Russia preparing to deploy 80,000 soldiers in immediate vicinity of Finland and Sweden
Satellite images show that the aggressor country of russia is building up military infrastructure in the northwestern regions located near Finland and Sweden. This is stated in a joint publication by SVT (Sweden), DR (Denmark), NRK (Norway) and Delfi (Latvia).
Journalists have reviewed new satellite images that show russia's increasing military presence. It is expected to include eight divisions of the russian army in the immediate vicinity of Sweden.
Signs of construction work or military equipment activity were detected in the following places:
- Petsamo - 10 km from the border with Norway. Construction of military housing and accumulation of vehicles.
- Petrozavodsk - 19 km from the border with Finland. Construction of a new military camp and a concentration of vehicles.
- Saperne - 8 km from Finland. Concentration of vehicles.
- Luga - concentration of vehicles.
- Baltiysk, Kaliningrad - 30 km from Poland. Concentration of vehicles.
- Kirillovskoye - 70 km from Finland. New housing complex under construction.
- Kandalaksha - 110 km from Finland. New buildings at a military base.
The head of Sweden's military intelligence, Thomas Nilsson, believes that this military activity by the russian federation is an extraordinary threat that countries must take seriously.
"We do not believe that they exist only for appearance. It is about being ready to confront NATO in a larger conflict in the future," Nilsson said.
The agency, headed by Nilsson, believes that russia intends to use this infrastructure after the end of the war against Ukraine, to quickly transfer soldiers and equipment there.
Chief of the General Staff of the Finnish Armed Forces Pasi Välimäki told reporters that Helsinki expects the russians to deploy 80,000 soldiers near the border. Previously, there were no more than 20,000.
NATO is currently strengthening its presence in several places along the so-called eastern flank, which is described as a response to russian military modernization.
Major General Brian Nissen, who heads NATO forces in the Baltic states and Poland, said that the threat of a large-scale military conflict for the alliance remains low as long as russia is focused on Ukraine.
"But the situation could change very quickly if a ceasefire is reached in Ukraine," Nissen said.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on June 7, the Neue Zürcher Zeitung published an interview with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in which he said that a russian attack on NATO should not be expected in the near future.
Earlier in April this year, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that russia was capable of attacking one of the NATO countries in the short term.