Finland Conducts Europe’s Largest Civil Defense Drill Since WWII Era

In a rock-hewn civil defense shelter beneath Kuopio, Finland, conscripts in hazmat suits test radiation levels while hundreds sleep on trestle beds, simulating an emergency response to cyberattacks and potential missile strikes from Russia.

More than 2,000 participants, including volunteers and students, engage in what organizers describe as the largest civil defense exercise in Europe since World War II’s conclusion.

The scenario simulates critical infrastructure failures—power and water systems disrupted by cyberattacks—with additional threats of Russian missile strikes in Finland’s 830-mile (1,300-km) border region stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic Circle.

The exercise allows local authorities and civilians to practice coordinated responses to real-world attacks, particularly addressing ongoing sabotage campaigns Russia has allegedly conducted across Europe since its 2022 Ukraine invasion.

Since joining NATO alongside Sweden in 2024, Finland maintains its focus on individual preparedness alongside military defense. Retired Army Colonel Asko Muhonen, the exercise organizer, emphasizes that Finland’s security relies on both professional forces and citizen readiness, rooted in traditions of conscription dating to the Soviet era.

“It’s our duty to serve and protect this country like people have before us. That’s why we have our independence,” says Jyry Pietikainen, a conscript trained in shelter management. Muhonen also highlights lessons from Ukraine’s urban warfare, noting that effective shelters must be easily accessible—not just fortified against nuclear threats.

Ukrainian student Dmytro Untila, who sheltered in Odesa during Russia’s February 2022 invasion, stresses that proper training could have reduced uncertainty during attacks: “Training would have definitely helped because nobody knew this could happen.”

Energy infrastructure safety concerns include weather-related disruptions and increased cyberattacks following Finland’s 2022 decision to cease Russian biofuel purchases. Savon Voima CEO Juha Räsänen reports discovering mysterious stickers on critical infrastructure components, speculating: “If there was an explosion at that point, it could destroy a whole dam.” Drone sightings over power lines remain unexplained.

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“It’s not possible to guard against all threats,” Räsänen says, emphasizing the need for 72-hour self-sufficiency during outages. The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service found no credible threats after investigating observed phenomena, attributing most incidents to routine occurrences.

Vuokko Lahtinen, visiting a Kuopio sauna, notes persistent GPS signal jamming as evidence of ongoing hybrid warfare. She advocates making Finland “not worth attacking” through national resilience: “The best defense is a society where people feel they have something worth fighting for.”

Historical context underscores current efforts: Finland lost 11% of its territory and over 400,000 people during its Soviet-era wars. At Kuopio’s veterans’ museum, 95-year-old Risto Mönkösen preserves documentation of past bombings, including accounts from childhood shelter experiences shared by centenarians like Pirkko Naukkarinen, who recalls working in field kitchens during WWII retreats.

Current exercise participants include schoolchildren learning emergency protocols. “Kids might have to do something alone. Adults can’t always help,” says 11-year-old Amanda Hill, reflecting the intergenerational preparedness focus shaping Finland’s civil defense strategy.

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