The Russian Foreign Ministry has demanded that Finland needs to investigate claims that Finnish citizens have left Finland in order to volunteer in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. An article in Italian Il Giornale magazine stated that volunteers from Finland, Sweden, the Baltic countries, France and Italy have taken part in the conflict, as members of the Azov Battilion. Fighting alongside the Ukrainian government, this group of volunteers is financed by oligarch Igor Kolomoiski. This was also reported by news agency Itar-Tass, who used the term "mercenary" when referring to the alleged fighters. According to Il Giornale the foreigners taking part in the fighting assure that they are not getting paid.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja (SD) has stated that Finland will not order an investigation into the alleged Finnish fighters, according to STT. Russia's claims have not altered Finland's position on the conflict.

The Finnish Security Intelligence Service is not aware of any Finnish fighters in Eastern Ukraine, stated senior inspector Tuomas Portaankorva.

"We haven't received such information," Portaankorva said. He declined to comment on whether the Finnish Security Intelligence Service is intending to investigate the matter.

The Finnish Security Intelligence Service refused to comment also on whether people have left Finland to fight for the Ukrainian army or for the separatists.

"That's all we've got to say about the subject for now," Portaankorva remarked. The Foreign Office is not aware of any Finnish fighters having joined any forces in Eastern Ukraine, concurred the leader of the crisis and aid team, Jussi Tanner.

Demanding that Finland investigate the claims is a part of Russia's propaganda war, estimateds the Programme Director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Mika Aaltola, in an interview by STT. According to Aatola, the demand is meant to act as a distraction from the current situation where Russia is at the centre of global attention.

"This is a tactical move associated with the information of war. According to their logic, the fact that both sides hold foreigners lessens the significance of Russians participating in the fighting for the separatists," Aaltola said in the interview. According to Aaltola, it is not an impossible scenario that there were Finnish citizens in Ukraine. To the contrary, he says that it would be surprising if there were no Finns in current areas of crisis.

"It is not an organised activity. Finland is not able as a Western, democratic country to control the actions of its citizens."

Aaltola also believes that one of the purposes of the demand is to remind Finland that Russia is observing Finland and takes notice of actions across the border.

Laura Halminen – HS

Tomi Peurakoski – HT

Mari Storpellinen – HT

© HELSINGIN SANOMAT

Image: Sergei Supinsky / Lehtikuva / AFP Photo