Contents tagged with Finland

  • Kremlin: Finland’s banks closing accounts of Russian companies

    Banks in Finland are refusing to open and are also closing the existing accounts of Russian businesses, said the trade mission of the Russian Federation to Finland.

    The problem arose in 2015 after a wave of Western sanctions in response to the annexation of Crimea and the war in the Donbas, and since then has not been resolved.

    "Such cases are far from isolated, and this is of particular concern," said the head of the Russian trade mission Anton Loginov during a round table with Finnish …

  • Finland claims Russian warplanes violated its air space

    Two Russian Su-27 aircraft violated Finnish airspace, announced the press service of Finland’s Defense Ministry.

    According to Finland’s Defense Ministry, the fighter jets were in the country’s airspace for about 14 hours during a flight over the Gulf of Finland near Helsinki.

    The incident is being investigated by the Finnish Border Guard.

    RIA Novosti reports that the Russian Defense Ministry denied the Finnish Defense Ministry's statement. The Russian Defense Ministry noted that four Su-27 …

  • Putin’s friend Rotenberg loses lawsuit against Scandinavian banks in Finland

    The Russian businessman Boris Rotenberg, who has come under US sanctions due to the conflict in Ukraine and his close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, lost a lawsuit against four Scandinavian banks in a Finnish court on Monday.

    “The Helsinki District Court has dismissed Boris Rotenberg’s lawsuit regarding the right to banking services and damage from discrimination,” the court said in a statement.

    Rotenberg, who also has Finnish citizenship, filed a lawsuit against Nordea, Danske …

  • Finland begins air patrols of border with Russia

    Helsinki has decided to monitor the border from the air in order to combat illegal infiltration into its territory from the Russian Federation.

    To do this, border guards will use helicopters and aircraft, reports YLE.

    Forests in the east and north, where border guards are less likely to be protected compared to other Finnish territories, will be particularly carefully patrolled.

    Earlier it was reported that Finland has become more likely to grant asylum to Russians.

  • Russians will need approval of Finnish Defense Ministry to buy property in Finland

    Finland has obliged citizens who do not live in EU countries to request permission from the Finnish Defense Ministry to the purchase of the real estate in the country. The measure, which would go into effect from January 1, also applies to Russian citizens, reports the YLE news agency.

    The Defense Ministry will check whether the buyers present a threat to the country’s security. Thus, purchases of  properties located near airfields, radars, and warehouses of food reserves are likely to be …

  • Finland and Estonia launch Balticconnector gas pipeline

    On December 11, ceremonies to mark the commissioning of the Estonian-Finnish gas pipeline Balticconnector were held simultaneously in Paldiski (Estonia) and Helsinki (Helsinki), reports Delfi news outlet.

    The gas pipeline was launched by the Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid and Finnish President Sauli Niinistö.

    The length of the underwater part of the Balticconnector gas pipeline from Paldiski to Inkoo municipality in Finland is 77 km. The land part covers 55 km in Estonia and 21 km in …

  • Finland promises Ukraine €600,000 for mine clearance in Donbas

    “Eastern Ukraine is one of the most mine-polluted conflict zones in the world. We are preparing an additional €600,000 [assistance] package for mine clearance,” Interfax-Ukraine cites Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto as saying.

    The minister promised to allocate the funds to Kyiv during a visit to the conflict region. A Finnish delegation led by Foreign Minister Haavisto visited disengagement section No. 1 in Stanytsia Luhanska, Ukraine’s Joint Forces Operation headquarters announced on …

  • Putin: Moscow can live without membership in Council of Europe

    At the press conference after talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö , Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia doesn't want to participate in the Council of Europe at any cost, and if other members don't want to see Russia there, Moscow can live without membership in this organization.

    Finnish journalist, addressed Putin and  pointed out that Moscow does not comply with the rules of the organization. The journalist reminded of dispersal of protests in Moscow. Putin replied that …

  • Before his visit to Ukraine Finland’s President discuss Donbas with Putin

    President of Finland Sauli Niinistö, before his visit to Ukraine, discussed the conflict settlement in the Donbas with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reports EuroIntegration news outlet.

    "We had a little talk about Ukraine. I am going to visit Ukraine in a few weeks, and as far as I understand, certain practical initiatives are implemented, and practical work is being carried out. For my part, I will support this process," he said.

    Niinistö added that Helsinki had made efforts to return …

  • Russian criminal group launders largest sum in Finland's history

    Two Estonian citizens were arrested in Finland on charges of laundering more than 100 million euros for a Russian organized criminal group, reports Yle TV channel.

    The money laundering was carried out with the assistance of the Finnish HTR Talonrakennus Oy construction company. Estonians, who led this firm, received charges of laundering 140 million criminal euros. Now the detainees deny their guilt, claiming that the money was allegedly intended for the construction of roads in Karelia.

    It …