NATO exercises held in Finland close to Russian border
More than 5,000 troops from seven NATO countries are taking part in military exercises in remote Finnish forests about 30–40 kilometers from the Russian border, practicing high-intensity combat in terrain that previously proved challenging for a Soviet force.
The "Northern Star" exercises at the Vuosanka training ground, held in May in central Finland's Kajaani region, bring together Finnish, Polish, British, French, Italian, Hungarian and American forces in landscape that NATO refers to as the High North — a wilderness of dense forest and bog where winter temperatures plunge below -20 degrees Celsius, News.Az reports, citing Polskie Radio.
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The terrain carries historic weight. During the 1939-40 Winter War, Red Army columns were forced onto the few available roads, where Finnish troops — intimately familiar with the land — cut the columns apart and destroyed them piecemeal.
Today, that same terrain shapes how allied armies train. Finnish Brigadier General Ari Laaksonen, commanding the exercises, stressed the significance of their proximity to Russia.
"Around 2,500 of the approximately 5,000 participating troops are Finnish", he told the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
The exercises have already produced lessons in modern vulnerability. Finnish Corporal Julius Erkkila, standing beside his "eliminated" Leopard tank, described being ambushed by anti-tank troops hidden in the tree line.
"Moving along a road, we failed to spot soldiers concealed in the forest. Operating a tank in this terrain is difficult — you must watch both sides of the road and also the sky, mainly for drones", he said.
French alpine warfare troops demonstrated the forest's defensive advantages, setting an ambush that forced Finnish soldiers to withdraw after a brief blank-fire exchange.
"When the enemy appears, you cannot stay in one place — they can call in artillery support. You must keep moving", said French Captain Emeric.
American Chinook helicopters were observed ferrying infantry units to forest clearings, with troops quickly dispersing into cover.
Among the participants are over 100 soldiers from Poland's 6th Airborne Brigade. Their commander, Colonel Piotr Bieniek, described the exercise as focused on air assault operations.
"We are increasing interoperability between armies and demonstrating our readiness", he said.
Private Krystian Łęg, a Polish paratrooper, said his unit had successfully ambushed a Finnish convoy, neutralizing a tank, several armored personnel carriers and a large infantry group, aided by drones for targeting and artillery coordination.
"Northern Star" is a component of the broader U.S.-led "Sword 26" exercises covering NATO's northeastern flank, involving around 15,500 troops — including 6,000 Americans — and approximately 1,100 pieces of military equipment. The exercises are among the largest NATO drills held in Finland since the country joined the alliance in 2023.
By Ulviyya Salmanli
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