Finland established a powerful armored brigade near the Russian border
Finland is preparing to deploy an armored brigade with up to 5,000 troops close to the border with Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed concern about Finland’s plan to establish an armored brigade near their common border, with a unit size of 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers.
Moscow has noted a significant increase in Finland’s military activities since the country joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Since officially becoming a NATO member in 2023, Finland has stepped up preparations for potential conflict scenarios, especially in the Eastern region bordering Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the region is of particular strategic importance to them and that the increased military presence indicates preparation for several scenarios of escalation of tensions. The formation of an armored brigade consisting of thousands of soldiers and a significant amount of heavy equipment is considered by Russia to be a threat to stability in the region.
Moscow has expressed concern through diplomatic channels, stressing that such actions by Finland will inevitably lead to increased tensions in the region and provoke retaliatory measures. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in a recent press conference, emphasized that Moscow is closely monitoring Finland’s growing military activities after the country joined NATO.
Zakharova stated that Helsinki’s current policy is in line with the Western bloc’s strategy to inflict “strategic defeat” on Moscow. Associate Professor Tuomas Malinen at the University of Helsinki noted that since joining NATO, Finland has become an eastern outpost of the alliance, playing a role in putting direct pressure on Russia due to its long-standing common border.
President Putin has previously warned that after Finland becomes a NATO member, Russia’s military and nuclear weapons will be positioned closer to the border, and emphasized that the two countries previously maintained their relationship. ideals that made Helsinki’s move counterproductive.
However, it is worth noting that Finland is not the only country that has increased its military presence near Russia’s borders. Recently, the German 21st Rapid Reaction Brigade went to Lithuania for exercises and will likely be deployed there permanently. This unit is expected to cooperate with the 45th Armored Brigade, the German armed forces already stationed in Lithuania, creating significant pressure on the Russian border – something Moscow is unlikely to accept.
