▁was ▁a ▁republic ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁It ▁existed ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁made ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁S FS R ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁as ▁the ▁K are li an ▁Aut onom ous ▁Soviet ▁Social ist ▁Republic . ▁ ▁The ▁latter ▁became ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁K are lia , ▁a ▁federal ▁subject ▁of ▁Russia , ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁K are lo - F inn ish ▁Soviet ▁Social ist ▁Republic ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁Soviet ▁government ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁by ▁mer ging ▁the ▁K ASS R ▁with ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁Democratic ▁Republic . ▁ ▁The ▁latter ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁territory ▁c eded ▁by ▁Finland ▁in ▁the ▁Winter ▁War ▁by ▁the ▁Moscow ▁Peace ▁Tre aty , ▁namely ▁the ▁K are li an ▁Ist hm us ▁and ▁Lad oga ▁K are lia , ▁including ▁the ▁cities ▁of ▁Vi ip uri ▁and ▁Sort av ala . ▁ ▁V irt ually ▁the ▁entire ▁K are li an ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁c eded ▁areas , ▁about ▁ 4 2 2 , 0 0 0 ▁people , ▁was ▁ev acu ated ▁to ▁Finland , ▁and ▁the ▁territ ories ▁were ▁settled ▁by ▁pe op les ▁from ▁other ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁ ▁Creating ▁a ▁new ▁Republic ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁for ▁an ▁eth nic ▁group ▁that ▁neither ▁was ▁large ▁in ▁absolute ▁terms , ▁nor ▁constit uted ▁anything ▁close ▁to ▁a ▁majority ▁in ▁its