Arctic Blade: Extreme cold, tough training and the fight for survival in Arctic conditions
In temperatures as low as -32 degrees, international teams of soldiers and reserve troops tested basic combat and survival skills in Finland's wintry northern conditions. The objective of the exercise was to gain new experience and skills in planning and conducting combat operations in a very cold environment, and to deepen cooperation and experience with reserve units from Finland and other allied nation participants.
Long moves on skis loaded with cargo, shooting, emergency fire-making, fortification with snow and ice, and even falling into the icy water of a frozen lake. An unusual training was attended by professionals and reservists from Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia, Denmark, the USA, Switzerland and Finland.
For the Czechs, the training, which is traditionally organised by the Finnish Reserves, was interesting not only because of the demanding conditions, but also because they could see for themselves how this Nordic country approaches the defence of the country. "The professional army numbers just 20 000 men and women in uniform, but the Reserves are a huge group, 900 000 of them, 280 000 of whom are ready for immediate deployment. Every man must complete between six months and a year of military service, after which he is placed in the reserve and regularly takes part in exercises until he is 60. In addition, the state maintains a register of personnel with the necessary skills, such as IT specialists, logisticians and medics, in case of mobilisation," said Captain Jan Heřmánek, commander of the mechanised company of the active reserve of the 72nd Mechanised Battalion.
Public involvement does not stop there, however, as the private sector is also involved in the country's defence, holding stocks of all sorts of materials for the army - from fuel and medicines to food. The emphasis on the involvement of the whole of society in defence is based on Finland's historical experience as well as on Russia's geographical proximity. "The Finnish model is based on the idea of total defence: the whole of society, soldiers, reservists, companies and ordinary citizens have a key role to play in defence," he adds.
This is confirmed by Lieutenant T. H., who was part of the reconnaissance platoon on the exercise. "The Finns are an incredibly morally strong nation, they realise that they cannot afford to fail in this matter, which was clearly evident during the exercise and all the tasks they performed here. It is evident in every single person, and it is reflected in every single detail - for example, they don't mind travelling hundreds of kilometres away to train, sacrificing their free time, all on their own dime - the reservists are not paid or rewarded in any way," he attests.
According to the Czech soldiers, their interest in doing their best and dedicating themselves entirely to the task at hand has rubbed off on other nations. "There was absolutely no problem and everyone wanted to bring their own experience and pass it on to the next one. In spite of the language barrier, everyone managed to overcome it and complete the tasks together," said Lieutenant T.H. praising the interesting training. The commander of the mechanised platoon, Lieutenant Jiří Novák, was surprised not only by the enthusiasm of the Finnish reservists. "They use very simple but at the same time effective means. They are able to teach everyone the basic skills - both for conducting combat in Nordic conditions and for long-term operation on the battlefield - very quickly. In summary, there is power in simplicity."
