Finland has announced that it will open 300 shooting ranges with the aim of increasing public interest in national defense.
A member of the Finnish National Defense Committee said the measure would help Finns improve their shooting skills in the face of the growing threat from Russia.
Under Finland’s constitution, all men between the ages of 18 and 60 must complete military service in the national army, but the government expects civilians to maintain their weapons skills after the conscription period ends with a new range proposal. are doing.
“The current government aims to increase the number of shooting ranges in Finland from around 600-700 to up to 1,000,” said Finnish politician Jukka Kopra.
Increase due to Finnish defense model
“This is because of our defense model, where people benefit from learning and developing their own marksmanship skills.”
In 2023, Finland’s new right-wing coalition agreed on plans to increase the number of firing ranges to 1,000 across the country by the end of the decade, allow diabetics to serve in the military and encourage more women to join.
There are currently around 600 farms in Finland, compared to 2,000 at the beginning of the 21st century.
A spokesperson for the Finnish Ministry of Defense said it was working to “protect the activities of Finnish firing ranges and facilitate the establishment of new ones.”
In a statement to the Guardian, a spokesperson added: “Environmental permitting processes and shooting range laws will be streamlined.
“The goal for the number of outdoor shooting ranges will be approximately 1,000 by the end of the 2010s. The focus will be on establishing a sufficient number of rifle and tactical shooting ranges across the country.”