Finland to Host Two NATO Command Centres
Location of future NATO bases in Finland. X/ @visegrad24
September 27, 2024 Hour: 8:41 am
One of the centres will be located in Mikkeli, a town about 100 kilometres from the border with Russia.
On Friday, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkänen announced that his country will host two NATO command centers, one of which will be located in the city of Mikkeli, about 100 kilometers from the Russian border.
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This center will be under the authority of the Allied Joint Force Command in Norfolk, and it will be established at the headquarters of the Finnish Army Command, led by a Finnish military officer.
The new NATO land subcommand in northern Europe will have an annual budget of approximately 8.5 million euros and will consist of “dozens of officers” from various allied countries. However, the exact number and nationality of the personnel will be specified once the military planning process is completed.
“Finland is sending Russia the message that we are full members of NATO, and that NATO plays a very important role in Finland’s defense as well,” said Häkkänen, whose country joined NATO in April 2023 after decades of military neutrality.
He emphasized that the establishment of this command center will provide NATO with a solid operational base in Finland and northern Europe, allowing it to plan and effectively conduct land operations when necessary. “This will increase security in Finland and across the northern dimension,” Häkkänen stressed.
Regarding the decision to locate this command center so close to the Russian border, Häkkänen stated that it was made “from a purely defensive perspective” as it will enable the best synergies between the national armed forces and the Alliance.
The second NATO command center in Finland will host an Advanced Land Force (FLF) led by Sweden, a country that joined the Alliance last February, and will likely be located in the Lapland region, although its exact location has yet to be determined.
Other details, such as the command structure, the number of troops that will make up this force, and which additional allied countries will participate, also remain to be defined. Final decisions on both NATO centers in Finland are expected to be made during a meeting of Alliance defense ministers in 2025.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
