"The number of combat ground forces is indeed increasing significantly," experts acknowledge.
Russia has begun construction of its first completely new military base near the eastern border of Finland. According to experts, between 4,000 and 6,000 military personnel will be stationed in Novaya Vilga near Petrozavodsk.
About a dozen large barrack buildings are already being constructed. The scale of the construction is impressive, especially considering that previously only old military facilities were renovated in Petrozavodsk.
The new military town is being built a few kilometers from Petrozavodsk. Yle was the first among Western media to report on the plans for this construction in January. However, at that time, the exact location of the base was not yet known.
The military base is being built in the middle of a forest. The first clearings are visible in satellite images taken in November 2025. Earthworks at the site began last winter.
Military expert Marko Eklund, interviewed by Yle, identified the construction site in the spring based on a Russian document that mentioned connecting the future territory of the military town to Petrozavodsk's water supply and sewage networks. The cost of the work was estimated at nearly 5.9 million euros.
In Russia, the construction work became public knowledge only a week ago when Deputy Defense Minister Pavel Fradkov made an inspection trip to the construction site. According to authorities, more than 50 different facilities will be built on the territory, including barracks, residential apartment buildings, and sports grounds.
The new base is being constructed in the village of Novaya Vilga in close proximity to Petrozavodsk, as it would be difficult to attract military contractors and their families to remote areas.
At the same time, the future garrison is surrounded by dense forest, leaving room for further development, and training grounds are located right next to the barracks.
According to Eklund, the barrack buildings look typical for Russian construction – 3 to 4 stories high. Eklund reminds that military construction is still in its early stages, and the war in Ukraine does not allow Russia to quickly build up forces at the Finnish border.
"A modern army cannot be built on rusty tanks from Siberian ranges, so this will take a lot of time and money," says Eklund.
The construction of military facilities in Karelia is just an episode of the large-scale buildup of Russian troops along the entire NATO border.
"The number of combat ground forces is indeed increasing significantly," notes Eklund.
According to Eklund, the troop buildup poses a potential threat to Finland – the combat capabilities of the Russian army will increase multiple times.
"The threat is formed by intent and capabilities. The capabilities will significantly increase when these troops are established," says Eklund.
But this will not happen overnight.
"Infrastructure needs to be built, equipment needs to be procured, personnel need to be recruited, and they still need to be trained. Only then will these troops function effectively," Eklund reminds.
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