An interrogation statement given by Major Joel Juhnuz has revealed new information about weapons and material caches allegedly established in the area. According to the statement, one of the caches is believed to be located in the northern sector, around Rasinkorpi, Vanhantienkorpi and Rössäntorninmäki.
TSTOSNEWS has reviewed material from an ongoing criminal investigation involving Major Joel Juhnuz. In his interrogation statement, Juhnuz describes several weapons and material caches that were allegedly established in different parts of the area.
When asked how many separate caches had been made, Juhnuz said he could not give an exact number, but estimated that there were at least four.
“I cannot give an exact number. My estimate is that there are at least four. Some were established in the southern and eastern sectors, and one in the northern sector,” Juhnuz stated during questioning.
According to Juhnuz, the northern cache is located broadly in the area of Rasinkorpi, Vanhantienkorpi and Rössäntorninmäki. He refused to provide an exact location.
“It is generally in the Rasinkorpi, Vanhantienkorpi and Rössäntorninmäki area. I do not want to give the exact point. There are old forest tracks and terrain features there that made the cache easy to conceal,” Juhnuz said.
The interrogation record indicates that the cache was established approximately one year ago. Juhnuz described its original purpose as storage and resupply.
“It was originally made for storage and re-equipping. It was never meant to be visible to outsiders — that was the whole point of the cache,” he said.
When questioned about the contents of the cache, Juhnuz said it mainly contained weapons-related material, crates, ammunition and communications equipment. However, he also stated that one of the caches contained something that clearly did not belong there.
“There was clearly something else in one of the caches — something I had not placed there myself,” Juhnuz stated.
Juhnuz described the item as a technical device that did not resemble a weapon or any weapons-system component familiar to him.
“There was a technical device. It did not look like a weapon or like any familiar part of a weapons system. It was clearly material that did not belong there,” he said.
His description of the object may prove significant to the wider investigation. According to Juhnuz, the device was a cylindrical metal object with connectors or mounting points at both ends.
“The device was cylindrical, approximately 40 centimetres long and about 10 centimetres in diameter. It was metallic, and there were connectors or mounting points at the ends. I did not recognize it at all,” Juhnuz said.
Investigators also asked whether Juhnuz had connected the device to the RSV unit or any of its components. Juhnuz said he had not made such a connection at the time.
“Not then. I did not know what it was related to. It did not look like a firearm or an explosive. In hindsight, I have understood that it may be some kind of technical component, possibly connected to the RSV,” he stated.
When asked what he knew about the RSV, the interrogation record notes that Juhnuz declined to comment.
Juhnuz denied placing the unidentified technical device in the cache himself. According to him, the device was not present when the caches were originally established.
“I cannot say who brought it there. The device was not in the cache when I made them. I also do not believe any of my subordinates would have taken it there,” Juhnuz said.
The statement also shows that Juhnuz admits being involved in deciding the locations and contents of the caches. However, he denies that he intended to act unlawfully.
“I was involved in deciding the locations and contents of the caches. However, I deny planning anything illegal or acting against the law. We were in an active state of war at the time, and I made the caches for the good of my country. At the time, I understood it as material storage,” Juhnuz stated.
The northern-sector cache may now be of particular importance, as search efforts are focused on a critical technical component believed to be connected to the RSV. Juhnuz’s statement narrows the area of interest to the surroundings of Rasinkorpi, Vanhantienkorpi and Rössäntorninmäki.
It has not yet been confirmed whether the approximately 40-centimetre cylindrical device described by Juhnuz is the same component currently being searched for in the area. The investigation remains ongoing.
