Finnish City Council deputy fired for pro-Russian position

Ivan Devyatkin, a member of the Union of Left Forces (SLS) faction of the Lappeenranta City Council, was fired for his pro-Russian position. This was announced on May 31 by the Yle broadcaster.

The faction's official statement notes that the reason for the expulsion was allegedly inappropriate behavior and "repeated actions contrary to the values of the party."

However, according to the MP, the faction's statement about his actions, which could contradict the values of a political force, remained incomprehensible to him.

It is specified that Devyatkin, who has been living in Finland for a long time, has dual citizenship of Finland and Russia. He first attracted public attention when he opposed the closure of the eastern border between Finland and Russia, Yle noted.

The MP, in turn, stressed that "inappropriate behavior" meant a situation where he raised his voice at a faction meeting.

"There was a disagreement, and I raised my voice. I apologized for that, and my apologies were accepted by the band. I personally admit that it was wrong to raise my voice," Devyatkin said.

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Devyatkin reported on May 13 that Russian-speaking residents of Finland have filed a new appeal against the authorities' decision to close the border with Russia. He stressed that the Russian-speaking inhabitants of Finland are recognized as a national minority in the European Court of Human Rights. The closure of the border has a negative impact on such citizens.

On April 16, the Finnish government decided to keep the border with Russia closed until further notice. It was clarified that the decree on the indefinite extension of the border closure has been in effect for about a year, while the new document replaced a similar decision dated April 4, 2024.