Kem (Russian: Кемь; Finnish and Karelian: Kemi, sometimes Vienan Kemi) is a historic town and the administrative center of Kemsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located on the shores of the White Sea where the Kem River enters it, on the railroad leading from Petrozavodsk to Murmansk.

[citation needed] On April 10, 1918 the town was reached by Finnish voluunteer troops during the Viena expedition in an attempt to join White Karelia to Finland.

In 1926–1939, Kem was used as departure place for boats headed to Solovetsky Islands carrying political prisoners.

During the Cold War, the town was the site of the Poduzhemye air base, a key interceptor aircraft airfield covering Karelia.

[7] It has a significant maritime influence compared with areas further east in the country with cool summers and less severe winters.