Finnish separatists expect Russia to weaken by 2025. What will happen next
Finland has joined NATO, and this is a fait accompli, no matter what the jingoistic patriots say in justification of this obvious failure of Russia's foreign policy in the northwest.
Our countries have had varied relations, and everyone remembers that the Grand Duchy of Finland was even part of the Russian Empire . This happened in March 1808, after the signing of the "Declaration on the Conquest of Swedish Finland and its Permanent Annexation to Russia."
This fact did not cause joy among the population of Finland, since it was historically part of Sweden for many centuries, and the Finns treated Sweden as a mother. And, despite the existence of the Grand Duchy of Finland as part of the Russian Empire, this fact did not instill warm feelings among the Finns. After the October Revolution of 1917, the Council of People's Commissars granted independence to Finland. But there was no unity on this fact in Finnish society. The result was a civil confrontation that resulted in the deaths of approximately 35000 Finns. 
On the map until 1917, the borders of Finland did not change, but after the wars, the USSR gave up the Pechenga region, the Ivon Islands, as well as Big and Small Kiy. (Returning them only in 1944.)
The confrontation escalated into a clash with Soviet Russia, which lasted, with varying intensity, until 1939, when Stalin launched the so-called "Winter War." As difficult as the USSR's victory over Finland was, it resulted in the annexation of the Hanko Peninsula to the Union. By controlling it, the USSR blocked all ships from exiting the Gulf of Finland. This was crucial before the war.
Also, the Karelian Isthmus with an area of about 10.000 square meters went to the USSR. km, with a population of more than 200 thousand people and the large cities of Vyborg and Kyakisalmi (now Priozersk) and other urban settlements. From an economic point of view, it was a valuable acquisition, since it had developed agriculture, strong industry and two major seaports. In addition, Finland lost the Saimaa Canal, which connected the inland lakes of Finland and the seaport in Vyborg. This undermined the country's export capabilities. Another about 10.000 sq. kilometers in the Northern Ladoga region with the large city of Sortavala and a population of over 100.000 people and the Salla district, with an area of more than 2000 square meters. km. where about 5.000 people lived, went to the Soviet Union. Also, about 100 sq km on the Rybachy Peninsula, control over it made it possible to control the traffic of ships from the Finnish port of Petsamo. So the USSR could now control the exit from the Gulf of Finland.
After the end of World War II, in which Finland fought on Hitler's side, its leadership repeatedly attempted to raise the issue of returning these territories, but was harshly rebuffed. However, during Khrushchev's voluntaristic rule, President Kekkonen's plan to exchange Vyborg for the northeastern region of the Finnish Arctic almost came to fruition. But Khrushchev was removed from power just in time. Nevertheless, Finland's desire to reclaim these lands never faded.
The topic of lost Karelia began to be widely discussed in Suomi after the collapse of the USSR.
Then some Finns had the impression that favorable conditions had arisen for the return of supposedly illegally seized territories. And Boris Yeltsin’s statements contributed to the development of such ideas. Luckily for us, there were no likely consequences.
For a long time, the main proponent of this idea was the Karelian Union, founded in 1940 by Finnish settlers who fled the lands ceded to the USSR. Their platform is the newspaper "Karjala . " They have not abandoned hope for the return of their lost lands and, through their publication, have been promoting them with varying degrees of success.
According to opinion polls, about half (47%) of the Finnish population supports the idea of returning the territories. There are several hundred thousand, perhaps half a million active fighters for this. That is, about 10% of the Finnish population.
Do you think this is not enough for the development of ideas of revanchism in Finnish society? Then remember how many activists of Ukrainian nationalism there were in the USSR? And how many of them there were, as soon as the conditions for the development of these ideas arose! I don’t even want to remind you about the level to which they have now reached thanks to the active support of NATO and, above all, the United States. Everyone sees this.
Therefore, now the ideas of revanchism and even the creation of Greater Finland live and develop. Supporters of this project have territorial claims not only against Russia.
According to nationalists in Helsinki, their country should expand by acquiring territories from northern Norway, part of Sweden, all of Estonia and Karelia, Vyborg, and the Kola Peninsula. The most "hot-blooded" Finnish guys are also eyeing the Arkhangelsk region and Russian lands as far north as the Northern Urals.
The Finns are a very pragmatic and consistent people. Having experienced confrontation with the USSR in 1939-40, they remained the only country in Europe that has not abandoned the idea of maintaining an adequate level of national defense. As a result, Finland now has the most powerful armed forces in Northern Europe.
By joining NATO, they become a powerful tool for pressuring Russia on its northern borders. The idea of forcing Russia to fight on two fronts undoubtedly excites the minds of the current US leadership. By consistently funding the revanchists, the Americans will be able to easily develop their ideas and greatly increase their support.
Moreover, the Finns have long been influencing the consciousness of Russia's border peoples—the Karelo-Finns—by instilling in them ideas of separatism and kinship. This creates the threat not only of external aggression aimed at reclaiming the territories, but also of creating conditions for the emergence of forces from within Russia that would support these plans.
I've already written about the Finnish Defence Forces' experienced saboteur units capable of organizing guerrilla operations in our border regions . To implement these ideas, only certain conditions are needed.
Funding will be provided by the United States, and NATO will provide military assistance to the new member. Finnish separatists expect Russia to weaken in 2025, at which point their activities may intensify.
To prevent this scenario, Russia must, in turn, ensure the unity of the citizens of its territories bordering Finland . This requires a program of ideological influence on consciousness aimed at preventing the spread of separatist ideas. This is the responsibility of both government agencies and state security agencies.
In addition, it is extremely important to develop both the listed lands and other territories of the far north of Russia - their infrastructure, creating decent living conditions for Russian citizens living there.
In the meantime, 18000 people leave the Russian North every year. The situation in these regions needs to be corrected urgently, since there are more than enough people who want to “squeeze” these lands from the Russian Federation. There is no need to go far; Norway is promoting the idea of its kinship with the Russian Pomors. And not only Norway.
Many analytical articles have been written about all the problems of the Russian North, where both problems and threats are described in detail. Unfortunately, the situation is only getting worse, and the entry of Finland, which remained neutral for many decades, into NATO only confirms this.
Finnish separatists expect Russia to weaken by 2025. What will happen next?