Finnish intelligence and security services assess threats from Russia in annual report

Finland's security service has assessed the risk of Russian spying and influencing operations as “elevated” even as Russia's ability to conduct human intelligence operations has deteriorated

Bloomberg reports.

According to the annual report of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo), the cyber environment and critical infrastructure are "particularly vulnerable" to such threats. 

The main goal of Russia's influence operations is to create a "deterrent" and "affect the nature" of Finland's NATO membership.

According to Supo, it is likely that Russian weaponized immigration, which forced Finland to close all border crossings with its eastern neighbor, will continue.

"It's a long-term threat, it's an easy way for Russia to keep Finland on its toes," said Supo's acting director Teemu Turunen.

The Finnish security service also said that Finland's membership in NATO "arouses a new kind of interest" in China, which considers the expansion of the military alliance in northern Europe a negative development. 

• On March 20, it was reported that the Finnish Border Guard had launched an investigation into about two dozen cases related to the organization of illegal entry into Finland through the border with Russia. Thirty-five people are involved.