Finnish soldiers prepare for Nordic Response military exercise in Norway amid environmental concerns

Finnish soldiers have been diligently cleaning their equipment for weeks in preparation for the Nordic Response military exercise before crossing into Norway. The transport of any potentially contaminated soil is prohibited in NATO exercises for health and safety reasons. With over 20,000 NATO troops gathered for the drills, host nation Norway focused particularly on the Finnish participants, primarily due to concerns over Gyrodactylus salaris, a fish parasite that could devastate salmon populations if it entered Norwegian waterways.

Norwegian veterinary authorities imposed strict conditions regarding the equipment brought into the country. “All certifications had to be submitted in advance,” explained veterinarian Maria Sjöman from the Finnish Defense Forces’ Military Medical Center. Every vehicle that could potentially come into contact with water had to undergo thorough disinfection, which Norway, as the host country, has the right to demand.

The planning phase for international military exercises sees officers alongside veterinarians addressing the risks of animal and plant diseases based on the health situation in participating countries and the types of equipment used. For Nordic Response, 700 vehicles were cleaned, emphasizing the requirement for meticulous cleansing, especially on the undercarriage.

The process of washing military vehicles, particularly for the largest NATO participant, the U.S. armed forces, lasted three weeks at the Kemi harbor. The risk of pathogens becoming established increases as international exercises grow larger, and with climate change creating favorable conditions for new plant and animal diseases, the need for precautionary measures is ever more critical.

Current checks have so far found no evidence of pathogen transmission via transported soil, according to Sjöman, though the situation remains vigilant due to diseases like African swine fever, which have already appeared in nearby regions.