Deep inside a civil defence shelter carved into solid rock, protected by heavy doors engineered to withstand nuclear or biological strikes, two Finnish conscripts wearing full hazmat suits and breathing masks are meticulously measuring radiation levels. This underground space, which typically serves as a sports hall, has been transformed into a secure refuge for hundreds of people sleeping on camp beds.
This operation is the centerpiece of the largest civil defence exercise held in Europe since the conclusion of World War II, involving more than 2,000 participants, including students and volunteers.
The exercise scenario focuses on the central Finnish city of Kuopio, where critical infrastructure—specifically power and water systems—has been crippled by cyberattacks. The simulation also incorporates the looming threat of missile strikes from Finland’s neighbor, Russia. The primary objective is for local authorities and ordinary citizens to rehearse their responses to a real-world attack.
The drill has involved a variety of high-stakes scenarios, including the ignition of fires, simulated attacks on water and power facilities, and the deployment of drones for sabotage operations within European Union airspace.
Finland shares a border with Russia that stretches more than 1,300 kilometres from the Baltic Sea to the Arctic Circle. In 2024, Finland and Sweden officially joined NATO, a decision prompted by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Prior to this, Finns were largely prepared to defend their nation against Russia in isolation. Retired Army Colonel Asko Muhonen, who organized the Kuopio exercise, noted that Finland’s defense relies not only on the military but on the collective "mindset" of ordinary Finns who are prepared to take responsibility for national security.
Muhonen attributes this resilience partly to the country’s system of conscription, which remained in place even after the Soviet Union collapsed.
For 23-year-old conscript Jyry Pietikainen, who was trained to manage the Kuopio shelter overnight, the service is a matter of duty. While he acknowledges that not everyone enjoys national service, he stated, "it’s our duty to serve and protect this country like people have before us. That’s why we have our independence." This sentiment is shared by younger participants, such as 11-year-old Amanda Hill, whose school spent the day studying in the shelter.
She remarked that children need to be aware of these procedures because they might eventually have to act alone, as adults cannot always provide assistance.
The exercise also draws critical lessons from the war in Ukraine. Dmytro Untila, a 20-year-old Ukrainian student at the university in Kuopio, was in Odesa on 24 February 2022, the first day of the war, when Russian missiles struck his city. He recalled sheltering in the entrance hall of his building because he had nowhere else to go.
He noted that training for such a situation would have been immensely helpful in Ukraine, "because nobody knew this could happen." Muhonen emphasized that while the largest shelter in Kuopio can hold 7,000 people, Ukrainians have often had only minutes to reach safety in subways or underground parking lots.
Energy infrastructure remains a significant point of vulnerability. Juha Räsänen, CEO of the electricity company Savon Voima, explained that while heavy snowfall and storms are the most frequent threats to the region, cyberattacks against the network have increased significantly since the company stopped purchasing Russian biofuel. Furthermore, engineers discovered at least 10 stickers placed on vulnerable parts of the energy network last year, a phenomenon also reported by other Finnish energy companies.
Räsänen noted that drones have been spotted over power lines, though the operators remain unidentified. He warned that because it is impossible to guard against every threat, it is vital that people are prepared to look after themselves for at least 72 hours if power or water supplies are cut.
The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service stated it has investigated a wide range of observations but found nothing of immediate concern. However, residents remain vigilant. Vuokko Lahtinen, 32, noted that "small things are happening all the time," such as the Russian jamming of GPS signals. She believes the best defense for Finland is to make the country "not worth attacking," a goal supported by a general feeling of responsibility that has grown out of local community initiatives.
"On a very simple daily level, if you do things that matter, then it has a butterfly-wing effect," Lahtinen said.
The historical context of these threats remains vivid in Finland, which lost approximately 11% of its territory and saw more than 400,000 people—about 12% of the population—flee their homes during wars with the Soviet Union. At Kuopio's veterans’ museum, 95-year-old Risto Mönkkönen keeps a handwritten record of the dates the city was bombed and the names of those who died.
He recalled running into a shelter as a child just as a bomb hit, killing five of his father’s friends. Pirkko Naukkarinen, 102, remembered working in a field kitchen near the front lines at age 16, while 92-year-old Aili Toivanen recounted being forced to leave her home twice, once watching it burn after Finnish soldiers set it on fire to deny resources to the enemy.
When Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, Toivanen said she feared she would have to leave her home for a third time. As Muhonen advised regarding threats from Moscow, "don’t believe what they say but observe what they do."
