Finnish peacekeepers continue their work to promote stability in KFOR operation in Kosovo

Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a UN-mandated multinational NATO-led crisis management operation. Finnish peacekeepers have served in the operation since 1999. KFOR’s mission is to prevent hostilities between different ethnicities. KFOR cooperates with local authorities and other international organisations operating in the area to improve the national organisations and structures in Kosovo.

Both soldiers and civilians from 31 different countries serve in KFOR. Soldier turnover is high due to different service periods and personnel work rotation cycles. The high turnover presents some challenges for the operation, but it has also created an operating environment where personnel help each other and work together seamlessly. Serving in a multinational NATO-led operation also significantly improves the knowledge and skills of personnel.

Issues of domestic policy slow down progress

The overall situation in Kosovo is characterised in particular by a deadlock that the country has been stuck in since spring 2025. Kosovo had to hold early parliamentary elections both in 2025 and in the summer of 2026. The reason for the deadlock is disagreements in domestic policy, which have prevented Kosovo from forming a functioning government and electing a new president in 2026. Additionally, Serbia’s influence can clearly be seen in local policy-making – the president of Serbia has publicly taken a stance on the parliamentary elections in Kosovo, among others.

A time of political uncertainty continues in Kosovo. In the June 2026 elections, none of the parliamentary parties gained enough votes to form a majority government on its own. Ethnic tensions in Kosovo persist, and even the parliamentary parties have been strongly categorised by ethnic group. Thus, it is highly uncertain whether Kosovo will form a functioning government in the near future that could continue the reforms and development work that Kosovo desperately needs.

The security situation in Kosovo is generally stable, but fragile. The previous, more serious unrests occurred during 2023, when the crowd and riot control capabilities of KFOR were used to restore safety. The underlying cause for the unrests is political disagreements between the main ethnic groups, the Albanians and the Serbs. The fundamental disagreement is Kosovo’s status as an independent country or as a region of Serbia. Therefore, the security situation in Kosovo cannot be viewed separately from the political situation.

The Finnish Detachment in Kosovo

The Finnish Detachment in Kosovo consists of the National Support Element, a combat engineer platoon and personnel serving in the KFOR Headquarters. At present, Finnish peacekeepers are stationed in two different bases. The personnel serving in the KFOR Headquarters are placed in Camp Film City and the National Support Element and combat engineer platoon are placed in Camp Novo Selo.

Finland’s National Support Element (NSE) provides various services in logistics and maintenance of personnel matters. To the Finnish detachment, the activities of the NSE are crucial for carrying out the operation. Among others, the NSE takes care of personnel management, vehicle transportation and repair services, procurement of materiel and accounting, medical services and CIS networks for the Finnish Detachment of Kosovo. The tasks are versatile and there is a constant need for SMEs in each field. Some of the critical materiel needed by the Finnish detachment are ordered from Finland, but in many cases the materiel is procured from local businesses and service providers. Over the past 20 years, the Finnish Detachment in Kosovo has created a comprehensive and effective cooperation network in the area.

Most of the reservists serve in the combat engineer platoon, which is responsible for contributing to the secure and stable situation in Kosovo and freedom of movement in the area of operation. Freedom of movement means that movement in the Kosovo area is as easy and unrestricted as possible for both multinational forces and the local population.

The platoon has a wide range of tasks. The engineer platoon supports the operation with its capabilities in clearing, CBRN reconnaissance and heavy machinery.

The engineer platoon’s most important task is to be prepared to support the local authorities and civil crisis management actors as part of KFOR in incidents that may compromise security and stability in the operating area. In such situations, the engineer platoon is prepared to act as part of the crowd and riot control units and support them with the tasks and capabilities of the engineer branch. The engineer platoon trains for such operations regularly.

To secure freedom of movement, the most frequent tasks executed by the platoon are tasks that enable movement. These tasks include reconnaissance and maintenance of road networks and clearing obstacles. Additionally, the platoon makes sure that the helicopter landing sites used for operational mobility are clear of both explosives and other obstacles.

In addition to tasks that enable movement, the engineer platoon is responsible for CBRNe reconnaissance and clearing and advisor tasks. The engineer platoon also supports the local population by participating in CIMIC projects whenever capable.

To achieve the best possible task outcome, the capabilities of the platoon’s different sections are continuously needed; cooperation within the sections of the platoon is seamless. In addition to tasks, the platoon maintains its readiness by training and doing maintenance. Logistics and maintenance are well organised in the operation and the conditions to maintain an individual soldiers’ physical and psychological performance are excellent.

The Finnish detachment’s materiel and equipment are first-class, of high quality and high-performing, even by KFOR’s standards. Finnish reservists are highly skilled, and the expertise and operational capabilities of Finnish soldiers are widely respected among the other international units and cooperation partners serving in the operation. This trust and appreciation of the Finnish expertise is clearly indicated by the fact that Finnish soldiers are continuously invited to participate in exercises with other units.