Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
An abandoned Soviet-era is being reactivated.
Russia has begun visible construction work close to its border with Finland, according to new satellite imagery reviewed by journalists and analysts.
The activity appears focused on reviving older military areas while also building entirely new facilities, raising questions about Moscow’s longer-term posture in the region.
Northern base revival
Finnish national broadcaster Yle reported that satellite images taken between June 2024 and October 2025 show renewed construction at the Rybka military base in Petrozavodsk, in Russia’s Republic of Karelia.
The site lies about 175 kilometers from the Finnish border.
According to Yle, the base dates back to the Soviet era and had been largely abandoned since the early 2000s. The broadcaster said it is now expected to be used by the 44th Army Corps, which operates under Russia’s Leningrad Military District.
Yle reported that Rybka already includes a large air base and an equipment storage depot, suggesting the site could be reactivated relatively quickly.
New garrisons built
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) notes that further north, satellite imagery from May and August 2025 shows construction of a new military town in Kandalaksha, Murmansk Oblast, around 115 kilometers from Finland, according to Yle.
The broadcaster said the site is being built for the Luptsche-Savino garrison, with work beginning in the winter of 2024–2025. The facilities are intended to support a new artillery brigade and an engineering brigade.
ISW has previously reported on other expansions of Russian military infrastructure along the Finnish border.
Strategic restructuring
Russia reorganized its Western Military District into the Leningrad and Moscow military districts in 2024, according to ISW.
Analysts said the move was likely aimed at strengthening command and control in the north and positioning forces opposite NATO’s newest member.
ISW also noted that the formation of the 44th Army Corps in the Leningrad Military District was part of this broader effort.
Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have previously issued direct warnings toward Finland, at times using language similar to that employed to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Winter War
During the early months of World War 2, the Soviet Union attacked Finland, but thanks to fierce Finnish resistance, the invasion grinded to a halt and ended in a Soviet disaster.
Despite superior numbers, the Soviet Union suffered more than 300,000 casualties during the four months of fighting, with up to 168,000 dead or missing.
In comparison, the total casualties of the Finnish was approx. 70,000 with nearly 26,000 dead or missing.
The Winter War, as it is called, did however end with Finland ceding approx. 10% of its territory to Russia.
Sources: Finnish Broadcaster Yle, Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
