Russia has begun modernizing the abandoned Soviet garrison in Petrozavodsk, which may indicate plans to significantly increase its military presence in Karelia. This is reported by Yle Novosti with reference to satellite images for 2024-2025.
According to Yle, the territory of the garrison in the area of Petrozavodsk Rybka, which has been abandoned for many years, has been cleared of vegetation, military equipment has appeared there. In the pictures taken in the fall of 2025, more than 50 trucks and other equipment were recorded.
"Military expert Marco Eklund, in an interview with Yle, links the activity in Petrozavodsk with the formation of the new 44th Army Corps of the Russian Armed Forces. According to him, the corps assumes an increase in the number of Ground Forces by about 15 thousand people. Some units have already arrived in the region and need barracks and training infrastructure," the Rulehti newspaper writes.
It is noted that regional Russian media confirm plans for new construction. According to "Karelinform" and "Factor", this year in Construction of new barracks is planned in Petrozavodsk.
In parallel, the construction of a military camp in Kandalaksha in the Murmansk region continues. The garrison is located less than 150 km from the border with Finland. Earlier, Yle reported that facilities for a new artillery and engineering brigade are being built there. Their total number may be about 2 thousand troops, Eklund believes.
As the Finnish military intelligence service notes in its latest review, as these projects are implemented, Russia's military potential in the Finnish direction will grow.
As reported by EADaily, in the future the Finnish direction will become one of the key development priorities The Russian Armed Forces. This was reported by Puolustusvoimat with reference to the military intelligence of Finland.
According to the intelligence service, an "ambitious" army reform is being implemented in Russia, which, if successfully completed, will significantly strengthen the country's military potential near the borders of Finland. In particular, Russia is transforming the Arctic brigades into divisions and is actively increasing its capabilities in the field of UAVs. So far, the aforementioned reform, according to intelligence, has not led to a noticeable increase in military power. The Russian Federation is at the Finnish borders, but this will change in the future.
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