If you find yourself soaring over Finland, you might feel like you can practically wave at Russia.

That’s how Brigadier Nick English of the British Army puts it while walking through the snowy landscapes of Finland’s largest training area, just a snowball's throw away from Russia.

"You're that close," he admits freely.

However, everyone involved seems to think NATO is on its toes, ready for whatever curveballs Russia might throw at the northern edge of the alliance. Despite some folks fretting about how ready Europe is to tussle with Russia, or how long everyone could hold their ground, the mood in Finland within the NATO camps seems firm: we're prepared.

Joint Drills and Military Preparedness

Swedish, Finnish, and British units are all over the place up here, doing joint drills and getting NATO’s newest pals up to speed. They are popping off rounds from howitzers and strapping Hellfire missiles onto Apaches, a mere 70 miles from the secretive expanses of Russia. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg—more drills sprinkle the map all the way south along NATO’s flank, rubbing elbows with Belarus and almost knocking on Ukraine’s door. Among the pack, Finland, Sweden, and the U.K. vow to throw more cash at their militaries in the coming years. This boost is part of a broader NATO trend to up their game financially, thanks to some serious side-eye from former U.S. President Donald Trump and the ever-loud drumbeat of 'What’s Russia up to next?'

NATO's Stance on Russian Threats

NATO brass isn't being shy anymore. They’re out there, voices loud, painting Russia as a considerable threat the minute it gets its second wind from the tough years in Ukraine. Yeah, Moscow’s toothy advance on its neighbor in 2022 dinged up its ground troops, but don’t be fooled—most of the Russian military machine is still shiny and waiting.

The Nail-Biter: Russian Military Buildup

The real nail-biter? What happens if all those trained-up Russian soldiers, whether they signed up or got signed up, start swarming as soon as any whistle blows for a ceasefire? Trump and his crew have been all about wrapping up Europe’s biggest land scuffle since the big WWII, but, let’s be real, that’s turning into a bit of a headache for everyone, especially the GOP leader. And let’s not ignore the Russians beefing up bases near the Finnish border. Looks like they’re setting the stage for a long haul, making their military digs wider and deeper just a stone’s throw from NATO turf, The New York Times noted recently. Before this whole mess, Russia had parked about 20,000 of its troops near Finland, along with some standby brigades, which, by the book, is quite a bunch (each brigade packs about 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers). Now, they’re hustling to stack more bricks and bodies close by, puffing up their chest more than ever, according to Finnish bigwig Vesa Virtanen.

Russian Defense Strategies

Sergei Shoigu, back in his Russian Defense Minister days, even chalked up a plan back in 2022: puff up the troops, split some military districts, and basically let everyone know they meant business. Fast forward, and when Finland decided to join the NATO gang in 2023, Putin wasn’t exactly handing out congratulations. His move? Reviving the old Leningrad squad as a direct clap back at NATO’s growing footprint. Looks like the Russian troop count near the new NATO line could swell to double or even triple what it was pre-Ukraine mess, as per Helsinki’s military think tanks. And the gears are grinding across NATO, trying to keep up with a possibly larger, though admittedly clunkier, Russian military lineup soon.

NATO's Future Plans and Concerns

There’s chatter over NATO’s big pow-wow coming up in The Hague, with U.S. Ambassador Matthew Whitaker hinting at maybe dialing back some of the massive U.S. military presence in Europe. But amidst all this, U.S. soldiers were MIA from the latest drill session in Finland. While the public vibe seems confident about the alliance’s muscle, insiders can’t help but sweat a bit over the patchy defense capabilities popping up across Europe. Think shaky air defenses, scarce ammo—the works. It’s a bit like seeing your gym buddy skip leg day—just doesn’t feel right, you know? But hey, the show goes on, and NATO’s not dropping the guards anytime soon.