Russians in Finland: Mass Deportation of Refugees

Photo:“Vot Tak”

From January to September 2025, Finland denied protection and deported 104 Russians, reported the outlet Vot Tak, citing police data. Applicants from other countries usually receive decisions in about six months, while for Russian citizens the process can take up to two years or more.

After the start of hostilities in Ukraine, Russians faced unprecedented delays: for a couple of years, interviews were not conducted at all. Only by late 2024 did the Finnish Immigration Service resume interviews, and that is when the first decisions on Russian citizens’ applications began to appear. About 90% of them were negative. Those who received rejections started filing appeals—even up to the Supreme Court—and then reapplied for asylum. Activists call this practice a “slippery slope”: if the grounds remain the same, there is a high chance of a repeated rejection and an order to leave the country within a month.



According to Vot Tak sources, most rejections were given to Russians fleeing mobilization. Back in May 2023, the immigration service reported that at least 1,109 Russian citizens had applied on this basis. In their decisions, officials stated that mobilization in Russia had ended, citing statements by Vladimir Putin and Sergey Shoigu, although no official decree has ever been published.

In April 2025, Finnish Immigration Service representative Anu Karppi explained that the agency is guided by UN Convention provisions: the threat of military service alone is not considered grounds for asylum. Those rejected on the basis of “mobilization having ended” are appealing decisions in civil courts, but no final rulings have been made yet.



Some Russians who refused to leave voluntarily have been escorted out of Finland under guard. According to police data, since January 2025, 18 people have been deported in this manner. They are usually put on flights to Turkey, from where they continue their journey at their own expense, or transported to Narva in Estonia, since direct deportation to Russia has been impossible after all border crossings closed in November 2023.

Many applicants are trying to prove the risk of persecution by citing leaks from Russian databases, including Himera. These datasets contain information about those who left, labeling them as opposition supporters or FBK affiliates. The Finnish Immigration Service conducted its own study to assess the significance of such data for asylum cases. At the same time, it noted that the material “does not claim to be exhaustive and should not be considered as a final conclusion” when deciding on asylum.

According to Vot Tak, positive decisions are more often issued in cases with “ideal” grounds: activists who participated in protests and faced arrests or fines, LGBT community members proving the threat of persecution, and military personnel who publicly condemned the war and faced the risk of being sent to the front.

Among those who managed to obtain protection were former municipal deputies from St. Petersburg who signed an appeal against the war in 2022. A family that first moved to Germany but was returned to Finland under the Dublin Regulation also received a positive decision, since they had Finnish visas. The process here took two and a half years, after which they were granted status.

Activists note that Russians who joined anti-war protests in Finland and were covered by local media also have higher chances. In such cases, much depends on how thoroughly the applicant presents their position at the interview and what evidence they can provide—links to publications, photos, or mentions in independent media.



The portal Etias.com reported that in 2023, the number of asylum applications in Finland reached 5,372, while in 2024 it fell by 45%—to 2,948. This decline was the steepest in recent years. Experts link it to stricter migration policies and the closure of border checkpoints with Russia. The Immigration Service announced the closure of 18 reception centers in 2025 due to the changed situation.

The Ministry of the Interior stated that the law banning asylum applications at the Russian border outside designated points would be extended until the end of 2026. In May 2025, Finland completed construction of the first 35 kilometers of a fence along its border with Russia, according to Reuters. The structure is 4.5 meters high and equipped with barbed wire, cameras, and sensors. A total of about 200 km of fencing is planned along the 1,344 km border.

Anadolu Agency noted that Finland tightened rules for all foreigners in line with the new policy of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government. In the first half of 2025, more than 1,350 people were deported, 32% more than in the same period of 2024. Most of the deported were citizens of Estonia and Romania. However, Russians are receiving special attention, and many legislative changes are directed specifically against them.