Battle of Ruovesi

Battle of Ruovesi
Part of the Finnish Civil War in the Russian Civil War and Eastern Front of World War I
Red Guard fighters in firing line
Date 5 February – 19 March 1918 (1 month and 2 weeks) Location Ruovesi, Finland Result Red/Soviet retreat
Belligerents
Finnish Whites	Finnish Reds Russia
Commanders and leaders
Martin Wetzer Paul Wallenius	Emil Koski  Herman Järvinen † Oskar Johansson
Strength
800–900	300–400 Reds 500–600 Russians
Casualties and losses
47 killed	61 Reds killed 11+ Russians killed

The Battle of Ruovesi was a major battle during the Finnish Civil War and on the Eastern Front of World War I fought in Ruovesi, Finland from 5 February to 19 March 1918 between the Whites and the Reds with support for the latter from Russian volunteers.

The fighting mostly took place in the villages of Pekkala, and Jäminkipohja ja Pihlajalahti in the southern part of the Ruovesi municipality. The Ruovesi village itself, and the northern parts, were held by the Whites. The Reds were aiming from the south to the Tampere–Haapamäki railway, in order to the reach the vital junction of Haapamäki, located 40 kilometres northeast of Ruovesi. Major fighting also occurred in the eastern village of Väärinmaja, but it was connected to the Battle of Vilppula.

The battle is known for the participation of a group of Soviet anarchist sailors, who sided with the Reds on at least one occasion (13 February).^[1]