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15,000 Troops, Arctic Cold, and a Message to Moscow: Finland Trains for War

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Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk
Cyril Barabaltchouk
News Writer
15,000 Troops, Arctic Cold, and a Message to Moscow: Finland Trains for War
A soldier wearing the Finnish flag on his sleeve speaks to the media, as members of the Finnish arctic expert Jaeger Brigade train British, Swiss and French troops on November 19, 2024 near Heinujarvi, Finland. (Source: Getty Images)

Finland’s Army will hold a series of major winter training exercises near the border with Russia at the end of November and early December to test the readiness of roughly 15,000 soldiers, including conscripts, reservists, and allied troops, to defend the country under wartime conditions, Finnish Army reported on October 30.

According to the Finnish Army, the exercises will serve as the final assessment for conscripts completing their service this year while also refreshing reservists and integrating lessons learned from the war in Ukraine. Training will take place across the country, with participants drawn from all brigade-level units, other services, and the Border Guard.

Allied soldiers from the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Poland will also take part, showcasing Finland’s growing military integration with NATO. Exercises will include joint operations, live-fire drills, and combined-arms maneuvers under harsh early winter conditions.

In southern Finland, more than 6,500 soldiers will participate in Exercise Lively Sentry 25, led by the Guard Jaeger Regiment, focusing on urban combat and brigade-level coordination.

Up north, large-scale drills such as Northern Spike 25, Northern Strike 225, and Lapland Steel 25 will take place at the Rovajärvi training area—Europe’s largest—to test anti-tank, artillery, and multinational combat readiness.

Separately, Finland’s air defense units will mark the 100th anniversary of ground-based air defense with Exercise ADEX Mallet Strike 2/25 at Lohtaja, involving around 1,000 troops from Finland, the UK, and Sweden, Finnish Army stated.

The Army said the exercises are designed to validate Finland’s joint wartime capability, enhance interoperability with allies, and ensure that the lessons from modern warfare are reflected in its defense training.

Previously, it was reported that NATO was establishing a Forward Land Forces (FLF) brigade in Finnish Lapland, anchored by Sweden’s Norrbotten Brigade.

The formation was projected to reach 4,000–5,000 troops and would operate from Rovaniemi and Sodankylä, close to the Russian border.

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