Russian aerial exercises worry residents in eastern Finland

Russian aerial military drills tricked residents of eastern Finland into reporting sightings of emergency flares. (iStock)
Russian aerial military drills tricked residents of eastern Finland into reporting sightings of emergency flares. (iStock)
Unusual lights in the night sky prompted residents of eastern Finland to contact local rescue services over what they believed to be emergency flares. Rescue services say the lights came from Russian aerial military exercises close to the eastern border.

Residents of eastern Finland made a number of calls to rescue services Wednesday evening over what they thought were emergency flares. The reports came in from Imatra, Joensuu, Kuopio, Ilomantsi, Rantasalmi and Puumala. Most of the callers believed that the flares were fired to alert authorities to a marine accident. However checks of bodies of water by local rescue services revealed no accidents.

Officials from the southern Savo rescue services unit said that aerial shots were fired by aircraft during Russian military drills near the eastern border, adding that the discharges left a yellow light that observers may have mistaken for emergency flares.

Finland’s Defence Force declined comment on the matter.

Related Links:

Canada:  Feature Interview: Will Russia’s actions in Ukraine affect relations in the Arctic Council?, Eye on the Arctic

Finland: Finland’s NATO membership no substitute for strong nation defence, Yle News

Norway:  Nordics rethink security after Ukraine crisis, Yle News

Russia: Russia puts countries on edge in the Arctic, Cryopolitics

Sweden: Sweden providing jets to NATO, Radio Sweden

United States: U.S. official criticises Russia for meddling in Finland’s NATO, Yle News

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