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Reports: Finnish Training Exercise 'Mistaken For Invasion'
Finland's military has caused alarm on one of its own islands after a training exercise was mistaken for a genuine invasion, according to reports.
Kamsholmen resident Bjarne Winberg fled the island and called the emergency services after a group of uniformed men came ashore from a large boat near his house, the Ilta-Sanomat newspaper reports.
The group, on an after-dark training exercise, then headed into the forest carrying rucksacks and what looked like guns. Winberg told the paper:
"Of course I was scared."
The late-night arrival ultimately turned out to be part of the military's large-scale spring training exercises, although it isn't clear whether the stay on the island was pre-planned.
Some reports have suggested organisers had always intended to land there but forgot to tell residents of the plan, while the local Ostnyland newspaper quoted a defence spokesman as saying the island wasn't meant to feature in the exercises.
A Scandinavian coffee company, meanwhile, has sought to turn the situation to its commercial advantage.
Gevalia, long marketed as being useful when "unexpected visitors" arrive, says it will send free packs of coffee to anyone who was worried by "unexpected military guests", according to Ostnyland.
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