Finland is closely watching Russia’s ongoing Zapad-2025 military exercises in Russia, Belarus, and the Baltic and Barents Seas, Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) commander Janne Jaakkola said on Monday.

Speaking at the National Defense Course in Helsinki, Jaakkola warned the exercises could signal Russia’s wider ambitions and stressed they come during a tense period as Moscow continues its strikes in Ukraine.

“We remember how Zapad 21 was used as a framework for preparations for the war in Ukraine,” he said, noting troops remained in training areas after the 2021 exercise.

Jaakkola cautioned that unexpected developments could occur, highlighting that around 13,000 troops are reported to participate, though past drills involved far higher numbers than initially announced. He also flagged Russia’s recent airspace violations over Poland and Romania and stressed the need for new responses to cheap drone threats.

The Zapad-2025 military drills, running through to the 16th of September, are designed to test Russia and Belarus’ ability to repel an enemy attack, retake lost territory, and secure the borders of what they call their Union State, according to Russian and Belarusian Defence Ministries. Russia said the exercises will play out in two phases, with the first phase focused on defensive operations and the second on offensive manoeuvres.

Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said Finland and U.S. forces will conduct extensive joint training this autumn, with more U.S. personnel expected in Finland on land, sea, and in the air. He described Russia as “weak but dangerous,” noting that President Vladimir Putin may increasingly rely on China and North Korea.

Finland shares the EU’s longest border with Russia, a frontier historically fortified following the 1939 Soviet invasion.

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