Finland, Italy and Hungary will conduct an Open Skies observation flight in Russia from 3-7 June 2019. Italy will be the lead nation during the inspection.
The combined flight is based on a Technical Agreement between Finland, Italy and Hungary, which states the parties' responsibilities, obligations and cost-sharing arrangements.
The Finnish four-man team will be led by Major Kimmo Ala-Rautalahti from Air Force Command Finland.
Open Skies is an agreement that aims to promote transparency and security in Europe. The agreement allows the signatories to conduct observation flights and take aerial photographs over the territories of its member states when these have been planned and announced beforehand. Finland signed the agreement in February 2003.
