An immersive AP report by Europe defense correspondent Emma Burrows and senior producer Kostya Manenkov took audiences inside Europe’s largest civil defense exercise since World War II. More than 2,000 people rehearsed how Finland would respond to cyberattacks, infrastructure failures and possible missile strikes. The story connected that experience to Finland’s long border and difficult history with Russia, the war in Ukraine, suspected Russian hybrid attacks across Europe and the country’s deeply rooted culture of collective preparedness.
The coverage was distinguished by strong enterprise reporting and close text and video collaboration. Burrows learned about the exercise months in advance and persistently lobbied organizers for meaningful AP access—including permission to remain overnight in the bunker. That access allowed the team to document the exercise as a lived experience rather than a staged official event, capturing the physical conditions, personal interactions and atmosphere inside the shelter.
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