DISINFO: Finland wants to invade Russia in Barbarossa 2.0 operation

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

DISINFO: Finland wants to invade Russia in Barbarossa 2.0 operation

SUMMARY

There are new ideas for Greater Finland to the Barents Sea. They are already openly talking about how Finland will be on the shores of the Barents Sea. [Finland's] border was last there in 1939. But they say that this is military Schengen. [....]

Finnish authorities are currently under the influence of Poland, which is backed by the United States. The Poles, apparently, are now dictating some conditions to us. For example, they talk about the “Mannerheim Line 2.0. Precisely from Poland to Finland. But we must understand that their plans are not only “Mannenheim Line 2.0”. Their main plan is "Barbarossa 2.0". That is, a new anti-Russian aggression.

RESPONSE

Conspiracy theory. The claim also frames Finland as a US and Polish puppet state. The claim was made in the context of Finland's accession to NATO, one of the consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In 1940, USSR propaganda stated that the Mannerheim’s impenetrable defense line was built as a “basis for an attack on the peaceful Soviet Union,” without seeing any contradiction in this statement. The USSR attacked Finland and annexed part of its territory in accordance with the secret protocols to the Hitler-Stalin Pact. As a consequence of that action, USSR was expelled from the Ligue of Nations. In Finland, for the purpose of annexation, the USSR's proxy “Finnish People’s Republic” was created, later mirrored by the creation of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” in modern times Ukraine.

Despite these historical parallels, Finland never voiced any plans to return the territories lost in 1939-1940, no plans to invade Russia. For reference, the population of Finland is 5.5 million people, Russia's population being of about 146 million people.

The "Nazi Finland" narrative, similar to the "Nazi Ukraine" narrative, is being created by pro-Kremlin media, Ilta-Sanomat's journalist Arja Paananen documents.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

    %s

      Your opinion matters!

      Data Protection Information *

        Subscribe to the Disinfo Review

        Your weekly update on pro-Kremlin disinformation

        Data Protection Information *

        The Disinformation Review is sent through Mailchimp.com. See Mailchimp’s privacy policy and find out more on how EEAS protects your personal data.

        🎵 Playlist