zone posted:

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1643524273032527873
Terrorist Girkin says that the fighting stalled out again in Bakhmut and Avdiivka. He also bitterly adds that they couldn't even hold their positions in Mar'inka.

Yle posted:

Nato's effects in Finland: Lapland as an exercise site is facing backlogs

In Nato's Finland all military bases would de facto be Nato bases. Building new bases won't be relevant at least for a couple of years, says Matti Pesu from the Institute of International Affairs.



From Nato's perspective the most interesting areas are remote locations with plenty of space, for instance Lapland's Rovajärvi.

Our upcoming Parliament will be outlining in its manifesto and reports their vision of what kind of Nato member Finland will be, and what we will be expecting from Nato. In Yle's pre-election polling most of the parties support a permanent Nato base in Finland.

By far the biggest supporters are the National Coalition and Movement Now (ed: one of our right wing small parties). The Central Party, the Finnish Social Democratic Party, The Swedish People's Party and Christian Democrats don't overrule a base, if it was shown to be beneficial and the opportunity presented itself.

True Finns (ed: our real right wing cranks), the Left Alliance and the Green Party don't want a permanent Nato base in Finland.

A Nato membership would in all likelihood mean sending troops to Baltic countries, and participating in aerial surveillance.

Battlegroups in Estonia and seven other countries

In actuality experts consider it unlikely that Finland would be offered a permanent new Nato base. No such bases have been founded since the Cold War ended. Matti Pesu, a lead researcher at the Institute of International Affairs, clarifies that after joining Nato, all Finnish bases will de facto be "Nato bases", at least from a certain perspective.

If Finland wants more Nato infrastructure and presence, according to Pesu that would mostly mean Nato's EFP, or Enhanced Forward Presence, troops. They are also called Nato battlegroups.

- If Finland feels that a battlegroup in Finland is an immediate goal of our Nato policy, it would be a big thing that would require a massive effort in Nato's infrastructure.

The decision might be relevant at Nato summits earliest in a couple of years, Pesu says.

- It will definitely not be decided in the upcoming summit, and probably not even the one after that. We're talking of a time window at least 2-4 years in the future.

Temporary in name, but practically present for a long period of time, EFP troops are located in eight countries, and their makeup varies from country to country. The closest is in Estonia, where a group led by Great Britain resides.

A small general staff for Nato -- or for the United States?

Despite this, Finland might get a small dedicated Nato general staff, which would be designed to lead troops, says security researcher Juha Pyykönen, brigadier general, evp (ed: evp, or "not in regular service", is a designation for a Finnish officer who has held an active rank but is currently either temporarily or permanently retired from active service).

In practise this would mean an office that would design, monitor and control a Nato garrison and troops.

- It would mean a couple dozen people, who would be tasked with integrating Finland's defensive structures into Nato, Pyykönen says.

These kinds of small general staffs can be found in Nato's eastern member countries. For such a small group it is doubtful whether anything new would be built, and it is likelier that the general staff would be integrated into an existing Finnish general staff.

Pesu reminds that Finland and the United States are currently discussing bilateral defence co-operation. Depending on the outcome it is possible that Finnish military bases would reserve areas for American troops and equipment. This is how the United States have functioned in Europe previously.

- We could for instance consider storing American military material and talent in bases in advance, just in case they're needed later, Pesu describes.

Lapland's Rovajärvi is appealing

Training together with Nato on land, sea and air will in any case be the new normal. International soldiers and vessels have participated in Finnish exercises even during our application process.

The tougher our security situation will be, the longer these exercises can become.

- If the relationships between Nato and Russia are tight, it will also be reflected in Finland hosting more exercises, soldiers, ships and planes, says Pyykönen.

These exercises will not be visible in cities, as the big Finnish trump card is space. Space can be found for instance in Lapland. According to Pyykönen Rovajärvi is our most interesting exercise area for Nato.

- There's plenty of room, we can fit in a bunch of troops, and it won't bother civilians. Our allies love training in the north.

For Finnish conscripts our Nato membership probably won't have any meaningful effect. The Finnish Defence Force has been fitting its tasks into Nato's patterns for 30 years, because Finland has been a peacetime partner with Nato.

New roads, harbors and cell towers

Communication with our allies will require improving physical connections with Sweden, Norway and our othre western allies, says Pyykönen. This will mean new roads as well as improving ports, airports and highways.

- Our communication networks also need strengthening, as do our command structures. In practise this means the same kinds of cellular masts as on the civilian side, Pyykönen describes.

People closer to the eastern border have already been excited about the possibility of Nato increasing the value of their land.

Trying to predict the future is a risk, but Pyykönen says that many types of infrastructure projects might very well increase the visibility of small towns and counties.

