Laas Leivat

Pravda has recently written that a new form of totalitarianism with restricted access to information and outright fabrication of news is being instituted by a neighbouring state. In fact Pravda has even declared the neighbouring country to be worse than North Korea where severe censorship dominates everything.

One might assume the observations are focused on one of the Baltic states, as typically is the case. But no, the target is Finland, a country usually treated with moderate chastisement or non-effusive praise. Even though the author of the comments was well-known champion of the Kremlin’s internationally aggressive posture, an enthusiastic supporter of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, an avowed enemy of Estonia’s resistance to foreign harassment, etc., Johan Bäckman, the fact that government-controlled Pravda carried these remarks puts Moscow’s stamp of approval on the thoughts.

Finnish journalist Jarmo Mäkela explains the currently perceived Moscow’s displeasure with Finland and its government: Russia had expended substantial effort in many ways to the possibility that Donald Trump might win the US presidency. When their ambitions were realized, the Kremlin’s expectations were high. They assumed a more confident political stance in advancing their strategy towards Ukraine, Syria, Libya and the Balkans, convinced that they would receive at the very least Washington’s tacit approval for this. (Pikemalt 7. aprilli paberlehest)

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