Restrictions imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus within the Finnish Defense Forces are to be lifted in four different stages. The first is the waiving of the current requirement to use a face mask and safety distancing of two metres outdoors. These first restrictions are scheduled to beContinue Reading
The European Union will hold a defence summit next year during the French presidency of the bloc, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday. French President Emmanuel Macron has been pushing for the 27-nation union to develop more autonomous military capacities alongside the Western alliance. And the rapid collapseContinue Reading
According to Estonian Minister of Defense Kalle Laanet, the European Union must be ready to support its member states if they are subjected to a hybrid attack. Laanet took part in an informal meeting of EU defense ministers in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Sept. 1-2 to discuss the European Union’s strategicContinue Reading
Once the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan’s airfield in Kandahar on Friday, it didn’t take long for photos to appear on social media showing Taliban fighters posing with military helicopters such as U.S.-made Black Hawks and Soviet-made Mi-17s. After the group took over Mazar-i-Sharif airport this weekend, more photos followed,Continue Reading
Diplomat Jüri Luik, who has also held several prominent political positions in the last 30 years, is being considered for president. Our conversation did not linger on the topic long, however, as Luik said that to the best of his knowledge, corresponding political consultations are ongoing and not public. HeContinue Reading
The staff of Germany’s10th Armored Division will take place in the “Schneller Degen” (Dagger Strike) military exercise in Pabrade Training Area in Lithuania’s district of Svencionys for the first time. Major General Ruprecht von Butler, commander of Germany’s 10th Division, will announce the start of the exercise on Friday. ItContinue Reading
The flag day commemorates the birthday of national hero Mannerheim, who led the White forces during the Finnish Civil War and the FDF during World War II. Due to the pandemic, the Flag Day of the Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) is again being observed on a subdued note on Friday,Continue Reading
The Ministry of Defense has decided to cut costs in its administrative area over the next four years and will be laying off 270 people. Even though investments will not be cut directly, development of the armed forces will be impacted nonetheless. The Ministry of Defense that finds itself underContinue Reading
While recent coalitions have agreed that defense spending would not be touched even during difficult times, Postimees’ information suggests that the ministry’s initial proposal was that of a universal cut. A top official standing close to state budget deliberations told the paper that the Ministry of Finance has presented theContinue Reading
A “culture of silence” within the Finnish Defence Forces is preventing abuses by supervisors from being reported and effectively tackled, according to a new report by Yle’s investigative journalism unit MOT. “If you make any criticism, it may harm your career,” Ville Viita, chair of the Finnish Officers’ Union, toldContinue Reading
Sweden
1,163,595
Lithuania
372,585
Denmark
370,159
Norway
196,896
Latvia
188,722
Estonia
174,436
Finland
151,787
Iceland
12,703