Finland’s armed forces chief urges Europe to be prepared for Russia testing its unity
The head of Finland’s armed forces said Russia may test NATO’s mutual unity with an attack on a NATO member country in the coming years, but is more likely to continue, he said, with hybrid attacks such as jamming and interference in elections.
Some Western leaders such as US President Joe Biden, Germany’s defense minister and Denmark’s defense minister have expressed concern that Russia’s long-term plans may include an attack on NATO.
“Of course the test of Article 5 is always possible, but if we take the right action and stay united, I think an attack is unlikely,” General Yane Giaccola told Reuters.
Yaakola, whose job it is to keep a close eye on what Russia is doing behind the long border it shares with Finland, said Moscow was currently too busy preparing its new spring offensive in Ukraine to consider a attack on NATO.
Late last year Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the possibility of a NATO attack as nonsense, but the Kremlin also warned that a conflict between Russia and NATO would be inevitable if European NATO members sent troops to fight in Ukraine.
But Iakola said Russia would likely continue what he called hybrid attacks against European countries in the form of GPS jamming, influence operations and targeting its neighbors including Finland by sending in migrants.
The Kremlin routinely denies meddling in elections and instrumentalizing immigration. It did not respond to a request for comment on Estonia’s GPS jamming claims last month but has previously denied it is trying to develop jamming technology.
“The thing about the Russians is that they wish to cause as much discord as possible in Europe so that our unity and cohesion is more impossible,” said Iakola.
Iakola’s appointment as head of the defense ministry from April 1 marked the first anniversary of Finland joining the Western military alliance, which it joined in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Finland, as a NATO member, has also increased its military spending, reaching 2.5% of GDP in 2023 and 2.31% this year, renewing its air force fleet, signing a bilateral defense cooperation agreement with the US and doubling the ammunition production capability until 2027.
“The direction of our defense and therefore deterrence is up,” Iaakola said.
Source :Skai
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