Non-functional grenade found at Kotka orienteering event

A non-functional grenade was discovered on Sunday evening at the Kotka-Jukola orienteering event’s accommodation area in Kotka, Yle reports.

The Finnish Defence Forces confirmed the device was a deteriorating mortar grenade, posing no operational threat. It surfaced during earth-moving work for a vehicle parking area, where soil displacement exposed the grenade on an embankment. An event participant spotted and reported it.

Police cordoned off the area and requested assistance from the Defence Forces, which transported the grenade to a controlled detonation site and destroyed it.

The Defence Forces described the incident as a routine clearance operation. Finland annually removes hundreds of military explosives, mostly wartime relics, from land and water. The Army handles land-based discoveries, with most official requests for assistance involving such ordnance.

Authorities urge the public to treat any suspected explosives with extreme caution: do not touch or move the object, call emergency services at 112, follow instructions, and mark the location from a safe distance. If possible, stay on-site to prevent others from approaching until authorities arrive.