The EU is stockpiling in Finland to counter chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. As announced by the European Commission, EUR 242 million has been made available for this on Tuesday.
The money can be used to purchase vaccines, antidotes, medical products and measuring equipment, for example. In case of an emergency, the relief supplies would then be delivered from Finland to affected EU countries or partner countries.
“Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has made it necessary to strengthen EU preparedness,” said EU Commissioner Janez Lenarcic.
The reserves would form an important safety net in the future, enabling a rapid and coordinated response.
Russian defense minister announces restructuring of the army
Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced a reorganization of the army to implement the increase in troops demanded by the Kremlin. Only through structural changes in the armed forces is it possible to guarantee Russia’s security, Shoigu said at a meeting of the Defense Ministry on Tuesday. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin announced shortly before New Year’s Eve that he would increase the number of soldiers from 1.15 to 1.5 million.
Russian reaction to Finland and Sweden joining NATO?
According to Schoigu, two major territorial units will be created combining different branches of weapons; the military districts of Moscow and Leningrad. Independent military units will also be set up in Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia. In addition, Shoigu announced the creation of an army corps in the North Russian Republic of Karelia. This could be in response to the planned NATO accession of the Scandinavian countries Sweden and Finland.
The combat effectiveness of the fleet, air force and missile forces must also be strengthened, Shoigu demanded. The renewal of the structures should therefore be completed between 2023 and 2026. Due to a large number of defeats in the offensive war against Ukraine, the military leadership in Moscow is faced with numerous problems and shortcomings that now need to be corrected.
Source: Krone
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