A former fighter who served with the Russian-aligned Wagner Group in Ukraine has appeared in Finland as an asylum seeker. He has previously participated in Russian war propaganda but has recently harshly criticized Russia for its treatment of its own soldiers and for lying to their families.
The man could, of course, be a genuine asylum seeker—or alternatively, a Russian agent. This is a matter Finnish authorities will undoubtedly investigate. At this stage, however, the most interesting aspect is what he has revealed about Putin's army.
The soldier, who has now arrived in Finland, published a video last February in which he denounced the Russian military leadership and accused it of mistreating Russian soldiers. He also threatened to track down those responsible.
In June, the man released another video in which he accused Russian commanders of being traitors who "leave soldiers to rot in the fields." At the time of this video’s release, he was already in Finland. On the other hand, he has continued publishing Wagner propaganda until quite recently.
In Finland, any possible involvement by the Russian soldier in war crimes will be investigated, and if necessary, he will be prosecuted. For that, the judiciary will need information about his actions in Ukraine, so cooperation with the local authorities there is essential.
At the same time, it is clear that he will not be extradited to the warring Ukrainians for prosecution; rather, he will be investigated specifically in Finland. For now, however, he is not suspected of committing war crimes.
It remains to be seen what will happen to the Russian soldier next, but his appearance in Finland may signal a decline in the fighting morale of Russian troops. And that would not be to the benefit of Vladimir Putin or his administration, but – in contrast – good news for the Ukrainian army.
Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Suicide and Sudden Death in Russia – What's Really Going On?
Russians in Finland Include Both Putin’s Supporters and Loyal Citizens
Russian Aircraft Violated Finnish Airspace – But What’s the Point?
Sometimes I miss the good old times when Urho Kaleva Kekkonen was the President of Finland. Human rights were not considered when the Russian was returned to the eastern side of the border as soon as possible.
ReplyDelete