The U.S. is to carry out its first military drill in Finland just days after Russia confirmed it was undergoing training drills to test its army.
A group of F-15 fighter jets and over 100 personnel will be sent in May to the Scandinavian country.
A spokesperson at the Finnish Department of Defence said: ‘Co-operation with the U.S. is close and our co-operation on a practical level has been and will continue to remain tight.’
Relations between Russia and the US remain low after Crimea crisis in 2014.
The Russian Defence minister confirmed that country’s large military test will feature military transport aviation, airborne troops and the navy.
He reiterated that the test is not a provocation and is intended to check the troops’ ability to respond to challenges and threats.
A spokesperson released a statement saying: ‘The manoeuvres will test the troops’ mobility, with some being deployed to areas up to 1,800 miles away.’
Over 8000 troops, 900 ground weapons and 50 warships will be involved in the exercise.
Read More: American F-15s to join 1st Finland drill over ‘increased Russian activity’
