The Kollaa (Russian: Колласйоки, Finnish: Kollaanjoki or Kollasjoki) is a 76-kilometre (47 mi) long river in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. It starts from Lake Kollasjärvi in the Suoyarvsky District and flows to Lake Tulmozero (Finnish: Tulemajärvi) in the Pryazhinsky District.
| Kollaa Колласйоки, Kollaanjoki | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Native name | Kollasjoki (Finnish) |
| Location | |
| Country | Russia |
| Region | Republic of Karelia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Lake Kollasjärvi |
| • elevation | 117 m (384 ft) |
| Mouth | Lake Tulmozero |
• coordinates | 61.672°N 32.2337°E |
| Length | 76 km (47 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Lake Tulmozero→ Tulemayoki→ Lake Ladoga→ Neva→ Gulf of Finland |
Before World War II, the source of the river was a part of the Finnish municipality Suistamo and it flowed further through Suojärvi to Tulemajärvi on the Russian side.
Battle
During the Winter War in 1939, the area was a scene of the Battle of Kollaa.[1] The river became part of Finnish history, as the Red Army failed to break through there. A memorable quote, "Kollaa holds" (Kollaa kestää), became a legendary motto for the Finns.[1] The river and area are associated with the exploits of the Finnish marksman Simo Häyhä, dubbed "the White Death",[2] the gunman with the highest number of confirmed kills in any major war. Captain Aarne Juutilainen, dubbed "the Terror of Morocco", was also remarkable figure in the battle.[3] The battle areas around the river are a preserved monument and tourist site.[4]
The asteroid 1929 Kollaa is named after the river.[5]
References
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