Finland deported a Russian citizen, a former fighter of the unrecognized Wagner armed group, who was trying to gain international protection in the country. This decision attracted significant public interest.
On November 14, the Finnish border guard in the North Karelia Province deported this Russian, identified as Yevgeny, back to Russia after an illegal border crossing. According to the report, the border patrol took him to the Niirala checkpoint, where he crossed the border and returned to his homeland.
According to the deputy head of the border guard, Mikko Kallinen, Russian representatives are always present at this point, but the details of their actions have not been made public. The border guards confirmed that the deportee has a military background, but details remain undisclosed.
Yevgeny was detained on June 17 in the city of Kitee after being detected by sensors on the Finnish state border. As revealed in Yle’s materials, he openly calls himself a member of the Wagner group, posting videos criticizing the Russian military leadership.
Previously, Finnish authorities confirmed that Yevgeny was attempting to obtain international protection in Finland. In July, it became known that the Ukrainian side did not suspect him of any activity. At the same time, law enforcement agencies of the two countries cooperated in investigating war crimes of another Wagner group member, who was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The event caused a wide resonance due to the presence of terrorist groups in Europe and their possible actions. Investigations are ongoing with the involvement of international experts.
