NATO exercises set to cause traffic jams in northern Finland
The Nordic Response 24 exercise, taking place in Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian Lapland, is set to end this week and the Finnish Defence Forces say that could cause traffic disruption in the north of Finland.
Altogether some 4,100 soldiers from Finland participated in the exercises, along with about 800 vehicles.
In addition, there have been 3,000 Swedish soldiers, 450 from France and around 50 British personnel on Finnish territory.
The exercise is scheduled to end on 15 March, but the buildup in traffic is expected to happen earlier.
Finland’s newly-inaugurated president Alexander Stubb broke with tradition to attend the exercises when they started last week, visiting Norway for his first foreign trip as president.
Normally new presidents travel to Sweden and Estonia for their first official engagements on foreign soil.
Stubb said at the time that the multinational exercises were a message to Russia, discouraging the eastern neighbour from attacking allied countries.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: U.S. report claims Trudeau told NATO Canada will never meet military spending target, CBC News
Denmark: Danish policy prioritizes low-conflict Arctic amidst Russian tensions, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: NATO membership strengthens Arctic Security, deepens Canada ties: Finnish Ambassador, Eye on the Arctic
Iceland: Iceland authorizes U.S. submarine service visits, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Russian jamming disrupting GPS signals for Norwegian aviation almost daily, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: As NATO forces move north for exercise, Northern Fleet sails out frigates, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Swedish forces exercise in northern Norway as country officially joins NATO, Reuters
United States: U.S. nominates Alaskan as first Arctic ambassador, Eye on the Arctic
