Finland holds Europe's largest civil defense exercise since WWII

Finland is conducting Europe's largest civil defense exercise since World War II, with more than 2,000 people rehearsing responses to a simulated attack scenario in the central city of Kuopio. The drill, which began on September 2, 2026, is set against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions and what Western officials describe as a campaign of Russian sabotage and disruption across the continent. In the exercise, participants including volunteers, students, and conscripts are sheltering in a rock-hewn bunker designed to withstand nuclear or biological attacks. The scenario involves cyberattacks disrupting critical infrastructure like power and water, coupled with the threat of missile strikes from neighboring Russia. The goal is for local authorities and ordinary citizens to practice their response to a real crisis. Retired Army Colonel Asko Muhonen, who organized the exercise, emphasized that Finland's defense relies on the mindset of its people, a tradition supported by the country's conscription system.