Russia has gathered a wealth of information from Finland using spies and other sources.

The level of detail is so great that Russian maps of Finland are in many respects more accurate than their Swedish counterparts.

The Russians had the services of General Georg Magnus Sprengtporten when forming their plans.

Sprengtporten had suggested going on to an offensive during the winter since Finland is mostly isolated when seas are frozen.

His ideas had been further developed by General Jan Pieter van Suchtelen before General Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden was appointed as the commander of the Russian army in Finland in December 1807.

The plan involves using the series of fortifications built after 1790 as staging grounds for the Russian advances into Finland.

In southern Finland, armies are to isolate the fortifications and first take control of the whole of southern Finland before advancing further to the north.

Forces in Savolax are to press hard against the Swedes and reach the Gulf of Bothnia towards Uleåborg and Vasa to cut off the retreat of the main body of the Swedish army.