The Finnish army will begin military exercises for 15,000 recruits, including soldiers from the United Kingdom, Poland, and Sweden, to validate its defensive capability.

The Finnish army will begin military exercises on Saturday in various locations across the country, lasting a total of four weeks, to train 15,000 recruits. These maneuvers will also involve thousands of reservists and soldiers from the United Kingdom, Poland, and Sweden, aiming to validate the defensive capabilities of recruits completing mandatory military service and to maintain the competence of reservists. The exercises will integrate lessons learned from the war in Ukraine and will strengthen cooperation with NATO allies.

Among the notable exercises are 'Northern Spike 25', which will include anti-tank missiles, and 'Northern Strike 225', focused on artillery, both taking place in Rovajarvi. Additionally, 'Lively Sentry 25' will involve 6,500 recruits in southern Finland, while 'Northern Axe 25' will concentrate on defense tactics near the border with Russia. The final exercise, 'Mallet Strike 2/25', will take place in Lohtaja and will involve forces from Finland, the United Kingdom, and Sweden, aiming to develop interoperability in air and ground defense.