 "Saukko", accompanied by several motor torpedo boats, was towed by the gunboat Karjala to Koivisto on 7 December 1939.Since hostilities had started before the Finnish Navy had a chance to lay defensive minefields outside their coastal forts, it was hoped that "Saukko" might be able to accomplish that task.A Leningrad-class destroyer and five other Soviet destroyers reached the area on 8 December, and began to shell Finnish positions.