Nato to get a boost as new member Finland
unveils location of alliance bases
Finland is about to unveil the location of two new Nato bases after becoming a full member of the alliance last year.
In March this year, its neighbour Sweden also joined Nato after Russia's invasion of Ukraine prompted a rapid change in both of the nations' long-standing neutral stance.
Defence Minister Antii Häkkänen said he would soon reveal the location of the new bases inside its borders with reports suggesting that Mikkeli in Southern Finland, 170 miles from Helsinki will be the site for Nato's new Northern European land command.
This will house Finnish forces together with a small contingent of Nato officers.
The second Nato HQ in Finland will be home to a multinational forward land force ,or FLF, which is likely to be somewhere in Finnish Lapland and will accommodate Nato troops coming to Finland from other member states.
Reports suggest it will either be based in Rovaniemi or Sodankylä, 77 miles from the Russian border.
Finnish media reported that the country could host a Nato armoured brigade of between four and five thousand troops as a deterrent.
It is understood discussions are ongoing about whether the UK will send personnel to either of these bases.
However, with Finland and Sweden now full members of Nato, it is highly likely the UK military will be working more closely with both countries as Nato expands its response to the growing threat of Russia.
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