An Anduril Bolt drone is seen here during Exercise Northern Star near the Russian border in Finland, May 25, 2026. (Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Images via Getty Images)
BELFAST — Nordic counterparts Finland and Sweden have agreed to strengthen military cooperation by enhancing Helsinki’s counter-drone capabilities in the face of recent aerial incursions, owing to heightened tensions amid Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Finland’s Ministry of Defence said in a statement today that the move demonstrates the two Scandinavian countries’ “ability to act together and take responsibility for security in the region and on NATO’s eastern flank.”
In the statement, Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen added that existing air and maritime cooperation stands as an “integral part” of joint collaboration, “and now we move forward to cooperate on territorial surveillance and protection of territorial integrity.”
Helsinki did not mention how national counter-drone capabilities will be improved specifically or list new commitments made by Stockholm on the matter. However, Sweden’s public broadcaster SVT reported today that Stockholm has approved a request from Helsinki to send aircraft including Gripen fighter jets and Swedish warships to Finland, near term, as a means of patrolling “risk areas” along the Finnish-Russian border.
