Moscow trying to recruit migrants seeking asylum in Finland for espionage
Russia is trying to recruit migrants who are seeking asylum in Finland as spies, according to a Jan. 16 report in the local news outlet Yle, which cited information from the Finnish Security Police (SUPO).
More than one thousand migrants have entered Finland through its eastern border in recent months, creating an opportunity for recruitment.
"A person can be persuaded to cooperate in various ways, for example by exerting pressure or by linking a request for cooperation to the conditions of leaving the country or by promising money," SUPO said.
Although this is not a widespread phenomenon, the Border Guard Service believes that there may be thousands of people in Russia near the Finnish border who are willing to cross the border illegally.
Criminals, members of criminal organizations, soldiers disguised as civilians, and other people who might pose a threat to national security could be among those who have already entered Finland illegally, according to the Central Criminal Police (CCP).
However, it is unclear whether these individuals have been uncovered, since the large number of migrants has complicated and delayed their identification.
On Nov. 30, Finland closed all checkpoints along its border with Russia in response to a significant increase in undocumented third-country nationals seeking asylum at the border with the help of Russian border guards
More than 800 migrants from countries like Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen entered Finland via Russia in recent weeks, the country's Border Guard Service reported earlier.
Previously, the average flow of migrants was less than one per day.
Finnish President Sauli Niinistö believes that an artificial migration crisis at the Finnish-Russian border organized by Moscow is part of a "broader picture" and is a way for the Kremlin to destabilize the West, Yle reported on Dec. 2.
Norway could support the Finnish government's decision and also close its border crossing with Russia, Norwegian Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl said earlier. Estonia made a similar statement a day later.
Estonia may close border crossing points with Russia "very swiftly" due to a significant increase in the number of people crossing since Finland began blocking the border with Russia, Eve Kalmus, head of the Estonian Boarder Guard Directorate, told Yle on Dec. 2.
The Narva checkpoint in Estonia sawa surge in traffic after Finland closed its border crossings with Russia. About 1,000 more people crossed the Estonian-Russian border as compared to before.
The increase is almost entirely due to traffic from Finland to Russia.
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