Military environment

Updated December 2025

  • Russian plans to strengthen the defences of its western borders.
    • The Kola Peninsula, St. Petersburg, the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad are militarily important.
    • Re-establishment of the Leningrad Military District and increase in its forces
    • Most of Russia’s ground forces previously neighbouring Finland are currently in Ukraine.
  • Sweden strengthens its defence capabilities (e.g. in Gotland).
    • Professional army, selective conscription, advanced naval and air forces
    • NATO membership
  • Norway strengthens its military capability in northern regions.
    • Major economic, political, and military interests in the High North
    • NATO military exercises
  • The Baltic States: limited territorial surveillance capabilities.
    • Military defence relies mostly on NATO support.
    • NATO multinational rapid response force and Air Policing
  • The US’s military presence growing:
    • Rotating troops in Greenland, Iceland, Norway, the Baltic States and Poland,
    • Exercises in the Baltic Sea and within NATO countries in the region.

The military operating environment of Finland refers to an area where the military situation and events currently concern or may, in the future, concern Finland’s defence. Although this primarily applies to Finland’s neighbouring regions, security events taking place further afield in Europe may also have indirect effects. From the perspective of the Finnish Defence Forces, the military operating environment can also include crisis areas where Finland participates in military crisis management operations.

According to the Defence Report, Finland must always, in all security situations, be prepared to counter the use of military force, threats, and political pressure against the country. Most of the Russian Army troops normally stationed by the Finnish border are currently at war in Ukraine. The Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces has stated that if Russia can detach military capabilities from Ukraine, they will be returned to Finland’s eastern border.

Armed forces in Finland’s Western vicinity:

Finnish Military Intelligence Review 2025
https://puolustusvoimat.fi/documents/1948673/2014902/PV_sotilastiedustelu_raportti_EN_2025_web.pdf/c0125ed9-1467-23e7-e7b6-a7891c4fb5fe/PV_sotilastiedustelu_raportti_EN_2025_web.pdf?t=1737033107374

The Military Balance 2025