Finland will increase the reservist age limit from 60 to 65 years from January 1 to strengthen military preparedness against potential threats from neighbouring Russia, Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen announced on December 23.

The reform, signed into law by the president, will add 125,000 conscripts over five years, bringing Finland's total reserve force to approximately one million by 2031, Hakkanen stated, Finnish media reported.

The country's reserve currently comprises around 900,000 citizens, with a wartime strength of 280,000 soldiers, Euroactive reported.

The new age limit will extend conscript availability by 15 years for enlisted personnel and five years for non-commissioned officers and officers. The measure applies to those liable for military service when the law enters into force.

Military service is mandatory for all Finnish men upon turning 18 and voluntary for women in the Nordic country of 5.6 million people. Conscripts serve between six, nine or 12 months depending on their training.

Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia and ended decades of military non-alignment by joining NATO in April 2023, just over a year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The eastern NATO member state closed its border with Russia in December 2023, suspecting Moscow of orchestrating migrant arrivals to destabilise the country.

"This and our other measures to bolster our defence signal that Finland ensures its security now and in the future," Hakkanen stated.