Ukrainian and Finnish Cases of Desertion

Financial Times published a report on Ukrainian soldiers deserting the front. According to it, as many as 60,000 charges have been filed this year alone against soldiers who have abandoned their posts.

For this reason, I would like to remind you – my esteemed readers – that Finns faced similar problems in 1944. However, they were resolved swiftly and effectively, which demonstrates that desertion can be brought under control quite quickly – if there is the will to do so. Undoubtedly, this applies to Ukraine as well.

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During the Winter War, Finnish soldiers held their positions admirably, and morale remained high. But when the Karelian Isthmus front collapsed in 1944 under the pressure of the Soviet Union’s massive offensive, many Finnish soldiers also abandoned their posts. As a result, it was estimated in June 1944 that around 30,000 soldiers had gone missing from their units – some lost, but many deliberately fleeing.

This led Parliament to enact a law strengthening the military penal code, allowing for the death penalty for “cowardice in battle,” that is, desertion. This resulted in summary judgments by field courts and, in some cases, officers taking justice into their own hands. Consequently, roughly fifty Finnish deserters and war resisters met their end at the hands of their own countrymen.

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These events have later been condemned with the infallible morality of hindsight – or, as Veikko Huovinen put it, with the “sweetest and most self-satisfied kind of wisdom.” The fact remains, however, that it was precisely those summary punishments – and the word of them spreading rapidly through the ranks – that brought desertion among Finnish soldiers under control.

Thus, swift and sufficiently firm action against desertion made possible, among other things, the defensive victory at Tali–Ihantala – the so-called Miracle of Ihantala, which stopped the Red Army’s great offensive and saved Finland’s independence. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Sensible Immigration or Moral Posturing?
Why Did Finland Remain an Independent Democracy After World War II?
Bless Ukrainian Soldiers With the Spirit That Once Defined the Celebrated Finnish Veterans

The original blogpost in Finnish:
Ukrainalainen ja suomalainen rintamakarkuruus

Russian Soldier in Finland – A Sign of Crumbling Morale?

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?

Zelensky Condemns Fico’s "Immoral" Support for Putin

In the Western world—particularly in Finland—people understand quite well what a Russian victory in Ukraine would entail. Unfortunately, Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico seems to struggle with this understanding.

This can be inferred from his statement on social media, where he reported exchanging views in Moscow with Russia's dictator Vladimir Putin on "the military situation in Ukraine, possibilities for an early peaceful resolution of the war, and relations between Slovakia and Russia, which I intend to normalize."

According to Fico, his comments were a reaction to Ukraine's announcement that the country would not renew its agreement on the transit of Russian gas through its territory to the European Union. Angered by this, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyi issued a blunt accusation against Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico on another social media platform.

Zelensky claimed that Fico wants to help Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyi added, "Mr. Fico even rejected compensation that would have facilitated the transition and eliminated dependence on Russian gas." He continued, stating that "Fico is funding, in this way, the suffering of Russians, and therefore Ukrainians "are losing people as a result of the war Putin started. For us, such assistance to Putin is immoral."

Zelensky’s perspective is one worth agreeing with. At the same time, one cannot help but wonder why on earth the people of Slovakia—a nation subjugated by the Soviet Union for half a century—have chosen Fico as their leader.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Message from Finland's President to Vladimir Putin
Western Nations Should Act Decisively On Two Fronts Against Russia
Anecdotes and Jokes About Vladimir Putin

Is the moral of Russians collapsing

A former leading member of the Wagner group - a Russian mercenary army forming one of the stronges units of the attacker in Ukraine - has asked asylum in Norway. The decision on his request has not been made yet. 

It remains to be seen, what happens next, but one possible interpretation on this case could be loss of morale among the fighters of Wagner. That would not be a miracle taken the huge losses of the Russian army during the last eleven months. 

There are naturally also other possibilities, but it is good to make the optimistic interpretation, but be prepared for the worst. And therefore countries of Europe need to continue their support to Ukraine. That is, anti-aircraft missiles and battle tanks - or whatever the heroes of this war need to beat the enemy. 

That is because it should be understood that the loss of Russians in this war is not only a big win to Ukrainians, but its importance will be even bigger to the whole world by showing that a violent attack against innocent people cannot any more be counted as a way to change the world.  

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Military advice: Ukraine needs modern tanks
Good news from Ukraine
Independence day of Finland now and 83 years ago