Media: Russia is investing in military bases on the Finnish border
According to satellite images posted by Finnish publication Yle, Russia has begun to amass its military bases on the Finnish border.
Photos show new warehouses going to the military depot in Petrozavodsk and the Alakurtti military base for storing and servicing military vehicles and equipment.
Yell said these are the first visible signs that Russia has begun to invest in the preparation of its border bases near Finland after several years of inactivity. Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said they pose no immediate threat to his country’s security.
These improvements may be connected to Russia’s intention to supply equipment to the Ukrainian front from the Petrozavodsk base. A retired Finnish major told Yale that it seemed a warehouse had been built there for maintenance.
Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had talked about plans to strengthen border forces in the region.
Finland officially joined NATO on 4 April, becoming the alliance’s 31st member. Sweden is also on track to join after Turkey publicly objected.
For most of the second half of the 20th century, Finland adhered to the neutrality pact imposed by the Soviet Union in 1948. This agreement broke down at the same time as the Soviet Union, which had previously threatened and invaded Finland.
Moscow blamed NATO for its Ukraine invasion and claimed it was trying to stop the alliance’s dangerous expansion into Russia’s backyard. These perceived justifications had the opposite effect, reviving Northern European states’ interest in NATO membership.
During the July summit in Vilnius, Ukraine was promised a future seat in the alliance. However, the aides did not say when that would happen or what Ukraine would have to do first. This caused dismay among Ukraine’s national leadership.
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Source: kyivindependent.com