Pidgin Corner
Finland gun and defense training dey go on bicos of Russia threat

Finland don begin to tighten him national self-defense well-well as dem dey unsettled for Russia expansion and feel bold afta dem join NATO.
Di popularity of weapon training for di Nordic kontri don burst up recently.
Few places fit tell di tori of how Finnish pipo don start like self-defense pass than shooting ranges wey dey enjoy plenty interest.
Di order wey Russian President Vladimir Putin give to take fully invade Ukraine anoda big Russian neighbor for 2022 still dey resonate inside plenty Finnish minds, and dis fit to explain why dem dey crazy about ballistics.
Di Vantaa Reservist Association wey get gun range inside warehouse wey be once sex toy factory for Kerava, north of Helsinki, don double him membership ova di last two years and now get ova 2,100 members.
“E bi like say dem get something wey dey ring for back of dia head say dis na di skill I gatz learn now,” na wetin association chairman Antti Kettunen talk as him dey stand among bullet-riddled targets.
“I think say wind don change, now e dey blow from di east.”
Earlier dis year, di coalition government announce plans to take open more than 300 new ranges wey one go be big jump from di 670 wey de operate today.
Authorities dey encourage citizens to take interest for dia national defense inside kontri wey get 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia.
Wia firing shots for ice hockey don be more like pastime than shooting bullets “Interest for di national defense traditionally high for Finland and especially dis days with Russian aggression for Ukraine.”
“Di interest don rise even more,” lawmaker ukka Kopra wey be chair Finland’s defense committee tell AP earlier dis December.
Plenty inspiration com from concerns about Russia invasion of Ukraine make Finland bicom NATO military alliance member number 31 last year.
Western neighbor Sweden follow suit join am in March.
Di two kontri last month announce plans to boost dia civil defense strategies without calling Russia name.
Di surge for self-defense strategies no go stop for di shooting ranges only.
Di National Defense Training Association talk say dem host total of 120,000 training days dis year; dat one too much pass double wetin happen three years ago.
Di national reservists’ association wey around 90% na military reservists but some na hobbyists too don grow by more than two-thirds to ova 50,000 members since Ukraine invasion.
And unlike some oda European kontri, Finland still keep around 50,000 Cold-War era civil defense shelters; those ones fit accommodate about 85% of population wey reach approximately 5.5 million pipo.
“Dis na new era of civil defense shelters against wetin war go bring,” Tomi Rask from Helsinki Rescue Services yan during recent tour inside one shelter for capital.
“We sabi say all our neighbors’ capability to take harm us and our citizens, so we feel say e good make we prepare.”
Wearing camouflage for di range for Kerava, military reservists plus firearm hobbyists dey bob and weave through obstacle course; sometimes dem go open fire with loud Glock handguns against human-shaped targets.
“Some pipo just do dis bicos e fun,” member Mi Kallio, di fire fighter age-38 talk.
“Some do maybe bicos of our eastern neighbor: I hear comments say dem join di reservists bicos of Russian attack (on Ukraine).”
Finland no be stranger to take play with Russia plus big part of dia national identity com from battling dia eastern neighbor wen dem gain independence from Russian empire in 191 then fend off large Soviet force with small army during wetin dem call Winter War for di start of Second World War.
Kettunen talk say learning how to shoot guns no different from learning how to swim.
Both require training plus preparation. “Wen you wan know how to shoot or swim but you no sabi am yet, na wen it done late.”
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