Finland hosts major NATO artillery drills near Russian border
More than 5,000 troops from 29 countries will deploy 130 weapons systems in NATO's artillery drill spanning five European nations.
The US Army Europe and Africa announced that NATO is conducting its largest-ever artillery integration exercise on European soil, with Finland hosting components of the drills along its border with Russia.
According to the press release, the Lightning Strike 24 exercise will involve more than 5,000 military personnel from the United States and 28 Allied and partner nations, deploying over 130 different weapons systems.
“This is a good example of how our field artillery combined with Allied capabilities forms powerful defense in northern Finland and NATO,” stated Colonel Janne Mäkitalo, the exercise commander, who emphasized that the scale demonstrates Finland’s ability to receive Allied support “very quickly” if needed.
The drills will span multiple locations, including Estonia, Germany, Poland, and Romania, with the Finnish portion in Rovajärvi and Rovaniemi, Lapland, near the Russian Murmansk region border until 28 November.
The Finnish contingent comprises approximately 3,600 personnel from brigade-level units, Air Force, Border Guard, Defense Forces C5 Agency, Military Medicine Center, and Defense Forces Logistics Command, alongside roughly 1,250 international forces.
The exercise aims to demonstrate NATO’s defensive capabilities in Northern Europe and practice operational command, control, and interaction with the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
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