Finland studies Ukraine-style anti-tank defenses as Russia rebuilds military
Finland is studying anti-tank barriers and defensive fortifications used in Ukraine as it prepares to strengthen its 830-mile border with Russia, whose military is already rebuilding its capabilities despite the ongoing war, Bloomberg reported, citing Finnish Army commander Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki.
Välimäki said Ukraine's extensive defensive lines and anti-tank obstacles had proven effective at slowing advancing forces, with neither side finding a reliable way to break through them and restore large-scale maneuver warfare.
However, Finland must determine whether similar fortifications could withstand its harsher northern climate.
"If we build fortifications and dig anti-tank ditches or obstacles as deep as those in Ukraine, how long does it take before our environment turns them into artificial ponds?" Välimäki told Bloomberg.
The general warned that Russia was already replenishing its military equipment, with T-90 tanks, BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles and 2S19 self-propelled howitzers arriving at storage facilities.
Finland's objective, he said, is to make any potential Russian attack appear certain to fail.
"Everything we are doing now is about creating a threshold so that Russia does not go any further, whether we are talking about the alliance or Finland," he said.
Finland, which joined NATO in 2023, shares a 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia, accounting for roughly half of the alliance's land border with the country.
The Finnish military is undergoing a major modernization program extending into the late 2030s, including upgrades to artillery, armored vehicles, air defenses and military readiness.
According to Finland's Defense Ministry, the overhaul of its land forces will cost at least as much as its ongoing naval and air force modernization programs combined, which have a total budget of €11.6 billion ($13 billion).
Ukraine's experience has also highlighted the importance of countering missile and drone attacks before they begin.
Under NATO's Eastern Flank Deterrence Line concept, Välimäki said, defending against such attacks may require striking launchers on Russian territory.
"For Finns, this is a difficult issue, because it means hitting targets on the Russian side," he acknowledged.
Despite the growing role of drones, Välimäki cautioned against abandoning conventional weapons and stressed the importance of expanding domestic ammunition and equipment production.
"We do not want a war of attrition," he said. "We are a country of five million people, and we cannot operate on that logic."
- Share: