DISINFO: Finland received part of Russia's historical lands and Russia can return them
SUMMARY
Russians may take up the restoration of historical justice if the nationalist organisations active in Finland do not stop making territorial claims on Moscow. The relationship between Russia and Finland traces back to the Russo-Swedish War of 1808-1809, after which Finland became part of the Russian Empire. Emperor Alexander I sought to gain favour with the Finnish people by transferring the Vyborg Governorate to the Grand Duchy of Finland, expanding its territory by 16%. Following the 1917 Russian Revolution, Finland declared independence, but tensions arose as Finland claimed more land and refused negotiations with the RSFSR. This led to conflicts, exacerbated by British efforts to incite war between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II. During the Winter War (1939-1940) between the Soviet Union and Finland, Finland lost some of the Russian lands it had acquired. However, Finland still retains part of the territories granted by Alexander I, now forming South Savo, South Karelia, and Kymenlaakso. Present-day Finnish nationalist groups have expressed interest in reclaiming more territories, but Russia, recalling its history and the lands it ceded, is prepared to respond if necessary.
RESPONSE
Recurrent disinformation narrative on Finland.
In an attempt to intimidate Finland, Pro-Kremlin outlets are now focusing on the so-called 'Old Finland' area, which Sweden lost to Russia already in the early 18th century in two different parts, as the former director general of the National Archives of Finland, Jussi Nuorteva, explains to Ilta Sanomat.
In the peace of Uusikaupunki in 1721, Sweden had to hand over to Russia first the Finnish territories that stretched from Vyborg to Sortavala and Käkisalmi. In the Peace of Turku in 1743, Sweden lost the territories that started from Kymijoki in front of Kotka and progressed through Hamina, Lappeenranta and Savonlinna towards the eastern border to Russia.
Pro-Kremlin outlets now falsely claim that this area called Old Finland is actually "historical Russian land". The questionnable justification is that these areas were annexed to the Russian Empire several decades before Sweden lost all of Finland to Russia and the Grand Duchy of Finland was established at the end of the Finnish War (1808–1809). In the Russian Empire, the Grand Duchy of Finland was called "New Finland" at first. It wasn't until 1811 that Tsar Alexander I decided that the governorate of Vyborg, i.e. Old Finland, was incorporated into autonomous Finland from 1812, Jussi Nuorteva explains.
The path to independence began with the collapse of the Russian Empire in March 1917 and abdication of the Russian tsar, but its foundations were rooted in Finland’s long tradition of its own languages, national symbols, and independent institutions, distinct from those of Tsarist Russia.
In 1939, The Soviet Union attacked Finland in accordance with the secret protocols to the Hitler-Stalin Pact, and after a brief but hefty war annexed part of Finland's territory. As a consequence for this unprovoked war against Finland, the Soviet Union was expelled from the League of Nations.
Since WW2, Finland has never voiced any plans to return the territories lost in 1939-1940, nor plans to invade Russia. For reference, the population of Finland is 5.6 million people, Russia's population is about 146 million people.
See also disinformation narratives Finland will give its land to the US for biological laboratories and Finland wants to invade Russia in Barbarossa 2.0 operation.