Helsinki Prepares Shelters for Nearly Million People In Case of Russian Attack

One of Europe’s largest shelter systems has been set up near Helsinki, the capital of Finland.

It is capable of accommodating nearly a million people in the event of a military threat, including missile strikes, a nuclear attack, or an invasion, according to The Times.

The underground city beneath Helsinki consists of approximately 5,500 shelters.

They are part of a long-standing security system that Finland has developed due to its proximity to Russia and its own historical experience with war.

More than 675,000 people live in Finland’s capital, but the shelter network is designed to accommodate a significantly larger number of residents.

The largest shelters in Helsinki can accommodate more than 11,000 people at a time. They are equipped with ventilation systems, independent power supplies, water reserves, and the necessary equipment for extended stays.

In peacetime, many of these facilities are used for ordinary urban purposes. They house sports complexes, community centers, and other infrastructure facilities, but in the event of a crisis, they can be quickly converted into shelters.

“We started building them in 1939 and have never stopped,” said a representative of the City Rescue Department.

According to him, the ongoing use of shelters during peacetime allows for regular inspections of their condition and helps maintain readiness for emergencies.

After the end of the Cold War, many European countries scaled back their civil defense programs, but Finland continued to maintain its shelters and prepare the population for potential crises.

Finland shares a border with Russia that stretches over 1,300 kilometers — the longest land border between Russia and a NATO country.

The country operates programs to prepare people for various crisis situations — from military threats to large-scale power outages or supply disruptions. Finland also requires large new buildings to have protective shelters. This allows the network of shelters to be continuously expanded without the need for separate, large-scale government construction programs.