Finland must prepare for Russian interference and hybrid attacks in connection with the country’s NATO bid, its intelligence service said today.
“The whole of Finnish society needs to be vigilant about Russian efforts to influence Finland’s decision-making process on NATO,” said the head of the security service (Supo).
In its annual report on the threats facing Finland, the agency stresses the danger of “widespread Russian interference and illegal surveillance”.
This weekend, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto acknowledged that a bid to join NATO could provoke “hasty” responses from Russia, including airspace or territory violations. At the same time, being protected by Article 5 of the alliance’s mutual assistance would have a “deterrent effect” on attacks on Finland, according to the president.
Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in late February led to a dramatic shift in Finnish public opinion in favor of NATO membership, with almost 60% of the population now in favor of joining the military alliance.
Helsinki has rejected the idea of ​​an urgent request for membership but has been holding important political consultations for a month. No decision on a possible parliamentary debate will be made until the conclusions of a new review strategy on the security situation are known, which is expected in April, according to the government.
Supo today advised Finnish companies to be “constantly vigilant” when it comes to cyber attacks, especially against the electricity grid or other critical infrastructure.
In recent years, Finland has stated that it has faced “hybrid”, as they are characterized, tactics from Russia, such as the repeated entry of Russian aircraft into its airspace or the transfer of 1,700 migrants to the Finland-Russia border in 2016.
Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
Source: Capital
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