Olonets Karelia (Finnish: Aunuksen Karjala, shortened. Aunus; Karelian: Anuksen Karjala, shortened. Anus; Russian: Олонецкая Карелия|Olonetskaja Karelija) is a historical and cultural region and the southern portion of East Karelia, which is part of Russia. Olonets Karelia is located between the other historical regions of Ladoga Karelia, to its west, White Karelia, to its north, the River Svir, to its south and Lake Onega on its eastern side.[1] Olonets Karelia is home to its own dialect of the Karelian language, which is known as Livvi Karelian or sometimes as 'Olonets Karelian'.[2] The largest city in the Olonets Karelia region is Petrozavodsk, followed by Kondopoga, Segezha and Medvezhyegorsk.[3]
Olonets Karelia has largely belonged to Russians in its documented history, being under the control of the Novgorod Republic since the 1100s, and later falling under Muscovite control by around 1478. Olonets Karelia became a governate of the Russian Empire in 1801, being known as the Olonets Governorate.
Olonets Karelia fell under Finnish occupation during the Continuation War, however the region was retaken by the Soviet Red Army during the Vyborg-Petrozavodsk Offensive.