Finland has conducted a major civil defense exercise to test how authorities and residents would respond to cyberattacks, infrastructure failures, and potential Russian missile strikes. According to Euronews, the drill was described as the largest of its kind in Europe since World War II.
More than 2,000 conscripts, volunteers, students, and emergency personnel participated in the Shelter 2026 exercise in Kuopio, central Finland.
The exercise simulated cyberattacks disrupting electricity and water supplies, alongside the threat of missile strikes. Participants practiced opening shelters, measuring radiation levels, and accommodating thousands of civilians underground.
One of Kuopio’s main shelters, built into rock and normally used as a sports facility, can accommodate around 7,000 people. It is designed to protect against conventional, nuclear, and biological threats. Hundreds of participants spent the night there on camp beds.
The drill also incorporated lessons from Ukraine, where civilians may have only minutes to reach a subway station, underground parking garage, or another protected area during an attack.
Finland’s Civil Defense Shelter Network
Finland’s preparedness model includes more than 50,500 civil defense shelters with a combined capacity of approximately 4.8 million people—enough to accommodate most of the country’s 5.6 million residents.
Many of these facilities serve civilian purposes during peacetime, operating as swimming pools, sports halls, playgrounds, and entertainment venues. When necessary, they can be rapidly converted into protected spaces.
Mandatory military service for men, alongside voluntary service for women, allows Finland to mobilize around 280,000 troops, supported by a reserve of approximately 900,000 personnel.
Security Concerns
The exercise comes amid growing concern over Russian military activity and the security of NATO’s northern flank.
Last month, the Finnish Defense Ministry said it was investigating a suspected violation of the country’s airspace by a Russian military aircraft.
Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer (833-mile) border with Russia and joined NATO in 2023 following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Helsinki also plans to increase defense spending to at least 3 percent of gross domestic product by 2029.
