Finland to Conduct Naval Exercises Near Border With Russia

The Finnish Navy will conduct large-scale exercises, Narrow Waters 26-1, in the Baltic Sea.

This was reported on the official website of the country’s Navy.

The exercises will take place from May 18 to 29, 2026. The maneuvers will cover the coastal areas of Southern Finland, the Archipelago Sea, and the Gulf of Finland. The main objective will be to practice joint maritime operations in the specific conditions of the northern Baltic Sea.

About 100 soldiers from the German Navy’s Marine Jaeger Company and approximately 30 Marines from the US Marine Corps will participate in the maneuvers.

Units from the Finnish Border Guard, the Defence Forces Logistics Command, the Air Force, and soldiers from the Utti Regiment will also take part in the exercises.

During the maneuvers, the military will conduct flights over the country’s southern coast and the northern part of the Baltic Sea. The organizers will pay special attention to testing unmanned systems at sea and in the air.

In addition, the exercises will allow for an assessment of the training of Finnish conscripts and reservists before the end of their service.

The total number of participants in the exercises will be approximately 3,000 military personnel, the majority of whom are reservists and personnel from the Finnish Defence Forces.

It is worth noting that the Narrow Waters exercise format was introduced only in 2025. Prior to that, the Finnish Navy conducted general fleet exercises involving NATO countries or its own forces.

The country’s accession to the North Atlantic Alliance has enabled it to conduct more specialized exercises with key NATO countries to enhance the capabilities of its armed forces.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that Canada and the Nordic countries had agreed to deepen security cooperation to counter Russia in the Arctic.

The prime ministers of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Canada, who met in Oslo, stated that their goal is to strengthen collective defense.