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Civil defence protects the civilian population The Ministry of the Interior leads and coordinates national civil defence. Rescue services are responsible for civil defence duties falling under their mandate at the national, regional and local leve...

Joint EU reserve: rescEU The European Union’s rescEU system consists of reserves designed to prepare for various disasters. There are two rescEU stockpiles in Finland: the rescEU CBRN Stockpile , which prepares for chemical (C), biological (B), ra...

17.4.2026 | A total of 5,000 patients have been evacuated from Ukraine to EU Member States under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The 5,000th patient was evacuated to Finland. Finnish Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen and EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib met on 16 April to discuss issues such as the evacuation of patients.

6.3.2026 | Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany have agreed to deepen their cooperation on protecting the civilian population and have signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the ministries responsible for civil preparedness. The ministers discussed the Memorandum at a videoconference in February, with Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen representing Finland.

5.2.2026 | According to the Government Programme, Finland’s annual refugee quota is 500 persons. In its plenary session on 5 February, the Government decided on which refugee groups would be included in this year’s quota and how many places would be reserved for each group.

28.10.2025 | The interior ministers of Finland, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Germany, Sweden and Denmark will meet in Gdánsk, Poland, on 28 October. The ministers will discuss countering hybrid threats posed by Russia and Belarus, and evacuation practices in the countries in the Baltic Sea region. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

17.10.2025 | The Rescue Borealis exercise, conducted in Finland between August and October 2025, brought together around 700 professionals from healthcare, rescue services and other security authorities from Finland, Sweden, Norway and Germany. This multi-agency exercise, which was mainly funded by the European Commission and focused on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats (CBRN), was reportedly the largest of its kind in Europe in recent years.

2.10.2025 | 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.

20.12.2023 | Civil defence shelters offer much more than strong protective structures. I don't think many people know about all the functionalities, devices and equipment that our civil defence shelters have – or should have, writes Project Manager Ira Pasi.

24.10.2024 | On 24 October, the Government issued a decree laying down provisions on cooperation in preparedness for civil defence and related plans in the wellbeing services counties. The decree specifies the practices of cooperation between the authorities of the wellbeing services counties.

22.7.2022 | Finland is also committed to helping Ukraine by taking part in the medical evacuation and treatment of patients from Ukraine together with other EU countries. Transfers have already been started.

7.3.2022 | The Ministry of the Interior has set up a legislative project to review the legislation within the mandate of the Ministry of the Interior concerning the provision and reception of international assistance.

23.8.2021 | Finland arranged a flight from Tbilisi to Helsinki on 23 August as part of the evacuations from Afghanistan. A total of 102 persons arrived in Finland on the flight. The youngest arrivals are small children.

Temporary protection for people fleeing from Ukraine Temporary protection is intended for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Granting temporary protection makes it possible to provide protection to a limited group of people in a swift process that...

EU Civil Protection Mechanism helps countries confronted with overwhelming crises The EU Civil Protection Mechanism has become one of the most important instruments of international assistance in recent years. The Mechanism covers various natural ...

Activities of the Ministry of the Interior’s branch of government in the war in Ukraine As part of the European Union, Finland is doing its part for Ukraine with respect to the impacts of Russia’s war of aggression. In particular, we want to prote...

Helping Ukrainians People in Finland want to help Ukrainians in their time of need, and many have been asking the Finnish authorities how they can help Ukrainians. People are also asking how they can help Ukraine’s neighbouring countries who are u...

17.4.2026 | EU:n pelastuspalvelumekanismin kautta on evakuoitu yhteensä 5000 potilasta Ukrainasta EU:n jäsenvaltioihin. Viidestuhannes potilas on evakuoitu Suomeen. Sosiaaliturvaministeri Sanni Grahn-Laasonen ja EU:n yhdenvertaisuudesta, varautumisesta ja kriisinhallinnasta vastaava komissaari Hadja Lahbib tapasivat 16.4. ja keskustelivat muun muassa potilaiden evakuoinneista.

17.4.2026 | EU-länderna har via EU:s civilskyddsmekanism evakuerat totalt 5000 patienter från Ukraina till medlemsstater inom EU. Den femtusende patienten har evakuerats till Finland. Ministern för social trygghet Sanni Grahn-Laasonen och EU-kommissionär med ansvar för jämlikhet, beredskap och krishantering Hadja Lahbib träffades den 16 april för att diskutera evakueringen av patienter och andra frågor.

13.8.2021 | In response to the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, the Finnish Government decided at an extraordinary meeting on 13 August that Afghans who have worked for Finland, the EU and NATO can be admitted to Finland with their families and issued residence permits.