Over the past six months, 70% of Russian asylum seekers in Finland have had their applications rejected, according to the Finnish state broadcaster Yle. None of the cases are recent; many date back to the early stages of the war in Ukraine in 2022. Finland’s Immigration Service, Migri, explains that processing was largely delayed while the country awaited guidance from the EU on how to handle Russians fleeing military conscription. When no decision came from Brussels, Finland moved forward with its own set of guidelines.
Under these guidelines, simply facing the threat of mobilization in Russia is not sufficient grounds for asylum, according to Finland’s immigration authority. The decisive factor is the consequences an individual would face for refusing to comply with mobilization. Avoiding to be drafted into the army was the most common reason given for seeking asylum, Anu Karppi, head of Migri’s legal unit, told Yle.
The fact that the process has taken a long time has in some cases made the situation for the asylum seekers worse, human rights activist Nikita Kirillov said. During their time in Finland, many of them have participated in demonstrations against the Russian government and the war, and in support of political prisoners, he said:
There are photographs and several newspaper articles about this. The Democratic Community of Russian-Speaking People in Finland has been designated an “undesirable organization” in Russia, so the person may face criminal charges in Russia.
Kirillov is advocating for a legal reform that would grant Russians fleeing mobilization temporary protection in Finland—similar to the support currently extended to Ukrainians. He emphasizes that while this status would not provide the full rights associated with asylum, it would still permit individuals to study and work.
