ÖB visits his Finnish counterpart Commander Janne Jaakkola in the middle of an exercise at the Karelian Brigade in which 2,700 conscripts are participating.
The aim is to deepen the cooperation – but also to get to know the areas where Swedish soldiers will fight if Russia were to attack Finland.
– It is clear that our commitments will in various ways also include Finnish terrain, says Michael Claesson.
“Quite empty”
Both countries’ defense chiefs state that Russia currently has almost its entire army tied up in Ukraine.
– When it comes to ground forces on the other side of the border, it can be described as quite empty. Most of these forces are today in Ukraine, but we have all heard the Russian statements about building up the forces and structures behind the border, says Janne Jaakkola.
After the end of the war in Ukraine, the two defense chiefs expect that Russia will be able to build up its army in a relatively short time – and pose an invasion threat to NATO.
– We are talking maybe a couple of years before they have built up a sufficient capacity, says Michael Claesson.
First in place
He states that Swedish troops can be in place in Finland “within days”.
– We could be on site very quickly with the parts of our units that we have standing, if it is a mobilization unit it takes longer, says Michael Claesson.
What does very fast mean?
– Days are very fast, says Michael Claesson.
But even on its own two feet, the Finnish defense forces are strong. In a relatively short time, the country can mobilize close to 300,000 soldiers, which can be compared with the Swedish military organization, which is 60,000 people.
When SVT visits the Karelian Brigade, preparedness units consisting of specially selected conscripts who are ready to move out around the clock, among other things, practice with the K9 armored howitzer.
– The emergency units are platoon-sized and consist of personnel from different parts of the Armed Forces who work together. The aim is to be first at the front line if something happens in border areas or around airfields and similar places, says one of the managers at the garrison.
The Finnish defense chief describes preparedness as “in line” with the security situation.
– Our strength is that we are a mobilization army, so we can adapt the preparedness very quickly, says Janne Jaakkola.