Finland and Russia have a common border of 1,271 km, of which 1,091 km is land. From the Russian Vyborg it is only 65 km to the nearest Finnish city Lappenranta. Sweden has no borders with Russia, except for direct access to the Kaliningrad region via the Baltic.
By admitting Finland and Sweden into NATO, the alliance will be insignificantly renewed, both in terms of personnel and weapons and military equipment. The number of land, navy and air forces in Stockholm is about 30 thousand. These will be six motor brigades, an infantry division formed in the future. It is armed with 120 Leopard tanks, 340 Strf 9040 infantry fighting vehicles, 48 Archer self-propelled 155 mm howitzers. The Air Force is represented by JAS 39 Gripen fighter-bombers, Italian-made Austra Westland AW109 attack helicopters. The Navy has five diesel-electric submarines and nine corvettes.
The Finnish army – the Self-Defense Force – is also small. It consists of 12,000 professional soldiers and 22,000 soldiers. German Leopards are in service (100 vehicles plus 100 in storage). The Air Force is equipped with American F-18 / A fighter-bombers and British Hawker Siddeley Hawk attack aircraft. The basis of the Navy are minelayers, patrol ships and minesweepers, consisting of a total of 30 units, the latest of which was built in 2006.
“The composition of the Finnish and Swedish armed forces cannot be compared in a possible conflict with the Russian army. The Finns and Swedes joined NATO under pressure, they certainly will not engage in an armed conflict with Russia, ”Major General Alexander Vladimirov, head of the College of Military Experts, told Gazeta.ru.
– The NATO bloc itself is a very serious military organization, confronting them will have serious consequences. And here we need to change the situation from peacetime to wartime. They are trying to surround us from all sides, which means that measures must be taken to counteract, to build strength.”
Military expert Vladislav Shurygin agrees with this opinion.
“The possible entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO will very little change the balance of power in the region,” Shurygin told socialbites.ca. – We have the Baltic and Northern Fleets there, there is a strong group in the Kaliningrad region and in another part of the Western Military District. The ability to deploy American missile defense systems, which are part of the structure of the European security system being created in the United States, on the territory of these countries is another matter. The Swedes and Finns will not be too happy about this, because the new installations will be a “signal” for Russian missiles. Nobody wants to be a target. I don’t think Finland and Sweden will somehow strengthen the alliance from Scandinavia, but in any case a certain threat will arise and you have to be ready for it.”
By contrast, Rear Admiral Viktor Borisov believes that the purpose of Finland and Sweden’s withdrawal into NATO is to compete with Russia in the Arctic, through which the Northern Sea Route passes.
“The purpose of Finland and Sweden joining NATO is to control the Russian Arctic region. Now NATO is playing there over Norway. Yes, Helsinki and Stockholm do not have sea access to the Arctic Ocean, but the United States is increasing its influence there by forming an aviation “fist”.
Thus, in accordance with the Supplementary Defense Cooperation Agreement (SDCA) between Norway and the United States, the Americans received at their disposal a military airbase and Rygge airfield, a military airbase and Sula airfield, Evenes airfield and military naval forces. basic Ramsun. Washington believes this is not enough.
The military airports of Finland and Sweden are a departure point for American aviation. From there they will follow our Arctic Fleet and the Arctic. It is the Arctic that will become the main “battlefield” in the 21st century. There are huge reserves of natural resources that are concentrated. That’s the reason for the interest,” said the admiral.