Contamination and Impact

Mines

In 1998, the Defense Staff stated in a press release that there were no peacetime minefields in the country.[1] In 2011, the Ministry of Defense informed the Monitor that there were no minefields along Finland’s eastern border, but acknowledged that both antipersonnel and antivehicle mines remained in the country from World War II.[2]

If Finland adheres to the Mine Ban Treaty in 2012 as planned (see Mine Ban Policy section of the Finland country profile), it will be required to report formally on mined areas containing antipersonnel mines in accordance with Article 7 on transparency measures.

Cluster munition remnants and other explosive remnants of war

There are no reports of contamination from cluster munition remnants. According to the Ministry of Defense, as far as they know no cluster munitions were used on Finnish soil.[3]  However, other explosive remnants of war (ERW) remain from World War II as a result of action by German, Soviet, and Finnish military forces. The Ministry of Defense reported that more than 50,000 ERW were cleared in 2009:  mainly artillery shells and grenades; and some landmines and sea mines, as well as air-dropped bombs.[4]

Most of the contamination is found on the former eastern battlefields and especially in the north of the country. Known battlefields and other dangerous areas are recorded in a database maintained by the Defense Forces. When former military areas are handed over for civilian use they are first cleared by the Defense Forces, if needed.[5] 

No civilian casualties were reported in 2011 through August. In June 2010, however, an elderly man was reportedly injured when he found a World War II grenade and it exploded while he was tampering with it.[6]

Mine Action Program

There is no civilian mine action program in Finland. All clearance is conducted by the military, with occasional help from the police. No private companies are used for clearance.[7]