Finland considers Ukrainian-type tank barriers to be Russian weapons

Finland is studying Ukrainian-style anti-tank obstacles to strengthen its border with Russia as it works to bolster defenses on NATO’s eastern flank against a rapidly rearming enemy.

Lt. Gen. Pasi Välimäki, the commander of Finland’s military, said in an interview that Russia has already begun rebuilding its military capacity, even as its all-out invasion of Ukraine enters its fifth year.

In this conflict, Kievan forces used extensive defensive lines and anti-tank obstacles to slow down the attackers. Neither side has found a reliable way to break through them and resume large-scale movement and maneuvers, Välimäki said.

Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometer border with Russia, about half of NATO’s land border with the country, must determine how structures similar to those used in Ukraine would fare in harsh weather in the north.

“The conditions in Finland are more demanding,” said Välimäki. “If we build fortifications and dig anti-tank ditches or obstacles as deep as those in Ukraine, how long will it take for our environment to turn them into artificial ponds?”

Russia’s efforts to replenish its weapons stockpile are beginning to show some effects, he said, as T-90 tanks, BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles and 2S19 self-propelled howitzers are being delivered to warehouses.

Finland lacks the capacity to prevent this rearmament. Rather, the goal is to deter Russia by convincing its military that the attack will fail, he said.

“Everything we are doing now is about creating a threshold so that Russia does not go further, whether we are talking about the alliance or Finland,” Välimäki said.

Finland continued to draft and maintain territorial defense reserves after the Cold War, even as many European nations reduced their forces. Despite a population of just 5.6 million, its army can call on about 280,000 soldiers during a war.

“When the war in Ukraine started, we improved our preparedness and trained 60,000 people in two years,” Välimäki said. “We also quickly began restocking critical material.

Finland is now undertaking an overhaul of its ground forces that will last until the end of the 2030s and includes equipment, force structure, readiness and combat sustainment capability. The basic approach – to deter an attack by being prepared – has not changed, Välimäki said. What has changed is the scale required.

“The scale of munitions, production systems and trained personnel that we need to have ready to use is different than it was before 2022,” he said. “It has to be bigger, more sustainable and more technologically advanced than before.”

Finland will spend at least as much on overhauling its land forces as on its ongoing strategic navy and air force programs combined, the defense ministry said in a written statement. These programs have a total funding of EUR 11.6 billion.

In a much broader procurement, Finland is expanding its Hanwha Aerospace Co. self-propelled howitzer fleet. Ltd. K9, is modernizing its heavy multiple launch missile systems to fire almost 500 kilometers and is preparing to replace its BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles.

The attacks on Ukraine showed the extent of the air and missile threat that Finland can face. Under the alliance’s Eastern Flank Deterrence Line concept, it’s not enough to shoot down incoming missiles and drones — the defenders must also be able to hit the launcher before it fires, Välimäki said.

“It’s a difficult issue for the Finns because it means hitting targets on the Russian side,” he said.

Finland has already begun replacing its F/A-18 Hornets with 64 Lockheed Martin Corp fighters. F-35A, with the first aircraft being delivered. It also ordered Israel’s David’s Sling anti-missile defense system, manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., which saw extensive action in the Iran war.

Välimäki rejects the idea that new technology has made traditional weapons obsolete. Drones have become a major part of the battlefield, Välimäki said, adding that they are only one element to consider.

Ukraine has also stressed the need to replenish equipment and ammunition during the protracted conflict, and Välimäki wants domestic production that can expand quickly.

“I would like Finland to have the ability to scale for mass production in large volumes – production for readiness and daily training consumption that can be sustained in peacetime and increased tenfold in crisis and conflict,” he said.

This pressure reflects a fundamental limitation on how Finland can fight a much larger adversary on the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Alliance.

“We don’t want a war of attrition,” Välimäki said. “We are a country of five million people and we cannot act according to this logic.”

This article was generated from an automated news agency source without text modification.