatest strength was the good training of its personnel and command, who skillfully applied mobile defense tactics, which were very effective in the snowy forests of Finland. These tactics included search operations on skis using scaffolding for covert movement, ambushes combined with shelling and sniper attacks, all linked to counterattacks and outflanking actions, and the partial destruction of individual encircled units.
This tactic of the Finnish infantry, developed in cooperation with other forces of the Armed Forces, was called “MOTTI”. Before the war, it was constantly practiced during exercises, so the personnel and commanders knew the terrain perfectly and knew how to use it to the fullest. The enemy's strength was the clear organization and interaction of troops, and competent operational management of them by the command.
At the same time, it should be noted that at that time the first Finnish sabotage units were already formed and trained in secrecy. This included three partisan units called Hiihtosissit, or ski partisans. However, these units did not see combat until the end of the Winter War in 1941.
Sissy
But before we start Winter War The Finnish border service formed 25 separate battalions (Erillinen Pataljoona) from local reservists located along the border. During the war, the Finns actively used Sissi. No, this is not the famous lemonade. And far from feminized boys, who are called that in English-speaking countries, from the abbreviated sister - sis, that is, little sister. Nothing in common!
Finnish Sissi are partisan formations trained to operate in isolation from the main forces and in difficult natural conditions.
After the outbreak of hostilities, five Sissi (Sissipataljuna) battalions were formed from the “auxiliary personnel”. These battalions, especially the latter type, were below their nominal strength, both in personnel and in weapons. But they have proven effective in using motty tactics in the home area with light infantry weapons and skis.
Other similar formations were light infantry - Jääkäri. They conducted operations and also carried out military reconnaissance and patrol missions near the front line. Their use was carried out in the interests, at best, of the command of the army corps, but more often of a division or regiment. But this turned out to be quite enough for people to remember this in Russia to this day.
After peace was concluded
Having made peace with the USSR after the “Winter War,” the Finns secretly continued to train and expand their reconnaissance and sabotage forces.
The new units were called Kaukopartiojoukot, or long-range reconnaissance patrol. Initially, these were 4 separate companies that were formed to conduct in-depth reconnaissance and guerrilla operations deep behind enemy lines.
The units were staffed exclusively by volunteers, physically strong and intellectually developed people, mainly young athletes, skiers and runners.
The main task of the Kaukopartiojoukot was reconnaissance, but to obtain intelligence information they also carried out raids and ambushes in the interests of the Supreme Headquarters command, to which it was subordinate.
The targets of sabotage were Soviet officers, small columns, supply trains and airfields. They also planted mines on important roads and railways, and tapped into communications lines to gather intelligence.
After Finland left the war, Finnish reconnaissance and saboteurs fought against the Germans for about two months.
It should be noted that the Finnish saboteurs were well armed and equipped. Thus, they were armed with Finnish 9 mm Suomi submachine guns. At the same time, the group always had a rifle for a long shot. There were chemicals available to control dogs.
Special snow tracked mines were used to mine small areas of the terrain. In late 1943, the 4th Battalion Kaukopartiojoukot acquired several German smokeless gasoline stoves, which helped conceal their camp from Soviet intelligence.
But the most valuable technical innovation was communications. Originally, the transmitter and receiver were separate devices. The first means of communication (M-4, M-5, M-7) were modeled after a German radio station, which weighed 15 kg. But Finnish engineers managed to reduce the weight by half. In 1942, the Finns developed the M10 model, and its modifications “M-10X” and “M1-X”, where the receiver and transmitter were placed in one case and weighed only 5,6 kg with batteries. They provided stable communications at a range of up to 200 km. This is still a very decent figure.
Sissy after World War II
After World War II, Sissi's units were disbanded. Officially, Sissi training ceased, but unofficially, many units conducted it for their intelligence units.
In the early 1960s in the town Utti A parachute school was opened, after which the infantry and border guards created Sissi training companies.
Sissi units are not irregular units or militia. They fully correspond to the original meaning of the word partisan and are part of the regular troops Finnish Defense Forces (FDF)trained to operate behind enemy lines. Partisan - from the word party, that is, a small military formation, equipped with the main forces for operations in the rear and on enemy communications. Therefore, the Sissi are real partisans, not rebels.
Like most FDF units, Sissi's battalions were made up of reservists.
The Defense Forces paid close attention to this area until recently.
However, it should be noted that the National Finnish Defense University did not publish a single thesis or article about the 21st century that mentioned sissy units and tactics. This may be due to the fact that the FDF has moved towards a more flexible defense by reforming its land warfare doctrine, leaving no room for the tactics and strategy of Sisi troops at the regimental/company level.
