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NATO to set up ground forces headquarters 140 km from Russian border in Finland

"The commander of our defense forces has recommended this," Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram said

HELSINKI, April 9. /TASS/. The North Atlantic Alliance is poised to set up a headquarters of its ground forces for the Nordic countries in the Finnish town of Mikkeli, which sits about 140 kilometers from the border with Russia, the IltaLehti newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing sources.

Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram also told the newspaper that the headquarters will be established in Finland.

"Finland will host the headquarters of NATO ground forces. The commander of our defense forces has recommended this," Gram said.

In peacetime, the headquarters will plan and implement NATO training activities in the region. If created, the so-called high-readiness headquarters, will operate around the clock and report to its headquarters in Norfolk on the US east coast, the report said. The newspaper reported that "the issue is on the agenda for the NATO summit in Washington in July." Mikkeli is home to Finland's army headquarters.

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