Since WWII, CCCP/CIS, NATO, and EU non-NATO military posture in Northern Europe has remained intact and dynamic.
Regardless of NATO membership and activity, Finland, and Norway (and Sweden to a lesser extent, but still active) have manned bases and defensive installation posture religiously, and have multiple rapid defensive/Eastern invasion training exercises. Not all, but these will include NATO elements every year.
This is not new at all.
Russia and its subordinate CIS also perform annual exercises, AND THEY DO IT EVERY YEAR, where they marshal/stage and rehearse Western offensives.
There have even been numerous “Finnish” and joint Norwegian/Finnish” exercises roughly timed with annual Russian/CIS exercises along the Finnish and Norwegian borders.
While not NATO, Finland has all along been part of annual drills, and joint Scandinavian/NATO drills and exercises.
These have significantly ramped up since 2003-2004 when the CIS under Putin began increasing the presence of more advanced units, and significantly upgrading and rearming Kaliningrad (including with nukes, and known chem storage and units).
In part due to Nordstream and Nordstream 2, for over a decade Sweden has been significantly increasing its naval and air force budgets, as Russia has essentially pulled a “China”, and has used its Nordstream energy lines as an excuse to place permanent naval assets along its route. The issue is when these assets travel wildly inside the 12nm territorial boundary lines of Finland, Sweden, and pretty much everyone in the AOR. Russian Air Force has and will fly regularly over land and cities of its neighbors.
While I am truly not a fan of NATO, for anyone to hang onto this NATO provocation narrative really does reflect lack of real historical long standing reference, or just carelessness to the region.
While at it, FSB, GRU, and related uniformed and non-uniformed activity has arguably remained at the strongest levels ever known (including the last century) in Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, and the rest of “Latin America,” since approximately 2010. Some argue since roughly 2002-2003.
Not even getting into the ME, AF, or East Asia.
There is a whole lot more going on than is published, broadcast, or circulated.
“There is a whole lot more going on than is published, broadcast, or circulated.”
One of the more astute posts in this entire topic. Kudos.