NATO conducts its largest exercise in the Arctic, under Russia's nose

Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand Agence France-Presse A Finnish soldier from the Karelia Brigade, one of the three readiness brigades of the Finnish Army, during NATO’s “Dynamic Front” exercise on November 17, 2024 near Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland.

Anna Korkman – Agence France-Presse in Rovaniemi

Published and updated on November 19

• Europe

Thousands of NATO troops are taking part in a large-scale artillery exercise this month, held for the first time in the Finnish Arctic, an operation seen as a show of force against neighbouring Russia.

The sound of guns and rockets echoes across the snowy, hilly landscape of Lapland. Up to 3,600 troops from the United States, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France and other NATO countries are taking part in live-fire exercises here throughout the month.

This is part of “Dynamic Front 25”, the Alliance's largest artillery exercise ever held in Europe, with firing exercises in Finland as well as Estonia, Germany and Poland. A total of 5,000 soldiers from alliance members have been mobilized.

“These NATO exercises are increasingly intended to show other countries, especially Russia, that the alliance is united and capable of defending its members,” Joel Linnainmaki, a researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told AFP.

The Nordic country, which shares a 1,340-kilometer-long border with Russia, abandoned decades of military non-alignment and joined NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

The move angered Moscow, which sees the alliance's increased presence near its borders as a provocation and a threat to its security.

Colonel Janne Makitalo is leading the exercise in Finland, which is hosting a major NATO exercise for the first time since joining the EU.

The main goal: to work on interoperability between allies, particularly in artillery, while preparing troops for the harsh Arctic conditions, he said.

“Of course, it sends the message that we are able to train together, that we are developing our capabilities,” he told reporters.

Colonel … allies, particularly in terms of artillery, while

For the colonel, “artillery is the centerpiece of the battlefield, as the experience of the fighting in Ukraine has shown us.”

Does he not see a risk of provoking the adversary by deploying NATO military power in Russia's backyard?? No, he brushes it off. “This is not some kind of show of force,” he says.

In any case, Finland’s NATO membership has added “280,000 troops” to the alliance’s northern flank.

“Unique place”

In Rovajarvi, troops have taken up positions, ready to fire, in a desolate landscape covered in a thin layer of snow and ice.

At this time of year above the Arctic Circle, the sun rises around 9:30 a.m. and sets less than six hours later, before 3:00 p.m.

The 1,000-square-kilometre firing range and training area is the largest in Europe, attracting allies looking to practice in harsh conditions.

“This is a unique training location because it’s one of the few places” where a real war situation can be simulated, says Lt. Antti-Matti Puisto, head of the Finnish Karelia Brigade’s firing section.

With temperatures typically dropping to -20 degrees Celsius in winter, the Finnish armed forces are known to be well-trained and equipped to deal with extreme cold.

A key principle, the lieutenant notes, is to maintain warmth, by wearing layers of clothing, and by keeping camps dry and protected from the elements. humidity.

Captain Romain, commander of the Ecrins Battery of the 93rd Mountain Artillery Regiment, agrees.

“The goal is to put our skills as artillerymen and mountaineers into practice, working in a very cold environment,” he told AFP.

The brigade of conscript and sergeant Olli Myllymaki has just completed a series of shooting exercises using K9 tanks in a snowy forest.

“We are writing history,” he believes.