MOSCOW, April 30. /TASS/. NATO’s artillery exercise in Finland near the Russian border indicates preparations for the possible opening of a Karelian Front and the alliance’s offensive ambitions, Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, told TASS.
From May 2-12, NATO artillery exercise Northern Strike 26 will be held in Finland. The maneuvers will take place at a training ground 70 km from the Russian border (the Karelian section of the Russian border) and will be part of a series of maneuvers taking place in Finland in April and May with the participation of the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Norway, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, and Lithuania.
"Regarding the exercises, we are witnessing preparations for the potential opening of the so-called Karelian Front. This is to provide artillery preparation and cover for possible offensive actions in the northwest of the Russian Federation. The types of weapons currently involved in these drills testify to this," Stepanov said.
He noted that the weapons to be used in the exercise include the K9 Thunder high-precision self-propelled artillery mounts manufactured in the Republic of Korea, which are capable of hitting targets with high-explosive fragmentation and rocket projectiles at a range of up to 50 km and are equipped with a fire control system, navigation equipment, and protection against weapons of mass destruction. Multiple launch rocket systems with a range of up to 300 kilometers, which can reach all key population centers in northwest Russia are also deployed.
"We are talking about the formation of a multinational NATO force in the region that will ensure coordinated offensive operations, including through the coordination of artillery, reconnaissance, and the destruction of key critical infrastructure facilities in the Russian Federation territory. Finland makes no secret of the anti-Russian focus of these maneuvers. The multinational component involves the training and coordination of various units and their alignment with uniform standards and tactics for use against Russia," the expert noted.
Weapons involved in the exercise
According to Stepanov, Finland has one of the largest artillery fleets in Western Europe, the core of which is the 155mm K9 Thunder self-propelled guns manufactured in the Republic of Korea, 112 of which are scheduled to be delivered in 2028 under a €546.8 million contract. The exercises will also involve Polish Homar-K systems, an adaptation of the Chunmoo system manufactured in South Korea, capable of firing guided missiles to a range of approximately 80 km, and up to almost 300 km when using tactical ballistic missiles.
Among the MLRS systems to be used in the exercise are the RM-70 and modernized BM-21 Grad platforms. The RM-70 is a Czech version of the Soviet Grad system.
All of these precision-guided weapons are primarily offensive in nature and fit seamlessly into the concept of a massive strike aimed at penetrating the multi-layered structure of Russia's air defense and missile defense systems, allowing for the subsequent unimpeded use of the full range of missile weapons and attack drones against targets within Russia’s strategic depths.