Finland announced plans to raise the maximum age for military reservists from 60 to 65 starting next year, a move aimed at strengthening national defence in response to security concerns linked to neighbouring Russia.
Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said the reform will come into force on January 1 after being signed into law by the president. The change is expected to add around 125,000 conscripts over the next five years, increasing the total number of reservists to about one million by 2031.
Finland currently has roughly 900,000 reservists and a wartime military strength of 280,000 troops. Hakkanen said the measure sends a clear signal that the country is reinforcing its defence both now and in the future.
Military service is compulsory for Finnish men from the age of 18 and voluntary for women. Conscripts serve between six and 12 months depending on their training. Under the new rules, the availability of enlisted reservists will be extended by up to 15 years, and by five years for officers and non-commissioned officers.
Finland, which shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, joined NATO in April 2023, ending decades of military non-alignment following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that a first-aid training module used by Securitas in France has sparked controversy after instructing security agents to respect Sharia law when providing emergency assistance.
