Rusich announces reconnaissance agreement with Russian FSB near Saimaa Canal in Finland

A Russian paramilitary group, Rusich, shared a photo on the messaging service Telegram on Monday, which has been traced back to the vicinity of the Rättijärvi (Cvetotchnoe) lock along the Saimaa Canal. Although the lock lies on Russian territory, Finland has leased the area since 1962 to facilitate navigation of the canal, which is located 7.5 kilometers from the Finnish border.

The lease agreement between Finland and Russia is rare on a global scale and dates back to territorial concessions following World War II. Rusich announced on Telegram that it had reached an agreement with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) regarding reconnaissance and monitoring activities along the Finnish border, to be executed by the Russian Border Guard.

An anonymous source from the FSB told the Russian news outlet Daily Storm that they had not received any official information regarding Rusich’s activities at the border. Dr. Tommi Kotonen, a researcher at the University of Jyväskylä specializing in far-right movements, stated that such poses are partly intended to serve as intimidation, signaling readiness for any situation. He noted the absence of explicit far-right symbols in the photo, apart from skull masks worn by some individuals.

Dr. Oula Silvennoinen from the University of Helsinki argued that such poses are common among violent far-right groups, suggesting that they aim to convey a message of being armed, disciplined, strong, and dangerous. Both researchers agree that the photo serves as a provocation intended to attract public attention.

The Saimaa Canal, measuring 43 kilometers long, connects Lake Saimaa to the Baltic Sea, with half of its length in Finnish territory and the other half in Russia. The leased area which Finland operates manages the locks and associated roads. The rental agreement will remain in effect until 2062.