Strengthening the flank: NATO maneuvers near Russia

The maneuvers are taking place several hundred kilometers from Helsinki, east of Kajaani, near the border with Russia. It is one of the most sparsely populated areas in Europe. Although the region is formally located in central Finland, the landscape resembles Arctic territories, making it difficult terrain for combat operations. In winter, snow covers the ground for many months, and temperatures drop below -20°C. In the summer, however, the ground becomes boggy, and swamps make traversing the terrain nearly impossible.

This makes it an ideal location for conducting maneuvers in difficult environmental conditions. More than 5,000 soldiers from Finland, Poland, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Hungary, and the United States are participating. The exercises utilise equipment including Leopard tanks and American Chinook helicopters. „Northern Star” is one of the largest NATO maneuvers held in Finland since its accession to the Alliance in 2023.

The exercises are commanded by Finnish Brigadier General Ari Laaksonen. He highlighted the context of the maneuvers. „They are taking place approximately 30-40 km from the border with Russia. About 5,000 soldiers are participating in the maneuvers, of whom approximately 2,500 are Finnish troops.”

„Northern Star” is part of the larger, U.S.-led „Sword 26” maneuvers, which focus on NATO’s northeastern flank. Approximately 15,500 soldiers are participating in these broader exercises. Six thousand of them come from the USA, while the remainder are from allied nations. Furthermore, approximately 1,100 pieces of military equipment will be utilized.