Finland ‘prepares for the worst’ as Russia gets closer

Finland is closely monitoring Russia's growing military presence along their shared border, as tensions in the region continue to rise.

Major General Sami Nurmi, head of strategy for the Finnish Defence Forces, said the military is keeping a vigilant eye on developments and believes it is only prudent to “prepare for the worst.”

According to the Finnish Border Guard, 35 kilometers of the 200-kilometer border section with Russia have now been reinforced. The border has remained closed for over a year following Moscow’s deliberate move to flood Finnish checkpoints with asylum seekers.

Satellite images published by The New York Times show an expansion of Russian military infrastructure near the border, including additional tents and the arrival of military vehicles.

“They are changing structures, and we are seeing moderate preparations when it comes to building infrastructure close to our borders,” Nurmi said. “This suggests that once the war in Ukraine—hopefully—ends, they may start bringing back the forces that have been fighting there, especially land forces.”

He added: “You also have to evaluate whether they are preparing to send more troops to Ukraine or preparing to build up their forces close to our border. But I guess they are doing both.”

(QG - Source: The Guardian  — Picture : © Unsplash)