There is no delay in Moscow’s show of force to the West: it is deploying a series of Russian top-of-the-line weapons on the NATO border

The Russian Ministry of Defense has established a new missile brigade in Karelia equipped with Iskander-M operational-tactical systems. The corps is part of the newly founded Leningrad Military District (not a typo, a new administrative unit with this name was created in 2024), which includes the 11th and 14th armies. Of these, the former is partly located in Kaliningrad, while the latter is located in Murmansk. Admiral Vladimir Valuev, the former commander of the Baltic Fleet, called the creation of the formation timely, especially in light of Finland’s accession to NATO. According to military expert Dmitry Boltenkov, the effectiveness of Iskander missiles has already been proven before, so Finland should be aware of the potential dangers.

The analyst also touched on the fact that the relationship between Russia and Finland used to be friendly, but Finland’s accession to NATO changed this situation.

As a result, Russia now has to monitor the border section of more than a thousand kilometers.

In order to strengthen the defense forces, Boltenkov emphasized the importance of redirecting the corps of the 14th Army. Back in 2016, Moscow Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the formation of the 11th Army Corps, which became part of the Baltic Fleet under the leadership of Lieutenant General Andrei Ruzinsky. The 14th Army was established in 2017 under the command of Major General Boris Fomicsev. Adapting to the Arctic, special exercises are held during which the soldiers learn to ski and use reindeer and dog sleds.

The strengthening of the northern and western borders began after Finland and Sweden announced their intention to join NATO.

The division of the Western Military District is divided into Moscow and Leningrad, and new motorized rifle divisions are planned to be created in the Leningrad Military District. Furthermore air force and air defense units will also be deployed to the western border, including SZU-25 attack aircraft units that provide direct support to ground forces.

The two Baltic states previously took a neutral position, but changed their policy after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The two countries submitted their application to NATO, which was accepted by all member states only after a long tug-of-war, and Hungary had a prominent role in this. Budapest was the last to accept both Finnish and Swedish accession.

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