Russia is expanding its military presence along Nato’s eastern flank, with Vladimir Putin planning to deploy tens of thousands of troops near its border with Finland.
Military engineers are expanding army bases in the Russian city of Petrozavodsk, some 100 miles east of Finland, where the Kremlin plans to create a new army headquarters.
These soldiers, many currently serving on the front lines in Ukraine, are intended to be the backbone of a Russian military preparing to face off with Nato.
The military build-up includes expanding recruitment, bolstering weapons production and upgrading railroad lines in border areas.
Putin has been building up the Russian military
Reuters
A monument to to Vladimir Lenin in Petrozavodsk in Karelia
Getty
Finland, which joined Nato after the Ukraine invasion, is now fortifying its border with electronic defences and barbed wire fencing. Russia has seen a sharp rise in recruitment due to generous signing bonuses that can amount to around £15,000.
The US estimates around 30,000 Russians are signing up each month, while some Eastern European intelligence officials put the figure at 40,000.
This extra manpower allows the military to rotate troops in and out of Ukraine, and to build new units trained and housed in Russia.
President Vladimir Putin has ordered the military to expand its ranks to as many as 1.5 million troops, up from around one million before the Ukraine invasion.
LATEST ON THE WAR IN UKRAINE
A Russian soldier is seen atop an armoured vehicle in front of a fashion store on the day of a rehearsal for a military parade
Reuters
Russia has increased military spending to more than six per cent of GDP this year, from 3.6 per cent before the war. By comparison, the US spent 3.4 per cent of its GDP on its military last year, and EU countries, on average, spent 2.1 per cent.
The increased spending by the Kremlin has pushed arms factories to capacity, prompting military industrial firms to expand production lines and open new facilities.
Russia’s military capabilities have significantly improved since the start of the Ukraine conflict, with a more responsive and precise “kill chain” for targeting enemies.
Federico Borsari, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, warned that “the Russians are adapting, and this is definitely something that Nato is noticing”.
Members of Nato are keeping their eye on Moscow
GB News
Russia is now outpacing the West in artillery production, deploying hundreds of tactical drones at different altitudes to acquire targets. Moscow has reportedly increased its supply of Orlan reconnaissance drones by more than 50 times since 2023.
Western military officials warn that Russia could launch a large-scale war in Europe within five years if it perceives Nato to be weak.
Some Nato nations are fortifying their borders against tanks, digging trenches and installing pyramid-shaped obstacles known as dragon’s teeth.
Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have withdrawn from an international treaty banning antipersonnel mines.
Kaja Kallas, high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and vice-president of the European Commission, and Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz
“We don’t have too much time,” said Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. “We must build a strong alliance, a strong command system and well equipped military forces.”
Russian military experts view the activity along the Finnish border as preparation for potential conflict with Nato.
“When the troops are back [from Ukraine], they will be looking over the border at a country they consider an adversary,” said Ruslan Pukhov, director of a Moscow-based defence think tank.
“The logic of the last decade shows we’re expecting some conflict with Nato.”
Putin has sent mixed signals, claiming the West is alarming its population by suggesting Russia is ready to attack, while his Defence Minister Andrey Belousov stated Russia’s military must be ready for a conflict with Nato.
