NATO kicked off an exercise on Monday to defend its newly expanded Nordic territory when more than 20,000 soldiers from 13 nations take part in drills lasting nearly two weeks in the northern regions of Finland, Norway and Sweden

More than 20,000 soldiers from 13 nations take part in drills lasting nearly two weeks in the northern regions of Finland, Norway and Sweden.

With over 4,000 Finnish soldiers taking part, the Norway-led Nordic Response 2024 represents the NATO newcomer’s largest ever participation in a foreign exercise, according to Finland’s military.

“For the first time, Finland will participate as a NATO member nation in exercising collective defense of the alliance’s regions,” the Finnish Defense Forces said in a statement.

The Swedish Armed Forces said about 4,500 personnel from its air force, army and navy would take part in the drill, which is being conducted in demanding Arctic winter conditions.

    • @[email protected]English
      8•9 months ago

      -2°C or 28f in the northern Finland right now. That’s about our average summer temperature.

      • @sturlabragasonEnglish
        5•9 months ago

        Amen from Iceland. The average weather here is cold sideways rain 365.25 days per year.

      • @Municipal0379English
        1•9 months ago

        That’s actually not too bad. For some reason I was thinking the high would be around 10°F.

        • @[email protected]English
          7•9 months ago

          It is untypically warm for this time of the year. The soldiers got lucky comfort-wise but the cold also kind of was point of the excercise I believe

          • @Municipal0379English
            1•9 months ago

            Oh for sure. I think it was the US Army or maybe USAF who had an episode of Alaska Airport or Ice Airports or something where they did an episode of arctic survival training. Needless to say it was INTENSE.