Finnish villages near Russian border focus on broader preparedness over border threats

Residents in southeastern Finland’s Ruokolahti municipality are prioritizing community resilience against power outages and storms over fears of Russian aggression, despite their proximity to the border, according to local organizers.

Preparation efforts led by villagers like Tea Usvasuo, who lives a few kilometers from the Russian border in Lassila, have included over 20 public safety evenings attended by more than 600 people. The sessions cover self-reliance, using village halls as emergency shelters, and neighborly assistance—topics that extend beyond border security.

“Preparedness isn’t just about the eastern neighbor,” Usvasuo said. “We also train for storms and other disruptions.” While outsiders often ask how locals cope with living near the border, Usvasuo noted that residents have long accepted the unpredictability of their eastern neighbor.

Drones, a recurring concern in national discussions, rank low on the list of local worries. Usvasuo explained that residents are often the first to notice drone activity linked to the Ukraine war, as commercial flights reroute overhead, but the issue rarely dominates conversation.

Instead, unreliable mobile and internet connections top the list of concerns. Outi Räikkönen, a resident of Savisienkylä—located about a kilometer from the border—said her hunting club owns radio equipment, but coverage gaps remain. She installed a wood-fired sauna as a backup during power failures, visible from her property near the border fence.

The region’s sparse population means emergency response times can be slow, making community networks critical. Usvasuo emphasized that while villagers cannot replace authorities, they supplement official efforts—particularly in cooperation with the Finnish Border Guard. “We notice unusual movement or vehicles quickly and report them,” she said.

Local safety evenings, organized with municipal and regional agencies, aim to ensure vulnerable residents—especially the elderly and isolated—receive support in both crises and daily life. The events also reinforce the use of VHF radio networks, established nationwide as a fallback if mobile systems fail.