Finland’s government websites have been hacked at the same time as Volodymyr Zelensky gave a speech to their parliament today, just hours after Finnish lawmakers launched a new push for the country to join NATO.
Denial-of-service attacks were launched against the main government website as well as the Ministries for Defence and Foreign Affairs. These denials of service are intended to render the websites unavailable to users.
Earlier, Finland’s defense ministry reported that a Russian state plane violated Finnish airspace for three minutes just off Finland’s southern coast.
Protest against the Ukrainian invasion, Finland today expelled 2 Russian diplomats. It also stopped the visa application of the third.
The security breaches came as Zelensky told Finnish lawmakers to impose ‘Molotov cocktail’ sanctions on Russia, invoking the incendiary devices popularised by the Finns in their war against the Soviet Union in WWII.
In the videolink address, he added: “The war against Russia against Ukraine is decisive for not only the future of our country or our nation but also all other countries who share a border with Russia.” Ukraine is just as brave today as it was 83 year ago.
Hours earlier, former Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said Finland is just weeks away from submitting an application to join NATO despite Russian warnings that it would secure ‘the destruction of their country’.
This Nordic nation, with a long border to Russia, was invaded by Red Army during the Winter War 1939. It has not been part of any Cold War defense alliance and prefers to organize its own protection.
However, polls conducted by Finnish media outlets showed a rapid U-turn in public opinion since Russia invaded Ukraine in February. The majority of respondents now favor joining.
Since WWII, Finland has chosen to be neutral. It acted as a buffer in Europe between East and West during the Cold War. This gave it greater flexibility with its foreign policies while easing Russian concerns about Western expansion.
The Finnish government website was hacked today as Volodymyr Zilensky addressed their Parliament. This speech came just hours after Helsinki announced its NATO membership bid.
Zelensky advised Finnish lawmakers to impose the ‘Molotov Cocktail’ sanctions on Russia. He invoked incendiary devices that the Finns used in the war against Soviet Union during WWII.
Today, Sanna Marin, Finnish Prime Minister, meets Micheal Martin from Ireland as she considers joining NATO in the coming weeks.
Finland’s defense ministry reported that a Russian aircraft violated Finnish airspace, and an IL-96-300 for three minutes, just south of the country’s coast. File image
Alexander Stubb (pictured), stated that the Nordic country shares an 830 mile border with Russia and could join the military alliance.
Russia threatened to respond to Finland in a manner similar to the one seen in Ukraine, if Finland wants to become NATO members.
An image of a destroyed residence building due to shellfire in Ukraine. Russia threatens Finland
Putin, pictured today at the funeral for far-right politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky in Moscow, could retaliate if Finland joins NATO
Alexander Stubb was the head of Finland’s government between 2014 and 2015. He said that Finland could join the military alliance in May.
He said: ‘In the beginning of the war I said that Putin’s aggression will drive Finland and Sweden to apply for NATO membership.
“I told you it would not take days or weeks to get the approval, it would take months. It is time to review: Finland will apply in the coming weeks. Sweden is expected to apply within weeks, or simultaneously.
Russian lawmaker Vladimir Dzhabarov said this week that it is not likely ‘the Finns themselves will sign a card for the destruction of their country’, threatening a repeat of the Ukraine invasion which was sparked in part by its desire to join NATO.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, stated yesterday that if Finland or Sweden join NATO, Russia will have to “rebalance” the situation with its own measures. This was a thinly disguised warning.
The majority support is in Finland for joining this alliance. Polling has shown that the popularity of Finland’s membership rose by 34 points within months, to 62%.
Nordic military expert Carl Bergqvist said: ‘Finland emerged from World War II with two experiences. The country wasn’t in a position to accept any assistance from outside, so it would be dependent upon its own abilities to protect its independence and interests.
It would be necessary to weigh its interests against those of Russia/the Soviet Union, due to their long land borders.
This week, foreign ministers of NATO in Brussels discussed the possibility of Sweden and Finland joining NATO.
The official said, under duress, that ‘Obviously these are going to be the choices of those countries to make’.
The official stated that the alliance was still open to new members and had been open for discussion regarding a potential candidate.
Pekka Haisto, Finnish foreign minister told reporters earlier that Finland would inform journalists in coming weeks about possible NATO membership.
Russia’s top house senator Dzhabarov said that Finland’s joining of the pact was a ‘terrible tragedy.
