The Finnish government wants to expand the army reserves to 1 million soldiers by 2031. And, it will be easy to do, according to the experts. Not only will the bill to adjust the law likely be accepted by the Finnish parliament in Helsinki, even the steady growth will likely go smooth.
Finland is one of the very few countries that kept its military strengths at level. Today, the Finnish authorities could quickly mobilise 300,000 reserves, and expand it to 870,000 relatively quickly. In the coming five years, the Finnish government wants to put that number on a little more than 1 million, with an increase of 125,000. The plan also calls for calling up reserves to serve during a longer period of time, thereby increasing the standing armed forces of 280,000 men and women with rotating reserve forces.
1,350 kilometres long border with Russia
Finland has also kept its conscript service for men, giving it not only a steady flow of new recruits, but also the possibility to market a longer career as a military reserve easily to those who became enthusiastic to protect the country. The country has a border of 1,350 kilometres (839 miles) with Russia, and even though Finland is a NATO country since 2024, its defence strategy is to rely first and strongly on itself.
Expanding Finnish infrastructure
Apart from a personnel increase, Finland is expanding and upgrading its infrastructure. Already now, the country’s thousands of air raid shelters—now often used for other purposes like indoor gyms—can be turned back in population shelters within 48 hours. Finland also has kept its strategic reserves of food and other essential up, unlike neighbours Sweden and Norway.
Railway line Haparanda – Kemi
Moreover, Finland is preparing to change its railway network from the old Russian standard to the same with as Sweden, including compatible systems. This move should also make it easier to transport NATO military goods in case of conflict. According to Finnish broadcasting company Yle, the line between the border Swedish border town of Haparanda and Finnish Kemi—a stretch of 30 kilometres (18.6 miles)—will be the first to be upgraded.
Kemi has a port function, strategic to Finnish forces in the North of the country, including in and around the city of Rovaniemi. NATO is to base a battalion-strength combat unit in the area, as reported on 14 Febuary on Nordicreporter.com. | © 2025 Marcel Burger, nordicreporter.com. Featured photo: Finnish Leopard 2 battle tank during the recent NATO Exercise Cold Response 22 in Norway (Photo by Torbjørn Kjosvold/Forsvaret)