President Niinistö inspects Finland’s northernmost brigade: the Jaeger Brigade secures the North

Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Defence Forces, President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö inspected the Jaeger Brigade on Monday 22 January 2024 in Sodankylä.

During the visit, President Niinistö was briefed on the Jaeger Brigade's operations and current issues. The programme included demonstrations in the terrain of the Ground-based Air Defence Readiness Unit and conversations with Defence Force personnel and conscripts.

In addition to this, the President was introduced to Arctic training, including presentations on fire-making and avalanche preparedness. Finally, the President had the opportunity to make a ski tour on the new skis of the Defence Forces.

President Niinistö told the media that the performance and overall organisation of the Jaeger Brigade had given him a very convincing picture. "The Brigade is strong, and lives up to its motto: the Jaeger Brigade secures the North. We can rely on that."

Across Europe, the President said, there is a growing awakening to the fact that peace cannot be taken for granted. "I think we have heard calls from around the world to learn from Finland or to do like Finland. So Finland is actually used as an example. We have always been very vigilant and we have taken care of our defence. And above all, our tradition of conscription is a strong support for Finnish defence," he said. "The stronger we and Europe are, the safer our defence is. This is the safest way to avoid war."

The Jaeger Brigade is the Finnish Defence Forces' northernmost brigade-level unit specialised in arctic training and ground-based air defence.