Stockholm, Sweden | AFP | Wednesday 4/19/2023 A documentary aired by Nordic public broadcasters Wednesday claimed Russia is suspected of having a spy programme in the North Sea planning the sabotage of energy infrastructures in Northern Europe. The Kremlin on Wednesday dismissed the media claims as a “mistake” and “without basis”, reiterating its appeal for “a transparent and impartial international inquiry” into the sabotage of the Baltic Sea Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022. […]
Tag: FINLAND
Sega to buy Angry Birds maker Rovio
Helsinki, Finland | AFP | by Elias HUUHTANEN Japanese gaming group Sega has offered to buy the creator of the popular Angry Birds franchise, Finland’s Rovio, in a deal worth more than 700 million euros ($770 million), the companies said Monday. The deal would mark the end the independence of Finnish mobile game makers, which burst into the scene when Rovio launched its slingshot-bird game more than a decade ago. The bid by Sega, famous […]
Finland in NATO: strategic shift with material gain
Paris, France | AFP | Tuesday 4/4/2023 by Daphne Benoit and Didier Lauras Finland on Tuesday becoming the 31st member of NATO is a strategic step that doubles the military alliance’s border with Russia and provides the coalition with additional military capacity. Here are the key facts: – Russia ‘more vulnerable’ – Finland broke with decades of non-alignment to ask to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after Russia invaded its pro-Western neighbour Ukraine in […]
Finland joins NATO, drawing warning from Moscow
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | Tuesday 4/4/2023 by Max DELANY Finland became the 31st member of NATO on Tuesday, in a historic realignment of Europe’s defences that drew an angry warning of “countermeasures” from the Kremlin. Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine last year upended Europe’s security landscape and prompted Finland — and its neighbour Sweden — to drop decades of military non-alignment. Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto formally wrapped up the process by handing Helsinki’s […]
From the Cold War to the Ukraine war: NATO in brief
PARIS, France (AFP) — NATO is the world’s biggest military alliance, bringing together 30 European and North American countries who commit to defend each other in the event of attack. After Finland joins on Tuesday, it will have 31 members. The alliance was formed at the start of the Cold War to protect Western Europe against the threat of Soviet aggression but its remit and reach have expanded over time. Here is a brief history […]
Finns vote as far right aims to unseat PM Sanna Marin
Helsinki, Finland | AFP | Sunday 4/2/2023 by Elias HUUHTANEN Finland votes Sunday in legislative elections that could see the country take a dramatic turn to the right, as centre-right and anti-immigration parties vie to unseat Social Democratic Prime Minister Sanna Marin. After the breakthrough by nationalists in neighbouring Sweden and the far right’s victory in Italy last year, Finland could become the latest country to join the nationalist wave in Europe. The vote […]
Turkey becomes last NATO nation to ratify Finland membership
by Burcin GERCEK Agence France-Presse ANKARA, Turkey (AFP) — Turkey on Thursday became the final NATO nation to ratify Finland’s membership of the US-led defense alliance in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Lawmakers unanimously backed the Nordic country’s accession two weeks after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly blessed the bid. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the ratification, saying on Twitter it would “make the whole NATO family stronger and safer.” Turkey’s approval leaves […]
Finland heads for elections under new iron curtain
by Elias HUUHTANEN Agence France-Presse IMATRA, Finland (AFP) — When Russia invaded Ukraine, a new iron curtain severed once-close ties between Moscow and Helsinki — something Ari Joronen can see with his own eyes from his farm in eastern Finland. “The trees have been cleared because of the new border fence,” he says, overlooking part of his property in the town of Imatra that adjoins the Russian border, a few hundred meters from his house. […]
Finland hopes new nuclear reactor eases energy crunch
by Elias HUUHTANEN Agence France-Presse EURAJOKI, Finland (AFP) — After over a decade of delays, the deafening sound of Finland’s new Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor finally running its turbine at full power was welcomed with joy — and relief. The Nordic country is hoping the plant will be able to ease the coming winter’s challenges as Europe battles soaring energy prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “It has taken a lot of perseverance and years […]
Finland sees record surge in Russians crossing border
Helsinki, Finland (AFP) Finland said on Monday it had recorded the year’s busiest weekend in terms of Russians entering the country, after Moscow’s military call-up announcement caused a rush for the border. “Last weekend was the busiest weekend of the year for traffic on the eastern border,” Mert Sasioglu of the Finnish border guard told AFP. The border agency said nearly 8,600 Russians entered Finland via the land border on Saturday and nearly 4,200 crossed the […]
Russian tourists’ luxury cars fill up Helsinki airport
by Elias HUUHTANEN Agence France-Presse HELSINKI, Finland (AFP) — Porsches, Bentleys and other luxury cars with Russian license plates are filling up the parking garage at Helsinki’s airport as Finland becomes an important transit country for Russian tourists flying to Europe. The European Union shut its airspace to Russian planes after Moscow invaded Ukraine, forcing anyone who wants to travel to Europe to drive across the border or take a circuitous route using non-Western airlines. […]
Finland says Russian fighter jets ‘suspected’ of violating airspace
HELSINKI, Finland (AFP) — Two Russian fighter jets are believed to have violated Finnish airspace on Thursday, Finland’s defence ministry said, as the Nordic country seeks NATO membership following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. “Two Russian MIG-31 fighters are suspected of having violated Finnish airspace in the Gulf of Finland off Porvoo,” the ministry said in a statement. The Finnish Air Force sent up “an operational flight mission” to identify the aircraft, it said, adding […]
