The study examines Russia’s full-spectrum influence activities directed at Finland since the early 2000s and their effects on Finnish society and decision-making. It is grounded in interview-based material and documentary sources, as well as existing research, and in-depth knowledge of key actors and the operating environment. The study is structured around four broad thematic areas. The first examines Russia’s influence on Finland’s national security policy, including defence, intelligence, and the cyber domain. The second focuses on economic and geo-economic influence, covering energy and infrastructure projects. The third theme addresses information operations and Russia’s compatriot policy in Finland. The fourth thematic area analyses cultural influence, encompassing the fields of science, history, religion, and sport. According to the report, Russia’s influence activities have capitalised on the specific characteristics of the bilateral relationship between Finland and Russia. Features of Finnish political culture – such as a strong preference for consensus and caution in public debate regarding threats related to Russia – have contributed to difficulties in identifying latent and indirect forms of influence, particularly in the context of energy and investment-related issues. By contrast, coercive forms of Russian influence have often proved ineffective, and in such cases Finland’s strong culture of security policy consensus has been an asset in countering Russian hybrid influence.
This publication is part of the implementation of the Government Plan for Analysis, Assessment and Research. (tietokayttoon.fi) The content is the responsibility of the producers of the information and does not necessarily represent the view of the Government. The permanent address of the publication is: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-287-954-7.
