Finland is planning to ramp up its restrictions on Russians entering its territory amid concerns of a flood of Russian men attempting to flee out of fear that new conscription measures could be looming.
While scant with specific details, Helsinki said it would “significantly restrict” the number of Russian tourists allowed because it believes an exodus of Russians through its borders could deal “serious damage to Finland’s international position.”
RUSSIAN DRAFT-DODGING IS ABOUT ENDEMIC MILITARY BULLYING, NOT JUST THE WAR IN UKRAINE
“Russia’s [mobilization] and increasing volume of tourists transiting via Finland are causing serious harm to Finland’s international position and relations. Government will issue a resolution to significantly restrict the entry and issuing visas to Russian citizens,” Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said, per the country’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced earlier this week that the Kremlin would initiate a partial mobilization, leading to concerns within Russia that Moscow plans to widen its conscription to bolster its foray into neighboring Ukraine. Putin said the mobilization is needed because it takes time to train reservists adequately.
In Russia, men between 18 and 27 are required to serve in the Russian military for at least a year, though there are various exceptions.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Russia in outrage over the apparent military escalation despite the Kremlin’s history of cracking down on such dissent. Over 1,000 protesters have been arrested this week, the Washington Post reported.
Additionally, prices for airplane tickets out of the warring nation have reportedly jumped up significantly, signaling discontent among many Russian men over the prospects of being conscripted into a war that has reportedly killed between 15,000 and 25,000 Russians. Death toll estimates on the war vary.
Flights departing Moscow and St. Petersburg today. The @AP is reporting international flights departing Russia have either sold out or skyrocketed in price after Putin announced a mobilization of reservists.
Search SVO, VKO, DME for Moscow airports and LED for St. Petersburg. pic.twitter.com/LV2PrkwPD9
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) September 21, 2022
Finland, which neighbors Russia and previously faced the Soviet Union during a 1939 invasion, has aligned itself with Ukraine and joined Western nations in condemning the war. The Nordic nation wants to avert a migration crisis that could put pressure on its “international position.”
“Entry into Finland can be refused under the Schengen Borders Code. Exceptions will include specific groups — based on e.g. relatives, studies, or work. It is also important to ensure that people can enter on humanitarian grounds. [Finland] still aims at EU-level solutions,” Haavisto added.
Against the backdrop of rising plane ticket prices and reports of traffic jams near Russia’s border, Ukrainian Presidnet Volodymyr Zelensky has encouraged disgruntled Russians to engage in “sabotage” against the Kremlin’s war efforts.
“If you get into the Russian army, then sabotage any enemy activity, interfere with any Russian operations, give us all important information about the occupiers: their bases, headquarters, ammunition depots,” Zelensky said, per NBC.
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Western nations, including the United States, have condemned Putin’s plans for a partial mobilization and recent threat of deploying nuclear weapons. Ukraine has delivered stiff resistance to the Russian invasion that began in February.
The Kremlin has so far failed in its early quest to subdue the capital of Kyiv, but it has made gains in the Russian-friendly Donbas region after pivoting its efforts there several months into the war.