The 71st Battalion from the Southern Scanian Regiment (P 7) was honored on Friday at a ceremony in Revingehed after six months of service in NATO's multinational brigade in Latvia, writes the Swedish Armed Forces. About 1,500 relatives attended as, among others, Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M), Vice Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum, and Latvia's Ambassador Ilze Rūse awarded medals to the unit's personnel.

– With your efforts, we can proudly say that Sweden has created operational effect at NATO's eastern border with Russia, said Vice Admiral Skoog-Haslum during her speech.

Defense Minister Jonson highlighted the significance of the mission in a post on X.
– They have participated in the first land-based NATO mission as an ally and made the Baltic Sea region safer. Sweden now brings home valuable experiences, he writes.

The battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Henrik Rosdahl, expressed his appreciation for the unit:
– I feel deep respect and pride for the efforts made by the personnel of the 71st Battalion, both as individual soldiers and as a cohesive unit, he says according to the Swedish Armed Forces.

The 71st Battalion, which comprised approximately 550 soldiers and officers, is the first Swedish army unit to have served within NATO's Forward Land Forces in the Baltics. After the summer break, the unit will resume training for the next rotation in Latvia at the turn of the year 2025/2026, according to the Swedish Armed Forces' press invitation.