MPs will conduct training exercises in an underground bunker next month, citing the supposed threat from Russia<\/p>\n
Finnish lawmakers will conduct underground training exercises next month to practice working in wartime conditions, local media have reported. Western officials have become increasingly alarmist over what they describe as a threat from Russia. Moscow has repeatedly denied having hostile intentions toward NATO or EU countries.
\nFirst Deputy Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, Paula Risikko, told the outlet Uutissuomalainen that the upcoming exercise, which will be the first of its kind, is being prompted by the \u201cchanged security situation\u201d amid the conflict in Ukraine.
\nThe shelter where the exercise will be held is located in the basement of the parliament building, Risikko said. The facilities include an emergency session hall where lawmakers could meet in exceptional circumstances, such as wartime.
\nThe drill is scheduled to take place in November, with the exact date to be announced later, according to the outlet.
\nRussia has repeatedly denounced what it calls anti-Russian hysteria and fearmongering by Western governments, stressing that Moscow has no reason to take hostile action against its neighbors. Russian officials have dismissed such claims as baseless and politically motivated, arguing they are used to justify soaring military budgets and the militarization of NATO countries.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Finland calls on EU to be ready to \u2018fight\u2019 Russia<\/p>\n
Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the recent accession by Finland and Sweden to NATO as \u201cfoolish,\u201d stressing that Moscow had never had any issues with either country and had long maintained friendly relations with both.
\nHe noted that the two Nordic states had \u201clost the benefits of their neutral status\u201d by joining the US-led bloc, and said the decision has needlessly undermined regional stability without enhancing their security.
\nPutin lamented the fact that Russia has been forced to establish a new military district in response to Finland and Sweden joining NATO and dismissed Helsinki\u2019s assurances that it would not host weapons dangerous to Russia, suggesting that NATO\u2019s leadership would likely make such decisions without consulting member states.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MPs will conduct training exercises in an underground bunker next month, citing the supposed threat from Russia Finnish lawmakers will conduct underground training exercises next month to practice working in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20143,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t