Russia is building new military base near Finnish border
Russia has begun constructing its first entirely new military base since the Soviet era in the village of Novaya Vilga near Petrozavodsk, close to Finland's eastern border.
Source: Finnish broadcaster Yle, citing military expert and former Finnish intelligence officer Marko Eklund and analysis of satellite imagery
Details: Active construction of the military complex began in spring 2026 and is progressing rapidly. Around a dozen large barracks buildings are already under construction on the site.
The scale of the project is unprecedented for the area, where previous military activity had largely involved renovating former Soviet facilities rather than building entirely new ones.
The first signs of forest clearance at the future garrison site were visible in satellite imagery as early as November 2025, while earthworks began during the winter.
Satellite images indicate that construction started with the headquarters building. A parade ground, headquarters facility and roughly a dozen barracks are already clearly visible.
According to Eklund, the barracks appear typical of modern Russian military construction and are three to four storeys high. Each building measures approximately 65 by 24 metres, providing about 1,500 sq m of floor space per level.
Eklund estimates that the base is intended to accommodate between 4,000 and 6,000 military personnel. It could house a motorised rifle brigade or the core units of a new motorised rifle division. Russia is currently forming both types of military formations in the Republic of Karelia.
Russian authorities officially confirmed the construction project in late May 2026, when Russian Deputy Defence Minister Pavel Fradkov inspected the site. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, more than 50 facilities will be built there, including barracks, apartment blocks for military families and sports facilities.
Eklund noted that Russia's military build-up along NATO's borders represents a potential security concern for Finland because it will significantly increase Russia's military capabilities. However, he stressed that the threat is not immediate.
"A threat is formed by intent and capability. Capability will increase substantially once these forces are established. But that will not happen overnight," he explained.
"You need to build infrastructure, procure equipment, recruit personnel and train them. Only then will these forces become operational. You cannot build a modern armed forces with rusty tanks from Siberian training grounds, so this will require considerable time and money," he added.
Eklund also emphasised that Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine is currently limiting both the pace and scope of its ability to rapidly deploy forces in other directions.
Background:
- In September 2023, satellite imagery first revealed the construction of new vehicle maintenance facilities at a military depot in Petrozavodsk and at the Alakurtti garrison near the Finnish border.
- In June 2025, reports emerged that Russia was building a military town for a new artillery brigade in Kandalaksha in Murmansk Oblast, while also accumulating military engineering equipment near the Finnish border.
- In late January 2026, Finnish media reported that Russia was restoring the abandoned Soviet-era Rybka garrison in Petrozavodsk to accommodate the newly formed 44th Army Corps of the Leningrad Military District, which is expected to comprise up to 15,000 troops.
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