Finnish Papers: Russia's War Crimes Unforgotten, FIFA Leadership Questioned

Finnish newspapers are reflecting on Russia's aerial attacks on Ukraine, drawing parallels to Finland's historical experiences with aerial bombardment. Maaseudun Tulevaisuus's editorialist Jarmo Hankivaara highlights the daily destruction of Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure by Russian forces, noting that the killing of civilians has a long tradition in Russian warfare, possibly stemming from the Mongol occupation period.

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We see every day how Russians are hammering Ukrainian civilians. Apartment buildings collapse, and people die. The killing of civilians has long traditions in Russian warfare. Perhaps the Mongol period of 200 years left its mark.

The newspaper recalls Finland's own experience with air bombings during the Winter War. It mentions a photograph of Armi Hillevi Metsäpello, who died on the first day of the bombings in Helsinki, with a fragment from a bomb piercing her dress and doll. The editorial points out that while around a thousand people died in Finnish air bombings, it did not break the Finns' will to fight, suggesting a similar resilience is being shown in Ukraine.

Hankivaara argues that "state terrorism only strengthens resistance and gives the opposing side an incomparable propaganda weapon." He suggests that while Russia's and the Soviet Union's war crimes have often gone unpunished because they were on the winning side, the people remember these actions.

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State terrorism only strengthens resistance and gives the opposing side an incomparable propaganda weapon.

In a separate commentary, Hufvudstadsbladet's Dan Lolax criticizes FIFA President Gianni Infantino, seeing him as embodying the worst aspects of FIFA: elitism, opportunism, and egoism. Lolax questions why the Football Association of Finland (SPL) has announced its support for Infantino's re-election, suggesting that instead of highlighting their limited influence, the SPL could work towards building collective pressure against him.

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The fact is that Gianni Infantino has branded the World Cup long before it began. In him, critics see FIFA's worst aspects: elitism, opportunism, egoism.

Lolax specifically condemns Infantino's desire to welcome Russia back into football activities, calling it an "insult to Ukraine and Ukrainians, but also to football." He notes that while the SPL officially states it is "absolutely and without compromise against such a change," such an absolute stance means little until tested in practice.

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Instead of emphasizing their limited influence or their complete loss, the Football Association of Finland could try to build collective pressure against Infantino.