Finland calls up reservists for border surveillance amid drone surge, exposing system flaws
Finland’s defence forces have taken the unusual step of mobilising reservists to assist with territorial surveillance, a move experts say reveals structural weaknesses in the country’s military system. The decision follows a sustained increase in drone incursions linked to the war in Ukraine, state broadcaster Yle reports.
Security policy researcher Charly Salonius-Pasternak, director of the Nordic West Office, told Yle that Finland’s defence model was not designed for prolonged, low-intensity strain of this kind. “The system wasn’t built for a situation where stray drones create long-term demand for surveillance,” he said. “There’s a flaw in how easily we can deploy reservists for extended operational support—both logistically and in terms of their civilian lives.”
The Finnish Defence Forces confirmed it would assign reservists to territorial monitoring tasks, marking the first time reservists with prior consent have been used for this purpose outside crisis conditions. Since late March, Finland has maintained elevated readiness, with near-constant fighter jet patrols, increased naval deployments, and reinforced ground-based radar surveillance. The Finnish Border Guard has also intensified patrols and manned observation towers.
Salonius-Pasternak noted that while Finland’s peacetime military relies on a lean active-duty staff—many focused on conscript training—the system assumes reservists would primarily be activated during crises, not for protracted support roles. “At some point, the regular personnel’s working hours become unsustainable,” he said. “But we’ve barely tested how quickly reservists can transition from civilian jobs to long-term assignments, or what compensation they’d need beyond symbolic daily allowances.”
The Defence Forces have not specified which tasks reservists will perform or the duration of their service. Salonius-Pasternak suggested duties would likely mirror crisis-time roles, such as operating radar systems, maintaining air defence equipment, or conducting ground searches for drones using surveillance technology.
Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen told Yle the reservists called up had previously given consent for rapid mobilisation. Finland has not yet requested assistance from NATO allies to manage the increased workload.