Finland, NATO Rehearse Military Operations Targeting Potential Russia Threat

Large-scale NATO military exercises named Cold Response 26 began in northern Finland, Norway, and Sweden on March 9. 

Norway is leading the maneuvers, which are scheduled to last approximately two weeks. About 25,000 soldiers from 14 alliance countries are participating in the event, according to Yle.

The goal of the drills is to strengthen the northern flank of NATO, practice how different national armies work together in difficult weather, and test how quickly troops can be moved.

Roughly 4,000 military personnel from the United States, France, Italy, Great Britain, and Sweden are arriving in Finland for the exercises. 

The press service for US forces in Europe stated that the drills aim to increase the military presence of the US and its allies in the Arctic and provide a strategic advantage in the region.

Military exercises in Finland have become a regular occurrence. In November 2025, Northern Strike 25 took place about 100 kilometers from the Russian border. 

That exercise involved around 2,200 soldiers and 500 pieces of equipment. 

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Participants practiced using artillery in winter conditions and cooperation between NATO allies. Lieutenant Colonel Kimmo Ruotsalainen, the commander of the drills, called them "the largest artillery and mortar live-fire exercises in Northern Finland."

In March 2026, the Finnish government announced its plan to lift a long-standing prohibition on the presence of nuclear weapons within its borders.

Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen stated that the legislative amendment was necessary to enable Finland’s military defense as part of the alliance and to fully leverage NATO’s collective deterrence.

This move marked a significant continuation of Finland's shift away from its historical neutrality following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since 1987, the country’s Nuclear Energy Act had strictly prohibited the import, possession, or transit of any nuclear explosives, a policy that officials ultimately came to view as an outdated restriction in the current security climate.

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