Asger Risom
Satellite images reveal new Russian deployments close to Finland, raising concerns among NATO allies.
Russia is rapidly building up its military presence along the border with Finland, a move Western analysts see as a long-term strategic shift.
Satellite images and Western intelligence suggest the Kremlin is laying the groundwork for a sustained expansion of its northern capabilities.
This comes in the wake of Finland and Sweden joining NATO, an enlargement triggered by Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Now, with Finland sharing the longest NATO border with Russia, the alliance is watching closely.
Bombers, Bases, and Border Proximity
Recent satellite images from Planet Labs show Russian helicopters stationed near Murmansk — the first sighting in two decades.
The base, about 160 kilometers from both the Finnish and Norwegian borders, is just one piece of a broader buildup.
At Olenya air base, also near Murmansk, Russian Tu-22 supersonic bombers are now visible on satellite.
The deployment of these long-range aircraft marks a significant upgrade in Russia’s aerial strike capacity in the Arctic region. New construction has also been identified in Alakurtti, just 50 kilometers from Finland, and in Petrozavodsk, the capital of Karelia.
These sites appear to host large numbers of military vehicles and support infrastructure.
At Kamenka, an old Cold War base 65 kilometers from the border, more than 130 military tents were erected last year — part of what NATO sources describe as a pattern of restored or expanded installations.
Finland on High Alert
Helsinki closed its border crossings with Russia in December 2023, citing a sudden spike in asylum seekers it attributed to pressure from Moscow. Now, the focus has shifted to defense.
The increase in military force in areas near us will take place after the fighting in Ukraine calms down.
Janne Kuusela, policy director at the Finnish Ministry of Defense, told The New York Times
As reported by HotNews.ro, Finnish officials believe Russia could triple its troop presence near the border within five years. NATO is treating the northern frontier as a new flashpoint, and these latest images only deepen concern.