Finnish military analyst Emil Kastehelmi notes a buildup of Russian military infrastructure near the borders with Western countries, particularly Finland.
This follows earlier organizational changes: Russia re-established the Leningrad Military District, and two brigades previously stationed near St. Petersburg have been expanded into divisions.
Naturally, increasing the size of these formations requires infrastructure development to accommodate personnel — and the first signs of this are already visible in satellite imagery.
For instance, there are indications of a tent camp being established at the military base in Kamyanka, improvements to the warehouses of the 44th Army Corps near Petrozavodsk, and developments at the location of the 80th Motorized Rifle Brigade.
Additionally, there are signs of trench systems being constructed along the Finnish border — likely reflecting the importance that fortifications have proven to have in the Russia-Ukraine war.
There are other indicators of Russia reinforcing military infrastructure in the region — notably airfields — which Kastehelmi plans to cover in more detail in future reports.
He notes that while these changes remain limited for now, they are likely to accelerate in the coming years.
