Investigation: Russia Expanding Border Bases to House 115,000 Troops Near NATO

Russia is rapidly rebuilding military facilities and constructing new bases along its borders with NATO countries so they can hold at least 115,000 soldiers, according to a joint investigation by several Scandinavian media outlets. Satellite imagery indicates that after the war in Ukraine ends, Moscow could station that many troops near the Baltic states, Norway and Finland.

The report was published by Denmark’s DR, Norway’s NRK, Sweden’s SVT and Delfi’s Estonian service. Finnish military intelligence officer Marco Eklund tracked the modernization effort through satellite photos, and Scandinavian intelligence sources confirmed his findings. Official construction documents also indicate the work is being done for military purposes.

The rebuilding and expansion is taking place along Russia’s entire frontier with NATO states, drawing close attention from those countries. Sweden’s military intelligence chief, Thomas Nilsson, said, “We do not believe these expansions are just for show. This is a capability to deal with NATO in a larger conflict in the future.” Maj. Gen. Brian Nissen, who commands NATO forces in the Baltic states and Poland, said, “As long as Russia is involved in events in Ukraine, the real and serious military threat we are preparing for is small. But the situation could change very quickly if there is a ceasefire in Ukraine.”

Finland, now a NATO member, shares a 1,340-kilometer land border with Russia. The Baltic states joined NATO in 2004, while Finland and Sweden entered the alliance in 2024 after decades of neutrality, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. After Helsinki and Stockholm joined, Vladimir Putin said the move had no justification and would significantly worsen relations. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev warned last year that Finland’s decisions would lead to Russian troop redeployments on the shared border, said new Western alliance members become immediate targets for Russia, and did not rule out “retaliatory strikes” on Finland.