Russia has begun rebuilding and expanding military infrastructure in the northwest of the country, particularly in the Republic of Karelia, near the border with Finland and NATO states, according to satellite images and information published by Finnish public television Yle.
The reactivated Soviet garrisons/PHOTO: X
During 2024, Russian authorities began the reconstruction of a former Soviet garrison in Petrozavodsk, which had only been marginally used since the 2000s. The work has not been officially announced, but local media report that a new military complex is planned to be built in the city later this year — a project not previously mentioned in Western sources either.
Experts link the intensification of activities to the establishment, in 2024, of the 44th Army Corps of the Russian Federation, deployed in Karelia. The formation of this structure implies the increase of the land forces by approximately 15,000 soldiers. However, only a small part of the personnel has already arrived in Petrozavodsk, as it is necessary to build the accommodation and training infrastructure.
Finnish military analyst Marko Eklund, who has been studying the Russian military for over 25 years, shows that in the summer of 2024, the garrison in the Rîbka area was in an advanced state of disrepair and was only used sporadically for exercises. Within a year, the situation changed noticeably: trucks and military equipment appeared in the perimeter, which could indicate the establishment of logistics or repair units.
Analysts' attention is also directed to the city of Kandalakşa, where a military complex intended for a new artillery brigade and an engineer brigade is under construction. According to the regional authorities in Murmansk, about ten new buildings are planned, and the numbers could reach about 2,000 soldiers. The garrison is located less than 150 kilometers from the border with Finland, having significant strategic importance.
Russia's ability to conduct military operations in the direction of Finland will increase considerably
Local authorities in Karelia openly support the expansion of the military presence. Representatives of the Municipal Council of Petrozavodsk stated that the addition of troops is a political decision taken at the level of the president of the Russian Federation, and the region is perceived as an outpost on the border with NATO. In parallel, infrastructure projects are being discussed, including the expansion of the gas network and the construction of medical units in the localities where the military will be deployed.
However, a significant part of the already formed units of the 44th Army Corps is currently involved in the war in Ukraine, including in the direction of Kharkiv. This limits, at least in the short term, Moscow's ability to deploy substantial additional forces in northwestern Russia.
In its annual report, Finland's military intelligence service warns that once these changes are completed, Russia's ability to conduct military operations in the direction of Finland will increase considerably. However, as long as the full-scale war against Ukraine continues, Moscow lacks the resources to maintain strong and permanent combat forces in this segment.