There is no logical basis for bringing nuclear weapons to Finland, Pyykönen says. Finland did not make any kind of concrete decision in its Nato application on hosting nuclear weapons. According to Pyykönen this is not on the cards, as there is no logical basis for it.

- There's no military logic in bringing nuclear weapons to Finland, because they would be far too close to Russia's border. They need to be further away to be usable. The same applies to military bases, and for that reason I don't think we'll get those eithre.

Five Nato countries have nuclear weapons. As an outsider Finland has not had access to information on the topic, and therefore no institutional knowledge of nuclear weapons.

- Nuclear weapons are in five countries and six bases, in old member countries. I doubt there's any intention of spreading them to new members, Pyykönen ponders.

After the cold war ended 14 countries have joined Nato. None of them have had permanent bases built, nor has there been any talk of placing nuclear weapons in them.

Drone_Fragger posted:

I mean NATO requires you to have no territorial disputes before you can join. Only way they could is to officially cede all occupied territory to russia, or, remove russian forces from their borders. It's one of the reasons the russian "seperatists" are parked in Georgia.

Shaman Tank Spec posted:

From Yle again.

Journalist: Tulikukka de Fresnes

Scenic Rovajärvi

Shaman Tank Spec posted:

Journalist: Tulikukka de Fresnes

quote:

The Aeroprakt A-22 Foxbat is a Ukrainian two-seat, high-wing, tricycle landing gear ultralight aircraft that was designed by Yuri Yakovlev and is manufactured by Aeroprakt. In the United States the A-22 is referred to as the Valor, while in the UK and Australia it is called the Foxbat.

Shaman Tank Spec posted:

From Yle again.

Journalist: Tulikukka de Fresnes
Link: https://yle.fi/a/74-20026047

zone posted:

https://twitter.com/a_anusauskas/status/1643630840654561289
Lithuania announced a 41 million euro support package.

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1643900774798315520

Shaman Tank Spec posted:

Scenic Rovajärvi

armpit_enjoyer posted:

I have a desperate need to go backpacking in Finland after seeing this one image.

Der Kyhe posted:

Most of those Russian ones are also hollow with the loop still attached and not in any way buried or fixed to the ground, so its trivial to push or pull them away with any 4x4 vehicle.

Shaman Tank Spec posted:

Backpacking in Lapland is a wonderful experience, probably (it's fun even when you're doing it on the FDF's dime, probably a lot better when you can make your own schedule). They also have cool special things like a cabin hotel where all the cabins have glass dome ceilings so you can lie in bed and watch the Northern Lights.

Alan Smithee posted:

wonder if Finns steam a good ham

PinheadSlim posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIVUp1o34V0&t=316s

PinheadSlim posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIVUp1o34V0&t=316s

zone posted:

https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1643900774798315520

The_Franz posted:

Cooking with hoarders knows no borders.

Shaman Tank Spec posted:

Backpacking in Lapland is a wonderful experience, probably (it's fun even when you're doing it on the FDF's dime, probably a lot better when you can make your own schedule). They also have cool special things like a cabin hotel where all the cabins have glass dome ceilings so you can lie in bed and watch the Northern Lights.

WAR CRIME GIGOLO posted:

It would appear the counteroffensive in Adviika was successful in some of the pressure on the North East has been relieved.

I saw another few reports that Vuhledar has been evacuated by the Russians but I don't have any confirmation of that at this time and I can't find any sources that aren't like a month old. The truthfully Russia cannot stand against the Ukrainian military once they go on the offensive. I mean we're talking like a day to shatter a unit and cause a retreat which is pretty pretty drat good

armpit_enjoyer posted:

I have a desperate need to go backpacking in Finland after seeing this one image.

Computer viking posted:

On behalf of the other nato member in the region, North Norway is also quite striking - similar terrain, but with a coast. You can even do both, there are apparently a few buses between Finnmark and Lappland.

I did not go up there while in the army, though; I stayed around Oslo. A friend of mine was a border guard (on the Russian border, not the Finnish one), and apart from the mosquitoes he has talked fondly about the landscape.

mobby_6kl posted:

What's a good time for this? Haven't been further north than Trollhättan (which isn't much) but I've been meaning to make a trip to Lapland or Tromsø or ideally both at some point. Winter is cool what with the snow and reindeer and northern lights but no idea if it's conductive for general exploration and hiking and what not.

Toxic Mental posted:

That video is like Finnish masaokis

ZogrimAteMyHamster posted:

Every now and then I remember "Omelet for Obama" and start wheezing at the idea of how Masaokis tried softening egg shells with a whisk but set his kitchen alight instead.

Tarkus posted:

Don't forget, he thought egg shells were the egg whites because they're white. That always gets me. Masaokis is truly a treasure.

Tarkus posted:

Don't forget, he thought egg shells were the egg whites because they're white. That always gets me. Masaokis is truly a treasure.

EorayMel posted: