A new Director of Communications for Finnish Defence Forces

The Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces has ordered Colonel Aki-Mauri Huhtinen, Director of Communications of the Defence Forces, as of 1 March 2026.

Colonel Huhtinen is currently serving as the head of the Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy at the National Defence University. He has previously served, among other roles, as a military professor and teacher at the National Defence University, in crisis management assignments in Kosovo (SOK) and Afghanistan (SKJA). He graduated as a General Staff Officer in 2000 and was promoted to Colonel in 2023.

Lieutenant Colonel Mikko Illi has been ordered to serve as Deputy Commander of the Kainuu Brigade from 1 March 2026. He is currently serving as Deputy Head of Department at the Army Staff.