Finland is deporting Russian asylum seekers

The Finnish government has initiated a deportation process for Russians who arrived in the country after Russia's war against Ukraine began. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

According to the Finnish police, from January to September 2025, 104 Russian citizens whose political asylum applications were rejected have been expelled from the country. This was reported by the publication "Vot Tak" on September 5.

Official data indicates that the number of deportations has increased significantly this year. The main reason for this is the prolonged delay in processing asylum applications.

Over the past two years, interviews with applicants were not conducted, with only some cases undergoing investigations. Activists have appealed to the Finnish ombudsman and filed complaints.

Only at the end of 2024 did the interview process begin, says Maksim Aliyev, an activist of the "Kemi Against War" movement. According to him, about 90 percent of Russian applicants received rejection letters after the initial interviews.

Many have appealed to the Supreme Court of Finland and expressed their readiness to reapply for asylum. The majority of rejections relate to citizens avoiding conscription.

According to the Finnish Migration Service, in May 2023, at least 1,109 Russians sought asylum to avoid military conscription. However, officials rejected their applications and stated that mobilization in Russia had ended.

Documents cited statements from then Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and President Vladimir Putin as justification. However, critics emphasize that there is no official decree to halt mobilization.

Thus, the fate of Russian refugees in Finland remains uncertain. Authorities say that many applications will continue to be reviewed in the coming months, and the number of rejections may increase.