Seskar ( fi, Seiskari) ( sv, Seitskär) (russian: Сескар) is an island in the

Gulf of Finland The Gulf of Finland ( fi, Suomenlahti; et, Soome laht; rus, Фи́нский зали́в, r=Finskiy zaliv, p=ˈfʲinskʲɪj zɐˈlʲif; sv, Finska viken) is the easternmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It extends between Finland to the north and E ...

, part of the

Leningrad Oblast Leningrad Oblast ( rus, Ленинградская область, Leningradskaya oblast’, lʲɪnʲɪnˈgratskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ, , ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). It was established on 1 August 1927, although it was not until ...

of Russia. The island was an independent municipality of

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...

populated by Finns at least since 16th century, until World War II, when it was ceded to the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

following the 1940

Moscow Peace Treaty The Moscow Peace Treaty was signed by Finland and the Soviet Union on 12 March 1940, and the ratifications were exchanged on 21 March. It marked the end of the 105-day Winter War, upon which Finland ceded border areas to the Soviet Union. The ...

. Prior to the transfer of sovereignty to the Soviet Union, Seskar was also known by the name ''Siskar''. The island has been involved in many shipwrecks over the centuries, including some ships sunk, wrecked or otherwise lost. In 1777, a British ship "Mercey" was wrecked near the island. She was on a voyage from Saint Petersburg to London. In 1802, a Russian ship "Roman Vasselevitch" was wrecked near the island. She was on a voyage from Saint Petersburg to London. In 1807, a British ship "Nelly" was driven ashore on Seskar island. She was on a voyage from London to Saint Petersburg. "Nelly" was later refloated. In 1815, a British ship "Graces" was wrecked by Seskar. The crew was rescued. The municipality Seiskari had been formed from the Koivisto municipality in 1903, and belonged to the province of Viipuri and to the

South Karelia South Karelia ( fi, Etelä-Karjala; sv, Södra Karelen) is a region of Finland. It borders the regions of Kymenlaakso, South Savo and North Karelia, as well as Russia (Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast). Historical province ''For h ...

region.

References

Sources

* Risto Hamari, Martti Korhonen, Timo Miettinen, Ilmar Talve: ''Suomenlahden ulkosaaret; Lavansaari, Seiskari, Suursaari, Tytärsaari'', Jyväskylä 1996; {{in lang, fi Russian islands in the Baltic Islands of Leningrad Oblast