Ingrian Finns are an ethnic group that has been residing in Ingria or nowadays the region of St. Petersburg. They migrated to the region mainly in the 17th century from Finland, namely from the province of Savo and from Äyräpää municipality, and preserved their Finnish national identity up to now. During the Soviet regime the Ingrian Finns were prosecuted as an ethnic minority. They were repressed and moved from their homeland. During the collectivization in 1920s-30s about half of the population of Ingria or 60.000 persons were imprisoned or forcefully moved away. The Ingrian Finns were rehabilitated only in 1993.