Finland to open 300 shooting ranges as national defense interest grows

[ryan robertson]

FACING GROWING FEARS OF A FUTURE RUSSIAN INVASION–FINLAND WANTS TO MAKE SHOOTING AS POPULAR AS ANY OTHER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY.

THE GOVERNMENT THERE PLANS TO OPEN MORE THAN 300 NEW SHOOTING RANGES BY 2030. THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THE INITIATIVE IN FEBRUARY 2024, CITING INCREASED INTEREST IN NATIONAL DEFENSE FOLLOWING RUSSIA’S INVASION OF UKRAINE AND FINLAND’S ACCESSION TO NATO IN APRIL 2023.

RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE 670 CIVILIAN SHOOTING RANGES IN FINLAND, DOWN FROM OVER 2,000 IN THE 1990S. TRAINING DAYS FOR RESERVISTS AND DEFENSE GROUPS MORE THAN DOUBLED SINCE 2022, AND MEMBERSHIPS AT GUN RANGES IS GROWING SIGNIFICANTLY.

HOWEVER, OUTDATED ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS ARE SLOWING DOWN THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR NEW AND EXISTING RANGES. THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT IS WORKING TO SIMPLIFY THAT PROCESS TO MEET GROWING DEMAND. THE COUNTRY’S DEFENSE COMMITTEE CHAIR DESCRIBED SHOOTING AS A “BASIC SKILL” THAT SHOULD BE AS ACCESSIBLE AS POPULAR SPORTS LIKE FOOTBALL OR HOCKEY.

FINLAND SHARES AN 830-MILE BORDER WITH RUSSIA AND SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED ITS DEFENSE EFFORTS SINCE JOINING NATO. THE GOVERNMENT RECENTLY CLOSED ITS BORDER CROSSINGS WITH RUSSIA, ACCUSING MOSCOW OF DELIBERATELY SENDING ASYLUM SEEKERS AS RETALIATION FOR FINLAND’S NATO MEMBERSHIP—IT’S NOT THE FIRST TIME COUNTRIES SAID THE KREMLIN WAS USING IMMIGRATION AS A FORM OF WARFARE, OF COURSE THE KREMLIN DENIES ANY SUCH ACTIONS.

IN ADDITION TO EXPANDING SHOOTING RANGES, FINLAND IS ALSO UPDATING ITS 50,000 COLD WAR-ERA CIVIL DEFENSE SHELTERS, WHICH CAN PROTECT 85% OF THE POPULATION. THESE SHELTERS ARE BEING MODERNIZED TO ADDRESS CONTEMPORARY THREATS, FURTHER REINFORCING THE COUNTRY’S PREPAREDNESS.

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