NATO Establishes New Headquarters Near Russian Border

The NATO regional command headquarters for land forces has commenced operations on September 1 in the city of Mikkeli, Finland, where it operates in conjunction with the Finnish Army's headquarters. This was reported by the Finnish Ministry of Defense.

It is noteworthy that Mikkeli is located approximately 140 kilometers from the Russian border and 304 kilometers from St. Petersburg. In the first phase, the headquarters will involve ten specialists, with plans to increase their number to about 50 in the coming years. The command structure will consist of representatives from NATO member countries, including Finland.

The main tasks of the headquarters include commanding NATO's land forces and coordinating the activities of national armies in the northern region, including planning, preparing, and conducting joint military exercises, as stated in the ministry's announcement.