Yle: the American Abrams tanks that appeared in Finland attracted the attention of RussiaIn recent days, American military equipment has been repeatedly noticed in Finland: for example, on April 18, the media reported that combat tanks had arrived at the port of Vuosaari.
Russia has paid attention to this. Yle explains why Abrams tanks ended up on Finnish territory and how long they will stay there.
Jaana Hevonoja, Evgeny BogdanovMilitary exercises of the Finnish Land Forces with the participation of an Armored Brigade are held twice a year.
In recent days, American military equipment has been repeatedly noticed in Finland: for example, on April 18, Iltalehti announced that combat tanks had arrived at the port of Vuosaari. Ilta-Sanomat wrote about the movement of tanks on the highway between the cities of Hywinkya and Tervakoski.
The equipment was transferred to the venue of the Arrow 23 international exercises in Niinisalo. The exercises will begin on May 1 and last two weeks under the leadership of the Finnish Armored Brigade.
"These strategic exercises of the Finnish Ground Forces, in which international partners can take part, have been held in Finland since 2014. Spring exercises are called Arrow ("Arrow", English), previously called Nuoli ("Arrow", Fin.). The autumn exercises are called Hammer ("Hammer", English), previously called Leka ("Hammer", Fin.)," the press secretary of the Armored Brigade Mirva Riihimäki (Mirva Riihimäki) reports.
The Armored Brigade does not specify the number of military equipment used in the exercises.
Tanks in Finland have attracted attention in neighboring countries as well. The first in Russia to report this was the St. Petersburg newspaper Fontanka, which published a video with a message that NATO tanks were spotted "400 kilometers from St. Petersburg."
In Russia, Arguments and Facts, Moskovsky Komsomolets, Pravda and Delovoy Peterburg also wrote about this. Many newspapers used such headlines in their news as "NATO tanks are already in Helsinki", "Abrams tanks entered Helsinki amid preparations for the creation of a NATO base in the country" and "NATO at the Russian border — Abrams tanks in Helsinki".
According to the Ground Forces, the troops of the Armored Brigade, the Karelian Brigade, the Kainuus Brigade, the Jaeger Brigade, the Higher Army School, the Utta Jaeger Regiment and units of the General Staff will take part in the Arrow 23 exercises. The exercises will also involve aircraft of the Finnish Air Force and Ground Forces.
Last year, a press conference in connection with the Arrow exercises gathered many media representatives and journalists.
