Satellite Images Reveal Russia’s New Military Garrison Near Finland
Russia is intensifying its military presence along the Finnish border, with newly analyzed satellite images revealing large-scale construction of military facilities in Russia’s northwest.
The Gaze reports on this with reference to Yle.
Russian construction is centered in Lupche-Savino, a district in the town of Kandalaksha, Murmansk region.
The site, cleared and developed throughout the winter, is being transformed into a military garrison set to host a newly formed artillery brigade and engineering unit.
Local authorities estimate that the completed base will accommodate more than 2,000 troops, marking a substantial increase in regional military capacity.
The project is part of a broader Kremlin initiative to modernize armed forces infrastructure across northern Russia, with approximately 42 billion rubles (roughly $535 million) allocated for these developments.
In February, Murmansk Governor Andrey Chibis visited the facility to inspect newly delivered military equipment.
Images from the visit show a Uran-6 mine-clearing robot, bearing the “Z” symbol associated with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Further military activity has been observed at the Sapernoye garrison on the Karelian Isthmus, where new engineering equipment has arrived.
At the same time, Russia has strengthened its military logistics hub in Petrozavodsk.
The area now hosts a railway brigade, an aviation division headquarters, and growing equipment stockpiles.
It is also the center of formation for the new 44th Army Corps, projected to number up to 15,000 troops, with much of its gear drawn from local storage facilities.
Taken together, these moves suggest a long-term military buildup in Russia’s northwest, just across the border from NATO member Finland.
As The Gaze reported earlier, the Finnish Ministry of Defense stated that a Russian military aircraft violated Finnish airspace on June 10.