Russia (the Soviet Union) didn't fully invade and annex Finland after WWII because Finland's tenacious resistance (even if costly) made occupation difficult, the Soviets achieved key strategic goals via the 1944 armistice (ceding territory, getting bases), and a full conquest risked a costly prolonged war or Western intervention, making Finland's neutrality/accommodation more politically feasible than absorption. Stalin preferred Finland as a neutral buffer state, not a Soviet republic, to avoid further conflict with the West.
They never tried to conquer Finland, they wanted territorial concessions because they thought Leningrad was too close to the border, which they were granted.
The major reason was, as mentioned, that Finland was not occupied, but the relatively benign (for the circumstances) attitude of the Western Allies helped: Finland was never at war with the United States, and Britain had declared war on 6th December 1941 only reluctantly, after pressure from Stalin.
Finland fought the Soviet Union twice during World War II. Finland lost both wars, but the Soviet Union never occupied Finland.
Most sources conclude that the Soviet Union had intended to conquer all of Finland, and cite the establishment of the puppet Finnish Communist government and the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact's secret protocols as evidence of this, while other sources argue against the idea of a full Soviet conquest.
Of approximately 500 Jewish refugees, eight were handed over to the Germans, a fact for which Finnish prime minister Paavo Lipponen issued an official apology in 2000.
Finnish citizens and the 3-year rule
If you are a Finnish citizen and you move to another country, you will normally continue as a Finnish tax resident during the tax year of your relocation, and for the three following tax years (the three-year rule).
All citizens of Russia and CIS countries are required to apply for a visa before entering Finland and/or other countries under the Schengen agreement. Before applying, please ensure you understand your particular 'purpose of visit'.
By the terms of the treaty, Finland ceded 9% of its national territory and 13% of its economic capacity to the Soviet Union. Some 420,000 evacuees were resettled from the ceded territories. Finland avoided total conquest of the country by the Soviet Union and retained its sovereignty.
Finland was pretty much a puppet state of USSR. Nathanael Young First of all Soviet weapons were really cheap, and secondly during WW2 Finnish Army get a lot of its equipment as war trophy from the Red Army, so the idea was to do same if they would attack again.
Adolf Hitler praised Finnish military prowess, especially during the Winter War, but historians say his words were intended to encourage Finland to continue to fight alongside Germany.
In total, the Allies took about $413 million worth of reparations (both in money and in goods) from their occupation zones. In 1952, the London Agreement on German External Debts assessed the final reparation figure at $3 billion. Germany has yet to pay off its debts for World War II.
The Soviet Union suffered the most deaths in World War II, with estimates ranging from 22 to 27 million fatalities (military and civilian), followed by China, with around 20 million deaths, making these the two nations with the highest human cost from the war. Poland also experienced catastrophic losses relative to its population, and Germany and Japan also had immense casualties.
The total area ceded was approximately 40,000 square kilometers, and about 400,000 Finns-around 11–12% of the population-were displaced from these territories." "Finland's ability to resist the Soviet Union during the Winter War (1939–1940) is widely regarded as remarkable.
The war ended on 13 March 1940, after 105 days of hostilities. Finland paid a high price for defending its independence. More than 25,000 Finns died in the war effort and about 44,000 were wounded. Civilian casualties numbered over 1,000.
As tension increased between Germany and the USSR, Finland saw in Hitler a possible ally in gaining back its lost territory. German troops were allowed on Finnish soil as the Germans prepared for their invasion of the Soviet Union—a war that the Finns joined.
One of the main considerations that led the Swedish government to declare Sweden a non-belligerent state was concern that they might otherwise lose control of the internal situation in Sweden. The Soviet demands on Finland in the months prior to the outbreak of war had roused public opinion.
The first people arrived in Finland about 9,000 years ago. They probably represented several groups and tribes, including the ancestors of the present Sami. Lured by the plenitude of game, particularly fur-bearing animals and fish, they followed the melting ice northward.
With little or no support from other powers, Finland signed the Anti-Comintern Pact, an anti-communist agreement of mainly fascist powers, in November 1941. The main reason for Finland's siding with Germany was to regain territory lost to the Soviets in the Winter War of 1939 – 1940.
Finland began constructing a fence along its border with Russia last year in response to migration from Russia in 2023. The fence, which will eventually cover 200 kilometers, is expected to be completed in 2026.
The answer is nuanced, but overall, Finland is a welcoming and fair country for foreigners who are willing to understand its culture. For many foreigners, Finland makes a calm and orderly first impression. Cities like Helsinki, Tampere, and Turku feel safe, clean, and well-organized.
Travelers need a visa to visit Russia for Business or Tourism. An eVisa is the fastest way to obtain a visa. Travelers can apply online. Once approved, travelers receive their eVisa confirmation electronically.
Average salary in Finland for a Software Engineer
For a software engineer in Finland, the average salary is roughly €4,221 per month (around €50,660 per year). Junior-level positions earn approximately €3,000–€4,000 per month.
The country that has the highest taxes is the Ivory Coast (60%), according to statistics platform Data Panda's 2025 survey. Other countries with high taxes are Finland (56%), Japan (55%), Austria (55%), Denmark (55%), Sweden (52%), Aruba (52%), Belgium (50%), Israel (50%), and Slovenia (50%).
The cost of living in Finland is, all in all, cheaper than in many countries. Let's crunch some numbers! Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is 28% cheaper to live in than London. Living in Finland is 9,8% cheaper than living in the United States.