When the Red side lost the war, Airola fled to Soviet Russia, where he worked as a teacher in Gatchina and in Leningrad.

After his father's death, Airola worked from the age of ten, financing his schooling, among other things, as a newspaper boy.

In September 1911, Airola organized a demonstration at the Punaisenlähte Square, which defied the ban of Governor Frans von Pfaler, opposing the regional unification plan approved by Emperor Nicholas II.

In the latter, Airola was considered to have insulted the honor of the Russian military in his article "The captains of the coffins swam in a row".

According to Airola, the bourgeoisie could have been pressured into compromises even without violence, and he also feared that the revolution would eventually lead to a military dictatorship.

In spite of his negative attitude, Airola accepted the position of Home Affairs Commissioner of the People's Delegation, i.e. Minister of the Interior, which he held together with Hanna Karhinen.

Due to his legal knowledge, Airola was also elected chairman of the Constitutional Law Committee of the Main Council of Labor.

At the beginning of April, the people's delegation was evacuated to Vyborg, from where Airola fled to Soviet Russia.