The Finnish Defense Forces no longer have sissy companies as part of their peacetime training arrangements. The last sissi company was renamed a reconnaissance company in 2015 and completely disbanded in 2016.
Utti Jaeger Regiment
Following organizational changes, the FDF conducts reconnaissance training at Kainuun Prikaati, as well as other major training formations, with an emphasis on reconnaissance, forward surveillance and fire control training. But this training no longer relies on special tactics, weapons, sabotage and forest fighting skills. However, the FDF still trains long range reconnaissance and patrol units in the Utti jaegare airborne regiment. Para-jaegers are trained in sissy warfare with an emphasis on deep reconnaissance, as well as training in close combat and urban operations.
In 1997, in the ground forces (ground forces) of Finland, on the basis of the center for training paratroopers in n. In the village of Utti (15 km east of the city of Kouvala), a separate special-purpose ranger regiment (SPN) was formed.
It is believed that the regiment traces its history back to the creation of four deep reconnaissance companies that operated during the Second World War against the Red Army.
Like all other units of the Finnish ground forces, the Utti regiment is cadred in peacetime. It provides training for conscripts and retraining of reservists, and, if necessary, becomes a mobilization base for the deployment of new units.
Until 2003, the Special Purpose Jaeger Regiment was subordinate to the Eastern Military Command, and then was transferred directly to the headquarters of the Finnish Armed Forces.
Since the beginning of 2022, Utti Jaeger Regiment has become the main unit of the Finnish Special Operations Forces. The Finnish Special Operations Forces are an organization that is planned to be used flexibly to carry out the statutory tasks of the Defense Forces, both domestically and abroad.
Apart from the headquarters, the current composition of the Utti Jaeger Regiment includes a Helicopter Battalion (HELIBN), a Special Jaeger Battalion (SPJBN), a Support Company (SPTCOY) and a Logistics Support Center (LOG CEN). The naval component of the Finnish Defense Forces, the Special Operations Detachment (SOD), remains part of the Naval Coastal Brigade. In exceptional cases, the Special Operations Detachment may operate as part of the Utti Jaeger Regiment. Also in emergency situations, the composition of the Utti Jaeger Regiment changes depending on the task and situation. If it is necessary to increase the capabilities of the regiment, its composition can be increased due to the MTR reserve.
Selection
The strength of the regiment in peacetime is 530 people, of which more than 300 are contract soldiers, including 36 officers. Thus, the regiment is only 30% manned. Moreover, 100% of the equipment and weapons are in the regiment’s warehouses. The picking principle is mixed. The maximum term of service for a conscript is 12 months. But service in the regiment is attractive to young people, so every year up to 600 candidates submit a report for admission to serve in the regiment. But no more than a third are selected. Of these, approximately half will subsequently enter into a contract.
During the first two days, those wishing to become a huntsman are subjected to serious tests, testing their physical strength and endurance, as well as intelligence and psychological stability. But the selection doesn't end there. They can be eliminated at any stage. Main quality.
Prepare
The initial ranger training course lasts 20 weeks and begins in April each year.
It includes the study of the material part of small arms and the procedure for their use. Recruits make parachute jumps, practice landing from helicopters and interacting with them. Since Finland is a maritime country, and also has a huge number of lakes on its territory, soldiers undergo a naval training course, which includes: jumping without a parachute from a hovering helicopter onto the water, overcoming water obstacles using improvised means, they are taught to use wetsuits when landing on the shore in the surface version by swimming, as well as using inflatable boats and kayaks for this.
Parachute training plays an important role, so each ranger makes about 20 jumps from helicopters during his service.
It should be noted that the Finnish rangers themselves are not enthusiastic about the prospect of joining NATO. The reason is the unification of the NATO MTR, which will be imposed on the Finns. However, they have a wealth of experience in operating in the North, which other members of the alliance do not have. Experts fear, and not without reason, that unification will occur not due to an increase in the quality of training of the rest, but due to a step back in training that the Finnish huntsmen will have to take.
Conclusion
But, be that as it may, we can say that Finland, like 85 years ago, has a battalion of well-trained reconnaissance saboteurs that are part of the regiment. At the same time, they are now provided with helicopters to perform special tasks. In addition, the regiment has experience in coastal operations and works closely with the Finnish Navy, which plays an important role in the country's defense.
Someone might say that these saboteurs are primarily focused on ensuring the security of their own country and do not threaten our country. However, let me remind you of this fact from our history. Before Finland left the war, Finnish sabotage units carried out 275 operations in the rear of Soviet and German (during the “Lapland War”, 1944) troops at a distance of up to 300 km from the front line.
The record for the duration of continuous actions of Finnish saboteurs - more than 50 days - belongs to a group that carried out a combat mission in the area of the Moscow-Arkhangelsk railway.
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