A dug-up grenade in Kainuu could have exploded, police say

A suspected military explosive found in woodland in Kainuu last Thursday had been dug up and placed on a tree stump before police arrived, Yle reported.

Tero Väyrynen, head of communications at the Oulu Police Department, said the Finnish Defence Forces safely removed the object. It was a shell fired from a mortar or artillery gun and could have exploded if handled incorrectly.

Police are not giving the exact location because they do not want to blame anyone. The person who reported the find said someone else had dug it out and placed it on the stump.

Police warn people not to touch suspected explosives found outdoors, even if they look old, rusty or harmless. They may still be operational and pose a serious danger. The safest response is to leave the object where it is and call the emergency number 112. Explosives and ammunition found outdoors must be handled by professionals.

Unexploded ammunition can be found in the countryside, particularly at shooting and training grounds, but also elsewhere. Väyrynen said people sometimes use metal detectors to search former wartime battle sites, and some try to dismantle their finds. He warned that the danger is difficult to assess by appearance and that an explosion could send fragments a long distance.