How Finland Stands Guard Against Russia, Training for War Again

By late October, the first snow has fallen over Rovaniemi, Finland. On its outskirts, NATO forces prepare for Operation Dynamic Front, the largest ever multi-national artillery excercise performed by the alliance to date. In the town’s center, a directional sign points towards distant capitals: New York, 6,204 km; London, 2,260 km; Moscow, just 1,366 km away.

On high alert

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, neighboring countries have been on high alert. “We know what kind of boogie man lives across the border,” says Jukka, a Master Sergeant in Finland’s Army Reserve who now takes part in voluntary civilian defense training courses known as MPK .

The MPK aims to enhance the readiness of both the country’s Defence Forces and the general population. The weekend workshops are held nationwide year-round. Regarding attendance levels, Jukka says “There has been a real spike in these MPK courses since the war in Ukraine began.”

Courses run Friday through Sunday and trainees learn basic safety skills, first aid, fire extinguishing, self-defense, and orienteering. They are also trained in search and rescue operations, evacuation, mass lodging, and provisioning.

A culture of preparedness

A relatively small nation of just 5 million people, Finland is one of the few countries in Europe that requires military service for all men. “Going to the army is part of the growing up story,” says Jani, a Captain in Finland’s Army Reserve and current MPK participant. Consequently, MPK courses are far from a niche interest but rather a melting pot of diverse individuals. Jani notes that attendees range from millionaires to everyday citizens.

Gun sales in Finland have also surged. “If it previously took you one month to get a gun license, it now takes you half a year,” says Jani. At one local shooting club, safety courses are now fully booked. Before the full-scale invasion, a class might attract 20 people, but now attendance has soared to 50 or 60 participants.

Finland has recently updated its preparedness pamphlets, placing a strong emphasis on how to handle crises such as war, alongside other threats like mass evacuations and extreme weather. Neighboring Norway and Sweden have followed suit, advising citizens to prepare for nuclear scenarios by keeping at least three days’ worth of non-perishable food and iodine tablets on hand.

Pasi, an analyst with Finland’s Blackbird Group—an open-source intelligence agency specializing in Russia and Ukraine— explains that the Finns have never been quite as trusting towards Russia as other countries. “We have a multi-generational, deep-seated distrust of Russia. I would say that this comes with the mother’s milk.”

Pasi explains that this distrust drives the strong willingness among citizens to engage in voluntary training and reservist activities. Though these programs were offered before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, they are now being taken “even more seriously than they were taken before.”

A nation ready to defend

In recent years there has been increasing willingness among citizens to defend the nation. In an annual poll, a staggering 78% of respondents affirmed they would support taking up arms to safeguard the country “even if the outcome seemed uncertain”.

This culture of National Preparedness is reflected in Finland’s government policies as well. “In Finland, [mobilization] has been clearly legislated for multiple generations. Our legislation has quite a few, I would say, draconian laws for mobilizing the entire country,” Pasi says.

We have a multi-generational, deep-seated distrust of Russia.

Pasi Paroinen

Analyst for Blackbird Group

Over the last year, Finland has even begun shoring up land rights along its border with Russia. Working in cooperation with landholders, the Air Defense Forces have secured rights to swiftly take control of specific areas and establish defenses if necessary. Public discussions have also increasingly focused on the possibility of constructing structures and fortifications along Finland’s eastern border.

Winter War

After Ukraine, Finland has the longest border with Russia of any European country, 1,340 km (833 miles). The two nations share a complicated history and memories of the Winter War  are still engrained in the national psyche. Following the Winter War, Finland constructed the Salpa Line, a 1,200-kilometer defensive fortification along its eastern frontier, designed to deter Soviet advances in World War II.

“Many people in Finland have grandparents that were in the war,” says Jukka who is 37 years old. “They have heard the stories, and they have some memorabilia.”

In Jukka’s bookshelf is a book of hymnals that belonged to his grandfather’s brother, a soldier in the Winter War. Lodged in its cover is shrapnel from a grenade. “You could say that that particular book saved his life,” says Jukka noting a visible blood stain.

“When you go into any store in Finland you always see these magazines and books being sold about the Second World War,” he says. These hero stories of when the Finns fought back the Russians are still very much a part of the national identity. “We are the stubborn people who just didn’t go down easily.”

Though Russia won the Winter War, it suffered severe losses despite its military superiority. Echoes of this can be seen in the current battles of Ukraine, where Ukrainian armed forces have repelled Russian troops against harrowing odds.

History doesn’t repeat, but it often rhymes

With a deeply ingrained culture of preparedness and programs like MPK, Finland has built a robust defense system designed for any eventuality, supported by its population’s unwavering commitment to national defense.

“Finland has spent generations preparing to make this country as difficult and costly as possible to invade,” says Pasi. “If [Russia] tried, we would turn every road, every village, every field into potential killing grounds. We would do everything in our power, and use every resource we have, to grind them down.”

This readiness isn’t born of paranoia, but rather experience. From the Winter War to the Salpa Line, Finland has continuously adapted to ensure its survival against its eastern neighbor. Today, Finns remain resolute in their commitment to self-defense with 80% supporting conscription and overwhelming overall confidence in NATO.

However, as Pasi points out, Finland’s security doesn’t exist in isolation. “The one thing that the West can do is support Ukraine. They need ammunition. They need equipment very badly. If this support does not arise, the situation could go much worse. More rapidly than most people would probably imagine.” Finland’s unwavering support for Ukraine, shared by the majority of its citizens, reflects a deep understanding that global security is a shared responsibility.

In this way, Finland should serve as a model to fellow NATO allies of the importance of preparation, unity and a strong alliance. As Ukraine fights for its sovereignty, Finland perhaps more than any of its allies, understands what it means to share a border with Russia and is planning accordingly.