Swedish soldiers get a taste of future in NATO during Finland training

Swedish soldiers operate on a Combat Vehicle 90 during training with Finnish hunting units as part of NATO's Nordic Response exercise, in Hetta, Finland, March 5, 2024. Anders Wiklund/TT News Agency/via REUTERS

HETTA, Finland (Reuters) - In the snows of Finland, Swedish and Finnish soldiers take part in NATO's biggest exercise since the end of the Cold War, intended to test the military alliance's ability to reinforce places such as the Nordic far north.

Swedish and Finnish forces have trained together for years, but NATO membership for Finland and looming membership for Sweden following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, adds a new dimension as they integrate deeper into the alliance.