Russarö

Russarö is an island south of Hanko. The island is closed to the public as it is military area of the Finnish Defence Forces. The island hosts the five-storey Russarö Lighthouse built in 1863 and a Finnish Meteorological Institute weather station.

December 1939
On 1 December 1939, the Soviet light cruiser SOVIET CRUISER Kirov, accompanied by the destroyers SOVIET DESTROYER Stremitelny and SOVIET DESTROYER Smetlivy, approached the fortified coastal artillery battery located on the island. After a short exchange of fire, Stremitelny and Kirov were hit and the ships withdrew. Aboard the Kirov, 17 men were killed and 30 wounded.