Minister of the Interior Rantanen at the Rescue Borealis exercise in Oulu: “As a frontline country, Finland has special needs and responsibilities in preparedness”

The tense security situation underscores the importance of preparedness, both in the Baltic Sea region and in the Euro-Arctic area. Meeting new threats requires joint exercises and well-functioning processes, as underlined at the Rescue Borealis 2025 international field exercise held in Oulu.

The EU Commissioner in charge of preparedness and crisis management, Hadja Lahbib, observed the exercise in Oulu and was impressed by the seamless cooperation among participants and the interoperability of the EU’s joint rescEU reserves. RescEU stockpiles are EU-funded common resources available in the event of major disasters.  

“Russia’s actions constantly remind us that the security environment has fundamentally changed. The civil authorities and society as a whole must ensure crisis preparedness alongside military readiness,” Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen said at the exercise press conference. 

The Minister stressed that cooperation was key, as today’s threats were increasingly complex and cross-border in nature. The Rescue Borealis exercise is a tangible step in strengthening preparedness and rescue cooperation at the local, national and international levels.

Preparedness and joint training strengthen Finland’s and Europe’s overall security

Finland’s rescEU CBRN stockpiles, Germany’s CBRN decontamination unit and Norway’s patient evacuation capacity are examples of Europe’s joint strategic resources that professionals from Sweden, Norway, Germany and Finland trained to use together.   

The exercise also tested the functionality of Finland’s rescue command system and the reception of international assistance in Finland. In addition, police officers from several European countries trained in victim identification in a widescale CBRN scenario.

“Finland has actively promoted the inclusion of security and preparedness on the EU agenda. The EU must continue to strengthen its resilience and preparedness against different crises and hybrid threats,” said Pauliina Eskola, director of the exercise at the Ministry of the Interior.

“As all EU Member States improve their level of preparedness, Finland’s security will also be enhanced. While preparedness is each country’s own responsibility, EU-level measures can significantly support Member States,” Eskola added.

Minister Rantanen also emphasised the need to further develop and invest in Finland’s preparedness:

“As a frontline country, Finland has special needs and responsibilities. Our preparedness involves cooperation between different security authorities on land, at sea and in the air.”

Rescue Borealis uniquely combined training in the use of rescEU capacities with the longstanding Barents cooperation tradition of joint exercises between Finland, Sweden and Norway in accident prevention, preparedness and rescue operations.

According to Finland’s comprehensive security model, the vital functions of society are safeguarded through cooperation between the authorities, businesses, organisations and citizens. Among other stakeholders, the Finnish Red Cross and Stora Enso’s Oulu Business Unit were actively involved in the exercise.

“Business plays an important role in preparedness and security in Finland. It is an honour to take part in the exercise and support Finland’s crisis resilience,” said Matti Lielahti, Head of Business Unit Oulu at Stora Enso.

The exercise participants included the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the National Emergency Supply Agency, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, the Police, the Border Guard, the Emergency Services Academy, Finnish Customs, the Emergency Response Centre Agency, the Defence Forces, the Wellbeing Services County of North Ostrobothnia, the North Ostrobothnia Rescue Department, Oulu University Hospital, the City of Oulu, the Port of Oulu and Stora Enso’s Oulu Business Unit. 

Inquiries: 

Pauliina Eskola, Exercise Director, Ministry of the Interior, tel. +358 295 488 263, [email protected]
Tarja Rantala, rescEU CBRN Project Manager, Ministry of the Interior, tel. +358 295 488 372, [email protected]