Ukraine suspects three Finnish citizens participation in war on Russian side
27 June, 2023 Foreigners, including Finns, who support illegal armed formations of Russia on the territory of Ukraine. Photo credits: yle.fi Kyiv is investigating three criminal cases against Finnish citizens, who are probably fighting on the side of Russia against Ukraine.
The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported about this. The newspaper received confirmation of this information from the Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office. Three Finnish citizens are suspected of participating in the armed conflict as part of an illegal armed formation as well as of recruiting for participation in hostilities.
According to the newspaper, the suspects were not detained, nor were they informed about the suspicion of committing a crime, which probably means that they are outside Ukraine.
Equipment of a Finnish citizen who fought in Donbas. Photo credits: kohudosentti.blogspot.com
Cooperation with fighters in the occupied territories of Ukraine is an illegal act against the independence and sovereignty of the country. During the research, the newspaper managed to find six Finns who fought in Ukraine or were engaged in intelligence activities.
Among them were Finnish citizens of Finnish, Russian, or Ukrainian origin. After the start of Russia's war against Ukraine in 2014, Finland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning against Finns visiting the eastern regions of Ukraine. The warning was issued since consular assistance couldn't be received in this territory, roads might be blocked, and being near the conflict line was dangerous for life.
Citizen of Finland Viljakainen Petri Juhana in Donbas.
Photo credits: Russian media
At the same time, Finnish laws do not prohibit a trip to Donbas, or participation in military operations. In some other European countries, citizens were convicted in courts for participating in the actions in the east of Ukraine, and sometimes the sentences were quite harsh. One of the central figures in this story was Johan Beckman.
He was involved in the organization of Finns' trips to Donbas, and he himself traveled there more than once. Beckman is officially considered a representative of the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies. Officers of the Russian intelligence services work at this institute.
Citizen of Finland Johan Beckman in Donbas.
Photo credits: Russian media
Beckman became an active lobbyist for militants in Donbas in 2014. He called on people to 'defend' Donbas on social media. In the summer of 2014, Bekman announced the creation of a "representative office of the Donetsk People's Republic" in Finland and his appointment as the head of this office.
As previously reported, in 2022, the official government of Finland sent instructors to the UK to train the Ukrainian military.