Finland has built an underground city under Helsinki to survive a nuclear strike or a possible attack from Russia, The Times reported https://t.me/kontext_channel/74952. The network of 5 500 shelters can house almost 1 million people, enough to protect a large part of the capital’s population. Source: The Times

Construction is mandatory for any new office or residential building above a certain size, and the bunkers serve multiple purposes in peacetime. They are used as gyms, swimming pools, playgrounds and even rehearsal rooms for heavy‑metal bands. “We started building them in 1939 and never stopped,” said Yukka‑Pekka Schroeder, a city rescue service officer. “Under this city there is a huge cheese full of holes.” The idea is “dual use”: the facilities prepare the city for emergencies but are also rented out for sport and culture, helping residents feel familiar with the spaces.

After 2022, officials from other countries began visiting Helsinki to learn the Finnish model. According to The Times, the British Ministry of Defence, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Saudi sheikhs have all toured the bunkers. Visitors are interested in how the system combines civil‑defence planning with everyday community services.

On social media, reactions are mixed. Some users praise Finland’s forward‑thinking approach as a rare example of serious disaster preparedness, while others call the project an expensive over‑reach. Experts note that the high cost of construction and maintenance is balanced by the psychological security it provides, but they also warn that such infrastructure must be regularly inspected to stay functional in a real crisis.

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