Key developments on Jan. 31: * North Korean troops not seen for 3 weeks in parts of Kursk Oblast, Ukraine’s Special Forces say * Ukraine deploys long-range drone capable of 2,000 km strike, military says * Ukrainian drones strike "one of 10 largest oil refineries in Russia," military says * Russian missiles
This brings Finland's total defense aid provided to Ukraine since the outbreak of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 to 2.5 billion euros ($2.6 billion).
The Finnish company Insta describes the system as a combination of an "explosive charge and a drone." The drone can be used to transport an explosive charge that can detonate above a target.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Baltic Sea region has faced numerous disruptions to power cables, telecom links, and gas pipelines.
"We are supporting Ukraine's NATO membership further down the line and hopefully not in (the) too-distant future," Finland's Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said on Jan. 8.
The Ukrainian president argued that the absence of NATO membership and concrete security guarantees contributed to Russia’s decision to launch the full-scale invasion.
The meeting, co-organized by Finland and Estonia, will focus on enhancing NATO's presence in the Baltic Sea and responding to risks posed by Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a group of tankers allegedly used for sanction evasion and espionage.
A fleet of up to 10 NATO vessels will guard the infrastructure under the Baltic Sea until April, the Finnish broadcaster YLE reported on Jan. 7 after several cables were cut in suspected sabotage.
The Helsinki District Court has ruled to keep the oil tanker — suspected of belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet" — under seizure, despite an appeal from the ship's owner.
The damaged cable is one of several recent incidents in the Baltic Sea under investigation as possible acts of sabotage.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Dec. 27 that "NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea" following the recent damage to the Estlink 2 power cable in the Gulf of Finland likely caused by Russia.
The Estlink 2, an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia, was seriously damaged on Christmas Day. Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible act of sabotage.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced 170 million euros ($178 million) in financial support for six European countries bordering Russia and Belarus to bolster their border protection efforts.
A Finnish court began trial on Dec. 5 for Yan Petrovsky, a Russian neo-Nazi mercenary, for war crimes he allegedly committed while leading a Russian neo-Nazi unit in eastern Ukraine between 2014 and 2015.
Telecom cables linking two Nordic countries with Germany and Lithuania were cut on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, raising suspicion of sabotage, various media outlets reported on Nov. 18.
The governments of Norway, Sweden, and Finland have begun the distribution of informative pamphlets to citizens, providing them with advice in case of the outbreak of war or other emergency situations, BBC reported on Nov. 17.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen urged Western leaders to refrain from making additional phone calls to Russian President Vladimir Putin following German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's recent call, Valtonen said on German TV on Nov. 17.
A new political museum at the same site will open on Feb. 15, 2025, Finnish authorities announced. The museum will reportedly focus on Finnish-Russian relations, including developments in the 21st century.
According to a ruling in 2023 by the Permanent Arbitration Court based in The Hague, Russia is obliged to pay $5 billion to Naftogaz Group as compensation for assets illegally seized during the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014.
The Western countries are growing tired of their support of Ukraine, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen warned, calling for stronger resolve in backing Kyiv, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Oct. 15.
Finland joined NATO early 2023 after ditching its longstanding neutral stance following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Norway is considering building fencing along the country's border with Russia amid ongoing concerns over migrant crossings, Norway's Justice Minister Emily Anger Mel said in an interview with Norway's NRK media outlet.
According to Finnish President Alexander Stubb, any council member engaged in an illegal war "such as Russia is in right now in Ukraine" should be suspended.
Key developments on Sept. 13: * 49 Ukrainians released from Russian captivity * Finland announces $130 million aid package for Ukraine * Russia's 'rapid' offensive in Kursk Oblast hasn't yet achieved 'serious' success, Zelensky says * Russia buys Western aircraft parts via intermediaries despite sanctions * ATACMS 'pointless' without ability to strike inside Russia, Zelensky
The day before, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine's use of Western long-range weapons against Russia would mean that NATO countries were directly involved in the war.
The total amount of military aid Finland has provided Kyiv now stands at 2.3 billion euros ($2.5 billion), the Finnish Defense Ministry said.
The Finnish government has proposed banning most Russian citizens from buying real estate in the country to ensure national security, Reuters reported Sept. 2, citing Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen.
Ville Mykkanen is the fifth known Finnish volunteer fighter to have been killed fighting for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb expressed strong support for Ukraine’s right to defend itself against Russian aggression, including strikes and advances on Russian territory.
A Finnish volunteer fighter was killed in Donetsk Oblast in mid-July, marking the fourth Finnish national killed fighting for Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Association of Finnish War Veterans confirmed on July 30.
Finland's parliament passed a law on July 12 granting border guards the authority to block asylum seekers crossing from Russia. Helsinki believes Moscow is promoting the crossings in retaliation for Finland joining NATO.
"Russia's apparent GPS jamming is likely part of Russia's intensifying hybrid campaign directly targeting NATO states likely aimed at undermining support for Ukraine and NATO unity," the ISW said.
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