People are attending the civil defense exercise Shelter 2026 in Kuopio, Finland on September 2, 2026. Photo: Matias Honkamaa / Str / Lehtikuva
Domestic
More than 2,000 people took part in a civil defence exercise in Kuopio this week, testing how authorities and residents would respond to cyberattacks, infrastructure failures and the threat of missile strikes. Organisers described Shelter 2026 as Europe’s largest civil defence exercise since the Second World War.
The exercise centred on Luola, an underground sports and events complex in the Savilahti district.
The facility, completed two years ago, serves as a sports centre during normal conditions but converts into a civil defence shelter during an emergency.
