Minna Ålander a Non-resident Fellow with the Transatlantic Defence and Security Program at the Centre for European Policy Analysis said that whilst Finland is preparing for the possibility of war on its 830-mile Russia border, the remainder of Europe is ill-prepared for conflict in the area.
NATO has increased the number of exercises it has held in the area since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 which led to Finland and Sweden’s accension to Nato.
Ålander said at an arctic security conference: “We have [NATO] troops – but do they know how to survive in the Arctic before they even get into combat?
“Even the US does not fully necessarily have what it what it takes in terms of that basic training of troops and how you conduct normal operations under these specific circumstances.
“Not all Nato allies have the capabilities that are needed and that work in the Arctic environment and climate.
“It has very specific sort of requirements on simple things when it’s very cold.”
Ålander added that Nato’s newest members address one of the alliance’s biggest weaknesses prior to 2022.
She wrote: “Finland and Sweden’s NATO accession is nothing short of a revolution for Northern Europe’s security, as the two countries bridge what was a gap in alliance territory between Norway in the Arctic, and Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in the Baltic Sea.
“Sweden is a major connecting link between Finland and Norway in the north, and to continental Europe in the South through Denmark. Uniting all the Nordics in the same alliance unlocks an unprecedented level of strategic cohesion, making it possible to plan regional defence from the Baltic Sea to the North Atlantic and the Arctic.”
In a guide to Arctic warfare, Oscar Rosengren from intelligence firm Grey Dynamics, described “being surrounded by snow” as a “logistical nightmare”.
He said: “Freezing temperatures, extreme weather, and nature’s brutality will remind any actor waging war in Arctic climates of its harsh conditions.
“Conventional masses of soldiers lack adequate training. Such negligence will inevitably bring fatal consequences.”
Nato recently deployed to Finland on Exercise Dynamic Front 25 to rehearse plans for a potential conflict with Russia in the region.
Elements of the British Army regularly exercise in the arctic, with Commando forces such as the Royal Marines specialising in surviving and fighting in sub-zero conditions.
Nato is set to deploy more than 2600 personnel and 730 vehicles to eastern Europe throughout January and February as it refines its ability to move troops across the continent to fight on Exercise Steadfast Dart.
Speaking about the exercise, Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, said: “This Government wants the UK to be NATO’s leading European nation.
“Exercise Steadfast Dart demonstrates our unshakeable commitment to NATO and highlights the UK key leadership role in the Alliance.
“As we approach the three-year anniversary of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we must continue to strengthen our collective defences together to deter Putin effectively.
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Publish date : 2025-01-04 06:09:00
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