Ironic retort of a Finnish general after Russia threatened to send nuclear missiles to Finland’s border

The former head of Finnish military intelligence, reserve general Harri Ohra-aho, described as “operationally absurd” Russia’s recent decision to move an Iskander-M ballistic missile brigade to the Karelia peninsula near the border with Finland , capable of carrying nuclear payloads as well.

“From an operational point of view, it seems absurd to me to bring missile systems that have a long range closer to our borders, they would become easier targets for us,” the former head of Finnish military intelligence said in a published post on his X/Twitter account.

Military sources told the Russian publication Izvestia that the newly established “Leningrad” military district will be reinforced with new combat units. These will include a separate Iskander-M ballistic missile brigade, based on the Karelia peninsula.

In addition, the 11th Army Corps from the Kaliningrad Region and the 14th Army Corps from the Murmansk Region were transferred to the Leningrad District. Russian military experts cited by Izvestia called strengthening the northwestern borders a “timely and appropriate” response to Finland’s accession to NATO.

The Iskander ballistic missiles, used by the Russian military in the war in Ukraine, have a range of 500 kilometers and can carry conventional or nuclear warheads.

Finland has been preparing for decades for an attack from Russia and would resist “vigorously” in such a situation, said the commander of the Finnish armed forces, General Timo Kivinen. Finland has a 1300 km border with Russia and fought two wars with this country in the 1940s, when over 100,000 Finns died and a tenth of the territory was lost.

With a population of 5.5 million, Finland has an army of about 23,000 active soldiers. To these is added an operational reserve of 280,000 reservists (ready to go into battle) and a general reserve of 870,000 people between the ages of 17-60). Military service is still compulsory for men,

Editor: Mihnea Lazar

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