NATO Expands Its Northern Frontier: New Land Forces in Finland

In a significant strategic development, Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen announced on Wednesday that six NATO member states, including Britain and France, have plans to establish land forces in northern Finland. This initiative reflects Finland's intensified efforts to secure its border with Russia, which is the longest of any NATO member.

Following Helsinki and Stockholm's agreement last year for Sweden to lead these operations, other NATO allies have been invited to join forces in this strategic region. The deployment details are yet to be finalized, but the proposition suggests the establishment of a brigade comprising about 5,000 soldiers, contingent upon security conditions.

The first troops are slated to arrive this year in the Arctic regions of Rovaniemi and Sodankyla, with a new NATO land force headquarters to be set up in Mikkeli, a southern Finnish city close to the Russian border. This move signifies a reinforcing NATO presence in the wake of Russia's conflict with Ukraine.

(With inputs from agencies.)