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Transcript/ScriptFinland Russia Border Security
HEADLINE: Russian media: Kremlin will deploy ballistic missiles close to Finnish border
TEASER: Deployment plans come as Helsinki mulls legislation to block asylum-seekers crossing from Russia, accusing Moscow of weaponizing migrations
PUBLISHED AT: 04/22/2024, 4:02
BYLINE: Henry Ridgwell
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: London
VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Ridgwell
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SCRIPT EDITORS: Page, MAS, SV balance
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, Zoom, APTN, Reuters, AFP
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TRT: 2:46
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TYPE: TVR
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((INTRO))
Russian media say the country plans to deploy ballistic missiles close to its border with Finland. Analysts say it’s the latest in a series of military and hybrid threats that Russia has made against Finland since it joined NATO last year in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Henry Ridgwell reports.
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF RUSSIAN ISKANDER MISSILE))
((NARRATION))
Russian media reported Monday that the military plans to deploy an Iskander ballistic missile system, like this one, close to the border with Finland. The reports said it was a response to Finland joining NATO last year.
((VIDEO: VOA FOOTAGE OF HELSINKI))
But the announcement is not raising alarm bells in Helsinki, says security analyst Charly Salonius-Pasternak.
((Charly Salonius-Pasternak, Finnish Institute of International Affairs (in English) ))
((cf. Zoom logo))
“This is really not news. And of course, announcing a thing and then doing something about it are two very different things when it comes from Russia.”
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF HELSINKI, NATO ACCESSION CEREMONY))
Analysts say Finland is facing varied security and hybrid threats from Russia since it joined NATO after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF MIGRANTS ARRIVING AT BORDER))
Late last year, thousands of migrants from countries including Syria and Somalia began to arrive at the Finnish-Russian border to try to claim asylum.
Helsinki closed the frontier in November, accusing the Kremlin of weaponizing migration. The closure was extended indefinitely this month.
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF VON DER LEYEN AT BORDER))
The European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen joined the Finnish prime minister on a tour of the border region Friday.
((Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President (in English) ))
“It is a hybrid threat, and it has to be dealt (with) as a hybrid threat to national security. And what we see is that a state is instrumentalizing poor people to put pressure on another state.”
((VIDEO: VOA/AGENCY FOOTAGE OF BORDER))
Finland is building a fence along part of the 1,340-kilometer (833-mile) border and increasing patrols. The government is debating legislation to block asylum-seekers entering from Russia.
Von der Leyen said any such measures must strike a balance between protecting security and international obligations on the rights of refugees.
The threats go beyond a migrant crisis, says analyst Salonius-Pasternak.
((Charly Salonius-Pasternak, Finnish Institute of International Affairs (in English) ))
((cf. Zoom logo))
“The Russian security services, once some of these individuals have gotten to Finland, are seeking to recruit them to then cause further mayhem within Finland. There's certainly an expectation from the Finnish authorities that cyberattacks, maybe other attacks on infrastructure, as well as this weaponization of humans will continue. Now that winter is slowly receding here, the long border becomes, of course, much more passable.”
((VIDEO: AGENCY FOOTAGE OF KREMLIN))
Russia denies trying to create a migrant crisis on the Finnish border. Moscow has described Finland's accession to NATO as a “historic mistake” that would force it to take what it called “countermeasures.”
((Henry Ridgwell, VOA News.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing AvailableNo
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateApril 22, 2024 16:23 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
