Russian troops at Finland border? New satellite images reveal ‘increasing activity’ in key NATO sites

New satellite images have revealed significant Russian military activity near Finland's eastern border

Published on: May 12, 2025, 03:21:55 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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New satellite images have revealed significant Russian military activity near Finland's eastern border as Moscow and Kyiv discuss a potential ceasefire. The photos, obtained by Swedish broadcaster SVT from Planet Labs, have caused concerns, with analysts warning about the ‘increased activity’. According to Helsinki Times, visuals show troop accommodation, aircraft deployment, and construction.

Russian army was reportedly spotted at Finland's border (AP)

The SVT report adds that satellite images show helicopters, a new tent camp and bombers. Neither Finland nor Russian officials have issued a statement reacting to the report. The publication adds that the Russian activity is mainly in four locations - Kamenka on the Karelian Isthmus, Petrozavodsk, Severomorsk-2, and Olenya.

At Kamenka, which is 60 kilometers from the Finnish border, over 130 military tents have been erected since February 2025, the Helsinki Times reports. According to SVT, the area appears capable of housing up to 2000 soldiers.

About 175 kilometers east of the border, Russia has built three storage halls, which can accommodate 50 armored vehicles, SVT states.

Military analyst Emil Kastehelmi told the publisher that the activity are a part of Russia's promised measures following NATO expansion. Finland joined NATO in April 2023.

According to the report, Sweden’s Chief of Defence, Michael Claesson, said the activity confirms Russia's plans about ‘military-technical measures’.

“When we applied for NATO membership, Russia said it would take such steps. We are now seeing that happen,” Claesson said.

This comes as Poland accused Russian intelligence services on Sunday of orchestrating a fire that destroyed a large shopping centre last year in the capital of Warsaw. In May 2024, a fire destroyed a large shopping centre in Warsaw.

"We now know for sure that the great fire of the Marywilska shopping centre in Warsaw was caused by arson ordered by the Russian special services," said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on X.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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