Overview

• Karelia Air Wing commander Col. Tomi Böhm confirmed the removal effort and said there was no political pressure to do it.
• The Finnish Defense Forces said the redesign stems from a 2023 flag-renewal plan that is not connected to Finland’s NATO accession.
• The new insignia will depict a golden eagle in flight over a blue circle surrounded by white wings, with no firm timetable for full adoption.
• The blue swastika, adopted in 1918, had remained on some unit flags despite its post‑WWII removal from aircraft and a shift away from the symbol in recent years.
• Diplomatic sensitivities have been a factor, including a 2021 episode in which German air units withdrew from a Finnish ceremony over swastikas on display.