British Army soldiers have been operating deep inside Finland’s frozen forests as part of a large-scale Arctic warfare exercise with one of NATO’s newest members, testing their ability to fight, survive and integrate with allied forces close to Russia’s border.
According to a British Army news update here, troops from C Company, 3 Rifles have joined Finland’s Kainuu Brigade for Exercise Northern Axe, one of the first major multinational training events since Helsinki formally joined NATO in 2023. The exercise is taking place at the Vuosanka training area, around 30 miles from the Russian frontier, a location that underlines the strategic importance of the High North as tensions across Europe continue to rise.
Around 3,000 soldiers are taking part in the exercise, supported by roughly 600 vehicles. The UK contribution numbers around 50 personnel, but British commanders stress that the value lies in learning from Finland’s long experience of operating in extreme cold and forested terrain.
Major Henry Wootton, Officer Commanding C Company, 3 Rifles, said the deployment was about far more than cold-weather drills. “We’re out here in Finland cooperating with our newest NATO partners in order to show solidarity against potential threats,” he said. “This is important because we have lots to learn from each other. We learn how to manage the cold weather, bring in new skills and capabilities, and develop our overall operational capacity.”
British soldiers are practising live-fire attacks, defensive manoeuvres and patrols in deep snow, while adapting to temperatures that can plunge as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius. The demanding environment forces troops to rethink everything from movement and camouflage to logistics and personal endurance.
For Finland, the exercise is an early opportunity to embed NATO interoperability following decades of military non-alignment. The Kainuu Brigade, which hosts the training, plays a central role in Finland’s defence model, built around universal male conscription and a large, well-trained reserve.
Major Kari Sukkonen of the Kainuu Brigade, who has served there for more than three decades, highlighted the country’s strong defence culture. “The will to defend your country is very high in Finland,” he said. “As the Finnish military has just joined NATO, the strategic relationship is paramount. This exercise is the start of the relationship we plan to have going forward.”
Each year, the brigade trains two cohorts of conscripts for around five and a half months before they enter the reserve system. Around 75 percent of eligible Finns complete military service, with the remainder opting for civil service roles such as hospital work. Surveys consistently show that around 98 percent of Finnish conscripts say they are willing to defend their country if required, with reservists remaining liable for service until around the age of 60.
Finnish commanders see the exercise as a foundation for deeper cooperation. Brigadier General Ari Laaksonen, who is leading Northern Axe, said NATO membership had already changed the scope of Finland’s training. “Since 2023 and our new partnership with NATO, we are able to enhance our interoperability,” he said. “We are proud to host 3 Rifles and work together to support one another.”
British troops are due to conclude their Arctic deployment in mid-December.
3 Rifles, one of 11 Brigades Battalions, not surprisingly.
Great to have the Finns in NATO.
Being pedantic (my speciality), the headline should read ‘in’, not ‘for’, a major NATO exercise. ‘For’ would mean they are training in preparation of a forthcoming exercise, which is not the case here.