cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/1253052
Archived version: https://archive.ph/HGfpH
Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230809191901/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-build-up-forces-west-counter-nato-threat-shoigu-2023-08-09/
Over the last year, they pretty much cleared the border of troops to support the Ukraine war. A lot of them now stay in Ukraine permanently. Hence Finland could walk into (though obviously not actually hold) St. Petersburg right now.
I think this shows better than anything how much they really are worried about NATO.
So in order to even restore the troop levels prior to Finland’s joining NATO they indeed have to bolster their “defences” quite a lot.