Finland is examining whether wetlands near its border with Russia could serve as an additional defensive barrier in the event of a possible conflict, Yle reported, citing findings from a working group involving the country’s environment and defense ministries.

A report published in June said restoring peatlands in border areas could offer notable advantages from a defense standpoint. Raising water levels would make such terrain more difficult to cross, including for heavy equipment.

According to available estimates, Finland has at least 180,000 hectares of wetlands whose restoration could be useful for defense purposes.

In July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow had no intention of attacking anyone. At the same time, he warned that if European countries themselves started a conflict with Russia, it would no longer be a conventional war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also pointed to rising NATO military spending. He said increases in the alliance’s defense budgets were driving global militarization and a new arms race.

Putin has argued that Western elites use claims about an alleged threat from Russia to secure additional money from taxpayers and to explain their own economic mistakes.