He declared: “If Finland’s leadership goes for it it will be a strategic misstep.
“Finland,” which is a country that has seen success over the years due to its close economic and trade ties with Russia would be a potential target.
“I believe it” [would be]This is a tragic tragedy that affects the whole Finnish population.
He said that the possibility of the Finns signing a card to destroy their country is unlikely.
According to member nations, it could take anywhere from 4 months to 1 year for the application to be approved.
Premier Minister Sanna Marina stated earlier in the week that either joining NATO (NATO), or not, are options with consequences.
“We have to evaluate both short-term, and long-term impacts. We must also remember our ultimate goal, which is to ensure the safety of Finland and Finns under all circumstances.
Marin stated that Finland’s relationship to Russia was irreversible after the invasion of Ukraine. It takes much time and hard work to rebuild confidence.
The longest border between any member of the European Union and Finland is 830 miles.
The country has maintained a militarily non-aligned status, which means it is not engaged in war or conflicts since the Cold War to avoid provoking Moscow.
Haavisto said that Russia’s actions towards Ukraine in the past have “totally changed” Finland’s security landscape.
He told Kyodo News that Finland must be prepared for ‘more negative military scenarios’.
A Russian politician warned last month of serious military and political consequences if Finland or Sweden join the alliance.
Sergei Belyayev from Russia’s Foreign Ministry Second European Department stated that “It’s obvious” that Finland’s and Sweden’s accession to NATO would have grave military and political consequences. He suggested Interfax that they should revise all relations and take retaliatory steps.
Vladimir Dzhabarov, Russia’s top house member said that Finland joining NATO would mean asking for the ‘destruction of their country.
As an elderly lady gestures, she is seated in front of the destroyed structure in Obukhovychi in northern Ukraine.
Borodyanka residents look for their belongings in an apartment that was damaged during the fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces.
The Russian withdrawal from the towns around Kyiv revealed the extent of the devastation caused by Russia’s unsuccessful attempt to take over the Ukrainian capital.
Russia made clear that it could launch similar attacks on Finland to the one it was waging against Ukraine with this threat
As Russia is threatening similar destruction in Finland, a man passes a damaged building in Chernihiv (Ukraine).
Borodyanka, which was hit by some of the most severe shelling in Ukraine, saw rescue workers clean up the rubble.
A severely damaged residence building was hit by Russian air attacks in Borodyanka. Zelensky is concerned that there will be similar atrocities in Bucha.
The last month Finland found interference in passenger jets GPS signals close to Russia’s Kaliningrad region and its eastern border with Moscow.
Finnair, the Finnish airline Finnair stated that its pilots noticed disturbances in Kaliningrad near NATO members Lithuanian and Poland. The Baltic Sea’s east coast is surrounded by NATO members Poland and Lithuania.
Another aircraft experienced unusual interferences with GPS signals close to Finland’s eastern border to Russia. This caused planes to be unable to land in Savonlinna due to this interference.
Russian letters were also sent to Helsinki in February asking for clarification on security plans.
Haavisto then told The Times the instance ‘reminded (him) of the Cold War’, when the country was used to ‘this kind of Russian letter asking for ‘consultations’.
Street inspections by servicemen of pro-Russian soldiers during the Ukraine/Russia conflict at Mariupol’s southern port.
One woman walks past the shell crater that has destroyed homes in Ivankiv’s Kyiv area.
A pro-Russian serviceman takes a rest during an inspection of streets in Mariupol’s besieged port.
The Cold War, from 1947 to 1989 and the subsequent decades, did not succeed in persuading Finland or Sweden into joining NATO.
But in March it appeared that Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine increased public support in Finland for joining the NATO alliance to record levels, according to a poll.
In Finland, 62% of the respondents had responded in support of their government’s application for NATO membership.
This is an increase of 53 percent according to the poll, which was commissioned from Finland’s public broadcaster Yle. The same poll had been published two weeks earlier.
Later that month another poll from newspaper Helsingin Sanomat also suggested a majority of the nation is in favour of joining NATO, with 54 per cent responding they would back the decision.
Similar polls were conducted in neighbouring Sweden. They showed that more people are for NATO membership than those opposed.
Vladimir Putin used NATO’s Eastward Expansion as one reason for his bloody war and demanded that Ukraine maintain neutrality in order to be able to pull out.
Fear of being drawn into wider conflicts with Russia, NATO nations have refused to assist Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in his fight against Moscow’s invading troops.