MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Finland, having recently signed a military agreement with the United States, will no longer retain full control over what is brought into its territory, Russia’s ambassador to Finland, Pavel Kuznetsov, said in an interview with TASS.
"We must not forget the Defense Cooperation Agreement between Finland and the US, signed at the end of 2023, which allows for the stationing of American troops and weapons at 15 Finnish military bases and facilities," Kuznetsov stated. He pointed out that "zones are being established at these facilities where Finns will be denied access." He further emphasized, "In other words, the Finnish state will not even be able to oversee what is being brought into their territory or in what quantities." The ambassador highlighted that this development directly relates to the broader issue of Finland’s national sovereignty – one of the key arguments presented by the country’s political leadership when joining NATO.
Looking ahead, Finland plans to deploy a NATO communications and information system unit in Riihimaki, southern Finland, by early 2027. Additionally, as soon as 2026, a multinational contingent called ForwardLand Forces will be stationed in Rovaniemi, northern Finland. This contingent will include troops from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, as well as Britain, Italy, and France. Kuznetsov warned that NATO’s military expansion in Finnish territory extends beyond these examples. "Last fall, in Mikkeli – just 140 kilometers from the Russian border – the headquarters of NATO’s regional ground command began operations. During peacetime, it will coordinate and plan military exercises across Northern Europe. In the event of conflict, it will assume command of NATO’s ground forces in the region," he added.