The country is also planning to double double its forces on borders with Estonia and other NATO members such as Finland, according to the intelligence agency’s report.
It said: “Russia plans to create a 44th Army Corps, based in Petrozavodsk, to address [Finland joining NATO]. This formation will probably be built around at least two or three manoeuvre units with around a dozen fire support and combat support units.”
Although Estonia’s intelligence agency deems Putin’s mass military expansion to be all but certain, it depends on the leader’s ability to recruit, train and retain soldiers, especially in the wake of such significant losses on the Ukrainian front lines.
