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Imagine if the sound of gunfire from a shooting range was audible from the Thames – or if leafy Chiswick was a military base training the UK’s top urban warfare soldiers to defend cities from foreign armies.
It may sound like a science fiction film, but on one tiny island, less than 10 km from the centre of Helsinki, it’s reality.
Spread across a 1,000-acre rocky landscape, Santahamina is home to the Jaeger Regiment, which trains soldiers completing their mandatory conscription to defend the Finnish capital from the unthinkable.
Finland is one of the only European countries to still have mandatory conscription, requiring all men aged 18 and over to serve six to 12 months in the military.
It is is home to roughly 5,500,000 people, and boasts an army with around 16,000 to 24,000 active personnel and up to 280,000 soldiers in wartime.
It shares the longest land border with Russia of any NATO country, stretching 833 miles.
While the country never stopped preparing for a potential conflict after the Second World War, what was once considered a rite of passage to check off a to-do list for many young Finns has now become even more crucial after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
On a recent trip to the island/country, Metro saw firsthand how these soldiers have helped Finland become arguably the most well-prepared nation in the case of a new conflict on European soil.
‘Protecting your country should be mandatory’
On a cool summer morning, three young conscripts stand on the gravel of Santahamina outside of their barracks, waiting to speak with Metro.
Speaking while wearing meticulously tailored camouflage army gear, Lucas Sutton, Miro Rauhanen, and Aalto Järvelä-Rooney, all 20 years old, began their mandatory conscription just eight months ago.
After joining the military as conscripts, they go through gruelling training, often far away from home. Basic survival techniques, weaponry and other necessary skills are drilled into them.
The steely determination in their eyes is a sharp contrast to their young faces.
‘Finnish society is built around having mandatory conscription,’ Sutton explains. ‘I came in here with just the hopes to learn the things I need to be able to defend my country as well as I can.’
It’s a strong stance in a world where most countries have abandoned mandatory service altogether.
However, rising global tensions have prompted NATO countries bordering Russia to call for conscription across Europe – a suggestion dismissed by the UK earlier this year.
While the British government is vocal about the threat posed by Russia and the need to ‘step up’ in the case of US military withdrawal from Europe, it’s not keen on conscription.
But could there be something to be learned from countries which require it?
Järvelä-Rooney believes so: ‘The British Army is strong, but it could be helped by mandatory conscription. It gives you a backbone,’ he explains.
‘The war in Ukraine has been alarming for everyone, and it makes you realise it could happen anywhere in the world. That’s scary, but we have a good military in Finland. It’s an honour to serve.’
Sutton tells Metro: ‘I support mandatory conscription, but I understand it could be hard to incorporate if it’s not a tradition. I don’t see it as necessary for every country. But in Finland, protecting your own country is a very important thing, and it should be mandatory.
‘Every man who gets to their twenties needs to understand that protecting their country and its identity is important and necessary,’ Rauhanen adds.
Joel Linnainmäki, a research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, sits with Metro at a cafe outside of Helsinki’s central station to provide more insight on what is an alien concept to most Brits.
He said: ‘For a country that doesn’t have conscription, it’s much harder to first sell the case to the public and then get them to both understand the logic and buy into the self-sacrifice you have to make by giving up a year of work or studying.
‘For Finland, it’s part of the culture. Most likely, one of your parents has gone to the conscription service. Secondly, I think there’s partly this kind of rally-around-the-flag effect that’s happening because of the war in Ukraine.’
Ukraine has validated the Finnish strategy in place for years
For thousands of young Finns, their time spent in the military can be difficult, but worthwhile. The shared experience makes them part of a larger national defence.
Staff Seargant Ville, platoon head instructor for the military police platoon in the Guard Jaeger Regiment, tells Metro that training for conscripts is constantly changing to help them best prepare.
A seasoned veteran from a military family, Ville stands with his head held high, clearly proud of not just his country but the conscripts he works with daily.
‘Our country’s history set the base for what the conscription service is today,’ he says.
Conscription was first established in 1878, when Finland was still within Russia. Mandatory conscription for men as it is today was first enacted in 1919, after Finland gained its independence.
‘I believe that’s the main component of that readiness: we’re able to build upon a good foundation and just keep improving from there,’ he adds.
‘We’ve seen an increase in conversations about the reality of what’s on the battlefield today since 2022.
‘For myself and many of my colleagues, it hasn’t affected any anxiety or stress regarding the willingness to step into service. It’s done the opposite. I think it’s increased motivation.
‘We’ve seen an increase in patriotism, and it’s validated the strategy we’ve had all along for conscription.’
What can the UK learn from Finland?
Commander Matti Honko, commanding officer of the Guards Jaeger Regiment on Santahamina, tells Metro that one of the key things other countries can learn from Finnish defence is the cooperation with other authorities.
‘In urban environments, we have rescue services, police, and more. The ability to work together and know how to operate is the key to success,’ he explains.
Yet, Commander Honko acknowledges that the system, which is woven into Finnish life, may not be suitable for other countries.
‘Our society is well-educated and has a strong understanding of the media. We understand the news. We are resistant to propaganda. And there is a long tradition of conscription,’ he adds, confident in his fellow countrymen.
Finland’s recent NATO membership has opened doors to allow Finns to teach their preparedness to other member countries and train together.
‘The only way to truly fight is to train and know your allies,’ Commander Honko says.
Finland is very familiar with their enemy – in recent weeks, new plans to reflood dried-out swamp and bogland to create yet another defensive line against a Russian attack have been set out.
In times of uncertainty, there is no fear
Recent polls show that around 82% of the Finnish population supports conscription.
Beyond Santahamina, civilians volunteer for the Finnish Civilian Defence, with groups around the country helping to coordinate responses during emergencies, natural disasters, and war – as well as facilitating access to the country’s more than 50,500 bomb shelters.
‘The defence of Finland is everybody’s responsibility. It’s not just done by the military, but the entire nation,’ Commander Honko adds.
Even as tensions continue to rise in Eastern Europe and Finland tackles hybrid threats from Russia, the Commander insists he senses no anxiety among the population.
‘I find determination and a strong will to be prepared,’ he smiles.
Indeed, the number of those coming through the service has increased in the past five years, which Commander Honko believes is due to recent events.
Linnainmäki echoes this: ‘If I were a young person right now, I might be a little bit anxious about how things are going broadly in the world.
‘But it’s better to have some skills if something happens. Some people, of course, want to serve their country as well, but it could be a more basic thing, too.
‘Preparedness is a very Finnish mindset. There’s a lot to learn from that.’
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