HELSINKI: NATO will set up a new land command in Finland near the Russian border next year, tasked with leading the alliance’s land force operations in northern Europe in the event of a military conflict, the Finnish defence minister said on Friday (Sep 27).
Finland joined the NATO alliance last year, in response to neighbouring Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began in 2022, and is organising the alliance’s presence on its territory.
“This morning, I have decided that we will propose to NATO to establish the command in conjunction with the Army Headquarters in Mikkeli,” said the minister, Antti Hakkanen, following up on his June announcement that all NATO member states had given their political consent for the plan.
The centre, which NATO calls Multi Corps Land Component Command, will operate under the alliance’s US-based Norfolk Joint Force Command and jointly with Finland’s own land force command that is already located in Mikkeli, about two hour’s drive from the Finnish-Russian border.
Hakkanen, speaking at a news conference, said the unit would initially have an annual budget of €8.5 million (US$9.5 million) and consist of a few dozen international officials.
