NATO has conducted its first artillery drills in Finland since the country became a member of the military alliance, with several thousand troops participating in large-scale exercises near the Russian border.
Over 3,600 soldiers and around 1,000 military vehicles took part in NATO’s largest Dynamic Front artillery exercise, held in Finland’s Arctic region, just under 100 kilometers from Russia.
“We’re here to reassure our partners and allies that we can deploy to tough and demanding environments, train in any conditions, organise ourselves as allies and partners in multiple configurations,” said John Rafferty, Commanding General of the US 56th Artillery Command. He emphasized that the drills were not in response to any specific event.
The exercise, conducted at one of Europe’s largest firing ranges spanning more than 1,200 square kilometers, focused on enhancing interoperability among NATO forces while training in cold weather conditions.
