Former CIA officer Sean Wiswesser stated that Russia is actively using deep-cover agents to destabilize Finland. According to him, Moscow is conducting a covert hybrid war against the country, despite Helsinki’s NATO membership, as reported by Yenisafak.
Wiswesser noted that Russian “illegals” infiltrate Finnish society using false identities and cover stories. These agents operate as part of a broader Kremlin strategy aimed at undermining Western democracies through intelligence operations, cyberattacks, propaganda, and covert influence campaigns.
The former analyst emphasized that Russia deliberately exploits internal issues in Finnish society — such as immigration, unemployment, and debates over defense policy — to intensify social divisions. According to him, Finland has become one of the main targets of the so-called “secret war” that the Kremlin is waging against the West.
Wiswesser added that Vladimir Putin’s ultimate goal is revenge for the collapse of the Soviet Union, which the Russian leader has called a historical catastrophe. He stressed that Moscow enjoys a significant operational advantage: the FSB alone employs about 100,000 agents, giving Russia a numerical superiority over Western intelligence services.
Another vulnerability for Finland, according to the former CIA officer, is its extensive border with Russia, where control in some areas remains insufficient. He noted that Russia knows how to exploit such weak points, and its strategy is long-term. Unlike Western countries, where political cycles last four years, Moscow plans operations decades in advance, showing patience and consistency in conducting hybrid campaigns against Europe and NATO countries.
