Finland will host the bloc’s HQ for Northern Europe in Mikkeli, less than 200km from the frontier
Finland has chosen the city of Mikkeli, located less than 200km from the Russian border, as the site for a new NATO command base responsible for operations in Northern Europe. This announcement was made by Helsinki on Friday.
Finland joined the US-led military alliance along with Sweden in response to the conflict in Ukraine. Moscow has expressed concern about the security implications of these nations joining NATO, viewing it as a hostile organization that serves American geopolitical interests. Russia has also argued that Finland and Sweden have sacrificed their credibility as potential neutral mediators in international disputes.
The new Multi Corps Land Component Command (MCLCC) will operate under the authority of NATO’s Joint Force Command (JFC) in Norfolk, Virginia. Initially, the command will consist of only a few dozen service members, according to Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen.
“NATO recognizes Finland’s expertise and trusts our ability to contribute to the defense of the northern region,” he stated.
The establishment of this new command center was approved by the alliance during its leaders’ summit in July. Helsinki has allocated approximately €8.5 million ($9.5 million) for the creation of the MCLCC in 2024.
Gen. Janne Jaakkola, the commander of the Finnish Defense Forces, has highlighted the strategic advantage of placing the new NATO structure near the headquarters of the Finnish Army. He believes this proximity will “foster cooperation between the national and the Allies’ forces, creating obvious synergy benefits.”
Hakkanen also announced that he will soon reveal the location of a new multinational force that Finland intends to host. According to the broadcaster Yle, Helsinki is considering Rovaniemi and Sodankyla as possible sites. Rovaniemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland, while Sodankyla is a municipality in the same province but closer to the Russian border.
NATO significantly increased its military presence in Europe in 2014, following the US-backed armed coup in Kiev, claiming that it was necessary to prepare for potential Russian aggression. Prior to this, NATO had expanded its presence in Europe despite assurances to Moscow to the contrary. These assurances were given to Moscow in exchange for its support for the reunification of Germany in 1990.