Contents tagged with Finland
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Finland indicates possibility of joining NATO
In an interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersant, Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs Timo Soini has stated that he does not rule out the possibility that his country will join the North Atlantic Alliance in the future.
"Neither Finland nor Sweden is yet part of NATO, and as I understand, our countries are not currently discussing accession to NATO. We should not exclude the possibility of joining NATO. Every country should have that opportunity, and that is why open-door politics is …
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Media: Putin had with him a ‘nuclear suitcase' during his official visit to Finland
A journalist from the Finnish publication Ilta-Sanomat (IS), who attended a meeting between Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Punkaharju, saw the so-called "nuclear suitcase" in the hands of the Russian President 's aide-de-camp.
The journalist's estimation is based on the external similarity of the suitcase to the black briefcase that an officer in naval uniform had with him.
"As a rule, the operator of the 'Cheget' device is an officer with a rank not …
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The President of Finland spoke with Putin about Ukraine and called for the release of the prisoners
President of Finland Sauli Niinistö discussed the situation in Ukraine with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, Helsingin Sanomat reported.
“We also talked about the situation in Ukraine, which is not improving. The ceasefire remains the primary task and the onward progress, at least must be taken in small steps. For example, it is necessary to release the prisoners,” the President Niinistö said.
President Putin arrived on Thursday, July 27 at the Finnish city of Savonlinna for …
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Finland bans entry to soldiers in uniforms without insignias
In Finland new legislation has come into force concerning soldiers in uniform without insignias. According to the amendments, such people are banned from entering and staying in the country, the Yle news website reports.
According to the law, the group of soldiers without insignias refers to soldiers who act directly in the interests of a foreign state, on its behalf, or with the consent of this state. These soldiers are organized, equipped or armed.
The law envisages an absolute ban on entry …
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Media: Finland building tunnels in case of Russian invasion
The Finnish authorities explain the operating concept of a network of underground tunnels to the country's civilian population, Wall Street Journal reports. The decision was made in response to military exercises by Russia on the border with Finland.
The infrastructure is located near Helsinki, and the total length of the tunnels is about 200 kilometers. Underground routes connect a single network of shopping centers, parking, electricity and water supply lines.
Separate tunnels will be used …
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The activity of Russian military aircraft has increased near Finland ‘s border
In both the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea there has been an increase in the activity of Russian military aircraft noted in recent days, as reported by Yle news agency, citing the Finnish Air Force.
“In recent days, in the region of both the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea, there has been an increase in the Russian military aircraft activity. The Hornet Finnish fighters went aloft to intercept Russian aircraft yesterday and today. At the same time, it was noted that there were no …
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An issue of Allegro magazine was removed from circulation in Finland due to its advertisement of tours to Crimea
The Finnish state railway company, VR, has decided to seize the entire circulation of the Allegro magazine due to an advertisement for tourist trips to the Crimea, reported Yle news agency.
Allegro magazine is intended for passengers of high-speed Allegro trains running between Helsinki and St. Petersburg. It is issued jointly by VR and JSC Russian Railways.
The latest issue of the magazine contained an advertisement for Crimean travel published in Finnish, English, and Russian. The title …
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Finland will increase military spending because of Russia's foreign policy
The government of Finland will increase annual military spending by 55 million euros from the current level of 2.4 billion euros, Euobserver reports. After 2021, Finland will increase military spending by another 150 million euros annually.
These steps are in connection with an increase in military tension in the Baltic region and Russia's actions in eastern Ukraine. "Russia is trying to strengthen their status as a world power and expressed its intention to create a security system based on …
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Media: Estonia and Finland to purchase heavy artillery from South Korea
The Armed Forces of Finland allocated EUR 100 million for the purchase of heavy artillery, which will replace old post-Soviet weapons. According to the newspaper Rzeczpospolita, at the end of 2016, the Finnish army tested South Korean K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers. Those are equipped with a 155 mm gun, and their range of fire is 40 km. The Howitzer's maximum speed is about 70 km per hour.
Moreover, the newspaper noted that Helsinki plans on purchasing used howitzers. The Finnish Defense …
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Poroshenko refused to give an interview to Russian journalists
The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, refused to give an interview to Russian journalists in Helsinki. According to Interfax-Ukraine, journalists from a Russian TV station came up to the Ukrainian President during his visit to the Finnish Parliament and asked him to answer their questions.
“Stop killing Ukrainians and free the territory!” Poroshenko said in response to their questions.
The President of Ukraine reported that seven Ukrainians have died in the Donbas in January alone. In …
