Russia’s information war threatens Finland, Markku Mantila warns

Editor-in-Chief Mark Mantila has always liked working – both in Finland and around the world. He grew up in Peräseinäjoki at his grandmother’s house – and received a strong dose of work ethic from her.

“Grandma was a war widow who raised her three children. Work defined the life of a single parent, and his values ​​were hard work and fear of God”, Mantila recalls his childhood.

At a young age, Mantila was already attracted to the work of a journalist, writing of many kinds. There have been cruises in newspapers for a quarter of a century. At the moment, he is the editor-in-chief of Ilkka-Pohjalainen in Ostrobothnia.

The old ones After the partners in the dispute, Pohjalainen from the coalition and Ilka from the center, came together in 2020, the ability to mediate was required. Mantila was invited to the house.

“I’m a bit like I’ve come home.”

The return to Ostrobothnia was preceded by a marathon run around the world. Studies in London, as a diplomat in South Korea and Spain, NATO strategic assignments in Latvia. The government’s communications were also managed.

Work in the Government gave a worried wake-up call. Together with his colleague, the then director of communications at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jouni Mölsän with Mantila noted that external information operations also hit Finland hard. Preparation was insufficient, and countermeasures had to be taken.

What is the aim of information warfare?

“It wants to destroy our national traditions, poison the atmosphere, undermine the core of the people’s power and the rule of law – in short: to confuse.”

So who is waging this hybrid war, Mother Russia?

“Yes, Russia. It tries to harm and sabotage, it makes war, it steals everything from others while wasting its own potential.”

Also in Finland there are certain positive antidotes to the hybrid effect, says Mantila. We need a competent elementary school and the teaching of recent history to protect our own narrative, we need a free versatile media and trust in our institutions.

Still, no perfect protective wall can be erected, scams that feel more and more genuine are created by means of artificial intelligence.

“So far, Russia has failed. But when, for example, the government’s drastic austerity measures create pain and dissatisfaction, it can create a customer base that is receptive to the Kremlin’s false information,” warns Mantila.

“Putin’s trolls drive a wedge into every crack.”

As the most long-lasting as an antidote, Mantila sees a solid rule of law and welfare state.

“Maintaining the experience of fairness in society and among citizens – that is the key thing, it must be defended.”

In their new book, Mantila and Mölsä comprehensively present how to swim through fabricated lies and how to stop them.

In the book, Mantila also reveals the recruitment project of Russian intelligence, which he had become a target of as a diplomat in Madrid. With the permission of the security police, he continued the contact for a while in order to see who and what interested the Russians.

Stateside will be voted on today in the presidential election. Without predicting the results, Mantila is very afraid that unrest may break out, no matter which way it goes. Inflamed moods hide the danger of a potential explosion point, especially if the counting of votes takes a long time.

“Here goes.”

What would you tell your 20-year-old self?

“Go forward boldly, you can’t stop!”