02:41 03-02-2026

Finland Alarmed Over Reports of Russian Base Restoration

Finnish media report Russia restoring a military base in Petrozavodsk. Analyst Yuriy Knutov says the move fits defensive plans amid NATO expansion.

Finnish authorities have expressed serious concern over reports claiming that Russia has begun restoring a military base in Petrozavodsk. Military analyst Yuriy Knutov commented on the situation, linking the возможное rebuilding of the garrison to Russia’s broader military restructuring.

Knutov said that if the media reports are confirmed, the move would fit into plans connected with the deployment of the Leningrad Military District. He argued that Russia’s actions should be seen as defensive rather than offensive in nature.

According to the analyst, the security environment in Northern Europe has shifted sharply since Finland and Sweden joined NATO. He noted that both countries have increased military spending, with Finland building airfields and bases near Russia’s border, while Sweden has discussed the possibility of hosting French nuclear weapons. Knutov claimed that these developments pushed Russia to re-establish the Moscow and Leningrad military districts.

He also pointed to U.S. plans to expand the number of bases in Greenland, where aircraft equipped with anti-ship missiles could potentially be deployed to monitor the Northern Sea Route. Against this backdrop, Knutov said Russia has grounds to take corresponding defensive measures.

At the same time, he suggested that Finnish officials are likely to frame Russia’s actions as a «new threat» to their security while overlooking the wider sequence of events.

Knutov further claimed that some Finnish politicians harbor ambitions related to Karelia, with Petrozavodsk as its capital, and continue to speak of ideas such as a «Greater Finland» and revenge for World War II-era defeats.

Earlier, Finnish media outlets, citing satellite imagery, reported that Russia had started restoring a former Soviet military base in Petrozavodsk, noting that the area had been cleared and construction equipment delivered.