Russia conducted exercises simulating possible attack on Finland and Baltic states
Russia has carefully rehearsed an attack on the eastern part of NATO and has demonstrated its willingness to take significant risks regardless of losses.
As Censor.NET informs, this is reported by the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti, citing NATO sources.
Sources in the Alliance reported that an attack by the Russian military on Finland, Northern Norway, and the Baltic states is generally considered possible. The Russian attack was to be a simultaneous operation by several different units of the Russian army.
In the north, the 14th Army Corps is attacking the Norwegian coast from the direction of Murmansk by sea, land, and air. The Russians will land their troops in Finnish Lapland and try to quickly capture, for example, Ivalo airport.
Russia will try to create a buffer zone not only in northern Lapland but also in Finnmark in Norway, which will allow the transfer of hostilities to NATO countries. Russian missile forces stationed on the Kola Peninsula will also invade Finland, and tens of thousands of Russian soldiers will take part in the attack.
The Russian missile forces will then attack the southern coast of Finland and southeastern Finland. The Russian 44th Army Corps will be responsible for the attack.
The aim will not necessarily be to break through deep into Finland, but to conquer the northern coast of the Gulf of Finland and southeastern Finland.
This would tie up the main Finnish defense forces and make it difficult to support the defense of Estonia from the Finnish direction. According to sources, Russia would seek to reach the borders established by the Treaty of Turku in 1743. In this case, the Russian invasion force would try to reach the Kymijoki River. Further north, the target of the attack would be Puumalansalmi.
Russian security thinking reflects a desire for strategic depth and a desire to create a single buffer zone in Europe, from the Arctic to the Baltic and Black Seas, across the Mediterranean.
Specific threat assessments provided by NATO sources help to understand why the report’s conclusions are so serious.
According to NATO’s assessment, Russian missile strikes will also be aimed at Helsinki. But Russia’s main offensive will be in the Baltic states.
