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The peninsula has great strategical value, as modern artillery based there would be able to reach more than halfway across the Gulf of Finland. If the same power would also control the Estonian coast, on opposite side of the gulf, it would then be able to block naval access from Saint Petersburg to the Baltic Sea. Saint Petersburg in turn is one of very few ice free ports belonging to Russia. Porkkala is furthermore located only 30 kilometers from Helsinki, the Finnish capital, and a foreign power based there would be able to exert significant pressure on the Finnish government.

During the Cold War the Soviet Union secured the rights of lease to naval base at Porkkala, in accordance with the armistice agreement that ended the Continuation War, between Finland and the Soviets, in 1944. A large area centering around the peninsula, including land from the municipalities of Kirkkonummi, Siuntio and Ingå and almost the entire area of Degerby, was leased to the USSR.

Despite the fact that the Soviet lease for Porkkala ran for 50 years it was terminated in 1956 and control was handed back to Finland. This might be attributed the process of FinlandizationFinlandization Finnlandisierung in German) is a negatively charged term originating in West-German political debate of the 1960s and 1970s. It was used mainly by proponents of closer adaptation to US interests, chiefly Franz Josef Strauss, but was initial, but the de-stalinisation of the Soviet Union under Nikita Khrushchev1962 Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev ( Russian: ) (nih-KEE-tah khroo-SHCHYOFF) ( April 17, 1894 September 11, 1971) was a Soviet politician. Following a power struggle, he emerged as the leader of Soviet Union after the death of Joseph Stalin: he was First, and the fact that SwedenThe Kingdom of Sweden Konungariket Sverige in Swedish) is a Nordic country in Scandinavia, in Northern Europe. It is bordered by Norway on the west, Finland on the northeast, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat on the southwest, and the Baltic Sea and the Gulf had not opted to become a member of NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organisation NATO , sometimes called North Atlantic Alliance Atlantic Alliance or the Western Alliance is an international organization for defense collaboration established in 1949, in support of the North Atlantic Treaty signed, were also important contributing factors.

At present, the Porkkala area has one of the main naval basesThe Finnish Navy is one of the braches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The Navy employs 2350 people and about 5000 conscripts are trained each year. Organisation The navy is organised into two naval command and one coastal district. The navy also includes of Finland, located in Upinniemi near to Porkkala proper.

See also: FinlandizationFinlandization Finnlandisierung in German) is a negatively charged term originating in West-German political debate of the 1960s and 1970s. It was used mainly by proponents of closer adaptation to US interests, chiefly Franz Josef Strauss, but was initial, Cold War