Finland Runs Europe's Largest Civil Defense Exercise Since WWII Amid Russian Tensions
· World · The Independent, AP News
More than 2,000 volunteers, students, and conscripts are participating in Europe's largest civil defense exercise since World War II in the central Finnish city of Kuopio. The drill simulates a scenario where critical infrastructure, including power and water supplies, is disrupted by cyberattacks and missile threats from neighboring Russia. Conscripts wearing hazmat suits practiced converting underground rock shelters into safe living areas for thousands of residents. Finland shares an 830-mile border with Russia and joined NATO alongside Sweden in 2024 following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Organizers noted that the exercise aims to prepare ordinary citizens for potential attacks while drawing lessons from Ukraine's wartime experiences.
Why it matters
This massive civil defense drill highlights heightened regional security concerns and NATO integration in Northern Europe as nations prepare their populations for potential hybrid and conventional threats from Russia.
Read the original report — The Independent
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