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Military veterans

Centenarian war veteran passes away

The darling of last year’s Independence Day gala, 102 year-old war veteran Hannes Hynönen passed away on Monday. The spry senior who charmed the nation had seen battle action in both the Winter and Continuation wars.

Sofi Oksanen ja Hannes Hynönen tanssilattialla itsenäisyyspäivän vastaanotolla presidentinlinnassa Helsingissä.
Itsenäisyyspäivänä yli kaksi miljonaa katsojaa seurasi Sofi Oksanen ja Hannes Hynönen pyörähdystä tanssilattialla Ylen välittämällä itsenäisyyspäivän vastaanotolla presidentinlinnassa Helsingissä. Image: Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva

War veteran Hannes Hynönen emerged as the star attraction during the President’s 2014 Independence Day Gala.

He surprised – and enchanted – the media and television audiences with his energy and spirit, even taking the ladies out for a spin on the dance floor. At the time he was 101 and one of the oldest guests attending the event.

The Mikkeli resident passed away peacefully on Monday at the age of 102, according to a brief statement issued by his family.

"Hynönen passed away peacefully after his morning coffee," the released stated.

Hynönen fought in the Winter War (1939 - 1940) as well as the Continuation War (1941 – 1944), both waged against Soviet Russia.