NATO Arctic exercise brought over €4 million in revenue to northern Finland

The two-week Cold Response 26 military exercise in northern Finland generated more than €4 million in economic activity, according to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The NATO-led exercise, which concluded last week, involved 7,500 troops from multiple countries operating in Finland, alongside heavy military equipment such as armoured vehicles and aircraft. Participating forces procured local services and supplies—including fuel, food, accommodation, and maintenance—totaling approximately €4 million, per the Finnish Defence Forces.

In addition to official procurement, soldiers frequented local shops, restaurants, and service providers during the two-week period, providing a further boost to regional businesses. The main training operations took place at the Rovajärvi military range in Rovaniemi and surrounding areas in Sodankylä, with troop movements also passing through Kajaani and Tornio.

The exercise, part of NATO’s larger Cold Response 2026 drills involving 25,000 troops primarily in Norway, was described by Finnish authorities as strengthening both local economic resilience and the country’s ability to cooperate with NATO allies.