Helsinki’s “underground city” reflects a tense position as Russia’s neighbor
HELSINKI – Finland can be the happiest country in the world – at least on the surface. But Helsinki’s “underground city” tells a different story.
Beneath the capital, a huge network of bunkers and tunnels spread around the city. There are more than 5,000 bomb shelters in Helsinki – enough to protect more than the city’s entire population – and more than 50,000 bunkers across the country, according to the Helsinki Rescue Department. All buildings above a certain size are required by law to have their own bunkers.
“There is a historical feeling that you always have to be ready. It may not be this or the next generation, but Russia is likely to attack Finland in some way,” says Charly Salonius-Pasternak, a leading researcher at the Institute of the International Institute. things.
With so much unused land, the City of Helsinki has moved some of its shelters into everyday public spaces. There is an underground playground, a canopy that also serves as a hockey hall, and even an underground swimming pool.
Such is Russia’s neighbor. Both countries have an 800-mile border and a long, complex history.
For decades, Finland decided not to join any military alliance in an effort to appease Russia’s security concerns. As a result, Finland had to make sure that it survived on its own. So it’s not just about bunkers; Conscription is still compulsory for men, and there are about 900,000 reservists in the country.
“We have to take care of the citizens, that’s the biggest reason we have this system,” said Tomi Rask, an educator at the Helsinki Civil Protection Agency.
But the very scenarios that Finland has been preparing for for years are now playing in Ukraine, where some have lived underground for weeks.
The attack was a turning point in Finnish-Russian relations. Finland’s public support for accession NATO has skyrocketed from about 30 percent before the war to over 70 percent in the weeks after the attack.
“We have such a horrible neighbor to the east of Finland. We have no choice but to go to NATO,” said Finnish citizen Kare Vartiainen, whom ABC News met using the underground swimming pool.
After years of neutrality, Finnish leaders announced on Thursday Finland must apply to NATO “without delay.” Sweden is expected to follow suit.
The country’s accession would more than double Russia’s land border with NATO. It would also expand NATO’s influence in the Arctic and further unite the West, Salonius-Pasternak said. NATO would also be strengthened.
“NATO would now have two more old democracies, both with truly capable armies, so that virtually the whole of northern Europe would now be one area to be defended,” he said.
There are those who are still skeptical, such as Veronika Honkasalo, one of the few MPs who believes that Finland should not join. MPs are expected to address the issue next week.
“I am afraid that NATO membership will actually increase tensions in the Baltic Sea region and also increase tensions in Finland, especially with regard to the eastern border,” he said.
Russia has already threatened “serious military and political consequences” if Finland and Sweden join NATO, saying it must strengthen its defenses in the region and can decide to deploy nuclear weapons in the Baltics.
It is worrying what may happen after Finland and Sweden submit their applications, but before they formally join the alliance. Both countries now hope to have security guarantees from allies, including the US
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson promised on Thursday to come to the aid of Finland and Sweden if either country is attacked.
The Finns say it is time to act when Putin is busy with Ukraine. The war in Ukraine will cause Finland, despite its 50,000 shelters and qualified soldiers, to decide that it will no longer survive alone. It will probably give Putin exactly what he did so hard to prevent: NATO enlargement.
“We are a small nation, we need help, we need friends. And from my perspective, NATO is perhaps the friend we need,” Rask said.