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NATO launches new command headquarters in Finland, 200 km from Russian border

The new headquarters is located less than 200 kilometers from the Russian border

HELSINKI, September 1. /TASS/. The NATO Multi-Corps Land Component Command (MCLCC) for Northern Europe, based in Mikkeli, has officially begun operations, the Finnish Defense Ministry announced in a press release.

According to Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen, the MCLCC will start functioning immediately, while its development will continue in the coming years. Upcoming exercises will test and evaluate the command’s ability to carry out all assigned tasks under various security scenarios, he added.

The new headquarters is located less than 200 kilometers from the Russian border.

In September 2024, it was reported that during peacetime the headquarters would be responsible for planning and conducting NATO training activities in the region. The high-readiness command will operate around the clock and report directly to NATO’s Joint Force Command Norfolk, located on the US East Coast.

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