In the frigid, snow-covered forests of western Finland, a group of women gather under the cover of darkness. Clad in camouflage and matching purple beanies, they huddle in a large military tent, their faces illuminated by the flickering light of a wood-burning stove. The topic of discussion: the looming threat of war with Russia.
“I didn’t think it was a real possibility that Russia would attack us,” confesses Sari, a 42-year-old sales professional and mother of two. “But then they invaded Ukraine. I realized that we could be next.”
Sari is one of approximately 75 women participating in a weekend-long “surviving without electricity” course in Lohtaja, near the town of Kokkola. The training, known as Nasta, is one of 40 such programs organized by the Women’s National Emergency Preparedness Association across Finland. Other courses cover topics like cybersecurity, mental resilience, wilderness skills, snowmobile driving, and information influencing.
A Nation on High Alert
The surge in interest in these courses is a direct response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Finland, which shares an 830-mile border with Russia, has a long and complex history with its eastern neighbor, including a Soviet attempt to invade during World War II. The collective memory of that conflict, coupled with Russia’s recent aggression, has put the nation on high alert.
“It’s because of our history and our location,” explains Suvi Aksela, Nasta’s communications and organization manager. “The neighbor isn’t very friendly and hasn’t been, even before [2022]. For us, it’s common sense.”
The Finnish constitution obligates all citizens to contribute to national defense, with men required to undertake military service and women able to apply on a voluntary basis. This deeply ingrained sense of civic duty, combined with the palpable threat from Russia, has driven unprecedented numbers of women to seek out additional training and skills.
Preparing for the Worst
Over the course of the weekend, the women at the Nasta course in Lohtaja will learn a wide range of survival skills, from building fires and cooking outdoors to administering first aid and constructing makeshift toilets. They’ll take turns tending to the fire throughout the night, ensuring that the tent remains warm and habitable in the sub-zero temperatures.
For many of these women, the training is as much about confronting their fears as it is about acquiring practical skills. “Attending the course is my way of confronting my fears,” admits Tytti, a 36-year-old participant who has been so anxious about relations with Russia that she’s been avoiding the news.
Others, like 67-year-old Hannele, are more concerned about the kind of hybrid warfare that Finland is already experiencing, such as cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. “I’m surprised by how many young women have been taking up arms,” she notes. “But I’m curious to know: how does it feel to shoot something?”
A Multi-Faceted Threat
Finnish intelligence services have no doubt that the country is currently engaged in a hybrid war with Russia. According to Teemu Turunen, deputy director of the Finnish intelligence and security service (Supo), the threat comes in many forms:
- Cyberattacks and sabotage attempts on critical infrastructure
- Disinformation and propaganda campaigns
- Espionage and intelligence gathering
- The weaponization of asylum seekers as “tools” to destabilize Finland
“It’s very clear that this is the number one threat to Finnish national security: Russian state actors,” Turunen asserts. “Even blurring the lines between using proxy criminal organizations or other types of proxies.”
He cautions, however, against assuming that Russia is behind every potential incident, noting that the country has more urgent priorities at the moment, such as maintaining its own stability and prosecuting the war in Ukraine.
“It’s important to understand that Russia is not omnipotent. They are trying to exaggerate their capabilities… They try to make us fear that, but it’s not the case.”
– Teemu Turunen, Deputy Director of Supo
An Uncertain Future
As for what the future holds, Turunen warns that the threat from Russia is unlikely to dissipate anytime soon, especially as the United States turns its focus increasingly toward China. “The threat from the Russian side is not going away,” he emphasizes, stressing that Europe must “step up and improve preparedness.”
For the women of Finland, that preparedness takes on a deeply personal dimension. “If I lived in the eastern parts of Lapland, I would be even more concerned,” confides Merja Majanen, a 67-year-old retired bank manager from Rovaniemi.
Yet even as they grapple with the weight of an uncertain future, these women remain resolute in their determination to be ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. As they emerge from their weekend in the wilderness, tired but empowered, they carry with them not only a new set of skills, but a renewed sense of purpose and solidarity in the face of an existential threat.
In the words of Aija Kuukkanen, a 58-year-old factory worker who first tried to sign up for a Nasta course in the spring of 2022: “I wanted to get more information and get prepared somehow.” It’s a sentiment that resonates deeply with women across Finland – a nation bracing for the unthinkable, but determined not to face it unprepared.
“It’s because of our history and our location,” explains Suvi Aksela, Nasta’s communications and organization manager. “The neighbor isn’t very friendly and hasn’t been, even before [2022]. For us, it’s common sense.”
The Finnish constitution obligates all citizens to contribute to national defense, with men required to undertake military service and women able to apply on a voluntary basis. This deeply ingrained sense of civic duty, combined with the palpable threat from Russia, has driven unprecedented numbers of women to seek out additional training and skills.
Preparing for the Worst
Over the course of the weekend, the women at the Nasta course in Lohtaja will learn a wide range of survival skills, from building fires and cooking outdoors to administering first aid and constructing makeshift toilets. They’ll take turns tending to the fire throughout the night, ensuring that the tent remains warm and habitable in the sub-zero temperatures.
For many of these women, the training is as much about confronting their fears as it is about acquiring practical skills. “Attending the course is my way of confronting my fears,” admits Tytti, a 36-year-old participant who has been so anxious about relations with Russia that she’s been avoiding the news.
Others, like 67-year-old Hannele, are more concerned about the kind of hybrid warfare that Finland is already experiencing, such as cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. “I’m surprised by how many young women have been taking up arms,” she notes. “But I’m curious to know: how does it feel to shoot something?”
A Multi-Faceted Threat
Finnish intelligence services have no doubt that the country is currently engaged in a hybrid war with Russia. According to Teemu Turunen, deputy director of the Finnish intelligence and security service (Supo), the threat comes in many forms:
- Cyberattacks and sabotage attempts on critical infrastructure
- Disinformation and propaganda campaigns
- Espionage and intelligence gathering
- The weaponization of asylum seekers as “tools” to destabilize Finland
“It’s very clear that this is the number one threat to Finnish national security: Russian state actors,” Turunen asserts. “Even blurring the lines between using proxy criminal organizations or other types of proxies.”
He cautions, however, against assuming that Russia is behind every potential incident, noting that the country has more urgent priorities at the moment, such as maintaining its own stability and prosecuting the war in Ukraine.
“It’s important to understand that Russia is not omnipotent. They are trying to exaggerate their capabilities… They try to make us fear that, but it’s not the case.”
– Teemu Turunen, Deputy Director of Supo
An Uncertain Future
As for what the future holds, Turunen warns that the threat from Russia is unlikely to dissipate anytime soon, especially as the United States turns its focus increasingly toward China. “The threat from the Russian side is not going away,” he emphasizes, stressing that Europe must “step up and improve preparedness.”
For the women of Finland, that preparedness takes on a deeply personal dimension. “If I lived in the eastern parts of Lapland, I would be even more concerned,” confides Merja Majanen, a 67-year-old retired bank manager from Rovaniemi.
Yet even as they grapple with the weight of an uncertain future, these women remain resolute in their determination to be ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. As they emerge from their weekend in the wilderness, tired but empowered, they carry with them not only a new set of skills, but a renewed sense of purpose and solidarity in the face of an existential threat.
In the words of Aija Kuukkanen, a 58-year-old factory worker who first tried to sign up for a Nasta course in the spring of 2022: “I wanted to get more information and get prepared somehow.” It’s a sentiment that resonates deeply with women across Finland – a nation bracing for the unthinkable, but determined not to face it unprepared.
