Deterrence Norway joins NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Lapland
This is “deterrence against Russia” and “a strong expression of allied unity and solidarity,” the Norwegian Defense Ministry states.
It was at the NATO Summit in The Hague Finland’s Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen announced which countries will team up in the Forward Land Forces (FLF) to be located in Rovaniemi and Sodankylä.
“I am very pleased that yesterday, in connection with the ministerial meeting, we were able to announce that Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland are set to join FLF Finland,” Häkkänen wrote on X.
“Together with these countries, we will begin building NATO’s land force presence in Finland — calmly, but with determination. We are enhancing the security of both Finland and NATO as a whole,” the Defense Minister made clear.
It is Sweden that will lead the NATO forces in Lapland.
As previously reported by the Barents Observer FLF units have been established in eight Nato member states since 2017, with their size increasing as Russia has grown more aggressive. The decision to add one unit to Finnish Lapland was announced in February.
Deterrence against Russia is important on the Northern Flank, the Norwegian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
“By creating conditions for rapidly receiving, integrating and deploying Allied units into the region, FLF Finland will strengthen NATO’s posture and deterrence against Russia.”
Norwegian soldiers from the Finnmark Land Forces, nowadays in transition to upscale to become Finnmark Brigade, have for several years already trained with Finnish soldiers in Lapland.
It is unclear how many personnel the different countries will contribute with in Lapland. NATO’s FLF can in case of deteriorating security situation in the border areas with Russia’s Kola Peninsula be scaled up to brigade level. In peacetime, the forces will train their readiness to reinforce areas along Finland’s northeast border.
Finland and Sweden joined NATO in response to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: More soldiers, more money. Canada’s top soldier extols benefits of spending boost, CBC News
Denmark: Danish general says he is not losing sleep over US plans for Greenland, Reuters
Greenland: Europeans step up Arctic diplomacy amid U.S. and global pressure, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Finland hails plan for allies to join NATO land forces in North, The Independent Barents Observer
Iceland: Iceland’s FM announces defence review, calls revamped security policy ‘urgent’, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Norway confirms it will spend 5% of GDP on defence, Reuters
Russia: Drone attack on Russian warplanes, including in Arctic, serious blow to strategic arsenal, The Associated Press
Sweden: Nordic-Baltic region joins forces around Sweden’s CV90, The Independent Barents Observer
United States: White House releases U.S. Arctic strategy implementation plan, Eye on the Arctic
