General Janne Jaakkola, Commander of the Finnish Defense Forces. Image: Petteri Bülow / Yle
Commander of the Finnish Defense Forces, General Janne Jaakkola, does not rule out the escalation of the military conflict in Europe.
Jaakkola stated that the concern among Finns regarding the escalation of events in Ukraine has slightly decreased in recent months. "But the escalation of the military conflict in Europe cannot be ruled out," he said on Monday during the opening of the national defense courses, as reported by the Yle.
"Russia's limitations on the use of military force and large-scale influence appear to be minimal or non-existent," Jaakkola said. However, according to the commander, Russia does not pose an immediate military threat to Finland. The concern, in Jaakkola's view, lies in Finland's lack of a clear understanding of Russia's intentions, which are perceived as a threat.
He emphasized that Finland should never find itself in the same defensive situation as Ukraine, "where the country has long lacked sufficient forces to repel a full-scale Russian offensive, in which Russian losses in both personnel and equipment seem to be of little significance." Another key lesson from the war, according to Jaakkola, is how Russia is trying to influence Ukraine’s population and infrastructure.
Jaakkola also mentioned that it is still unclear which NATO troops and in what quantity will arrive in Finland. The commander did not name the NATO countries from which the troops would come, saying that discussions are ongoing with "the closest allies."
At the very least, the general added, Sweden has expressed its readiness to send NATO troops to Finland.
