Event 368

{
  "attack_type": "Weaponized Migrants",
  "border_violation_countries": [
    "FI",
    "RU"
  ],
  "category": "Border",
  "confidence": "Low",
  "confidence_rationale": "Multiple direct quotes from the news article and visible auction images support the event details. The precise location and timeline are explicitly given.",
  "countries": [
    "Finland"
  ],
  "country": "Finland",
  "defense_prep": {},
  "description": "Finnish authorities have sold about 100 bicycles abandoned by asylum seekers near the eastern Vaalimaa border crossing last autumn. The bikes had been left behind after Finland banned crossing the border by bicycle.",
  "event_time_utc": "2024-05-17T12:00:00Z",
  "evidence": [
    "Screenshot shows images of abandoned bicycles at auction, confirming seizure and sale.",
    "Explicit reference to Vaalimaa border crossing and asylum seekers in both text and images."
  ],
  "evidence_quotes": [
    "About 100 bicycles that were left by asylum seekers near the eastern Vaalimaa border crossing last autumn were sold at auction on Thursday morning.",
    "The practice of crossing by bicycle is now banned, with border authorities pointing to concerns about safety and irregular migration.",
    "The Lappeenranta customs office said that the first batch of about 400 bicycles abandoned at the Vaalimaa and Nuijamaa crossings has now been sold."
  ],
  "extra": {
    "category_raw": "Weaponized Migration",
    "extra": {
      "extra": {
        "extra": {
          "evidence": [
            "Screenshot shows images of abandoned bicycles at auction, confirming seizure and sale.",
            "Explicit reference to Vaalimaa border crossing and asylum seekers in both text and images."
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "follow_up_by_country": [],
  "follow_up_notes": "??FSB gave bikes to migrants on ?? border",
  "headline": "First batch of abandoned asylum seekers' bicycles sold",
  "location_text": "Vaalimaa border crossing",
  "media_assets": [
    {
      "description": "Screenshot capture",
      "type": "screenshot",
      "url": "/media/event_368_1763924728_476f3c6d.jpg"
    }
  ],
  "notes": "??FSB gave bikes to migrants on ?? border",
  "schema_version": "v1",
  "screenshot_count": 1,
  "sources": [
    "https://yle.fi/a/74-20089020"
  ],
  "summary_short": "Bicycles abandoned by asylum seekers at the Finland-Russia border were auctioned after bicycle crossings were banned.",
  "url": "https://yle.fi/a/74-20089020"
}

{
  "5th Column of Russians Inside (which countries)": "",
  "Attack Type": "Weaponized Migration",
  "Borders Including Sea, Air,  Violation or Sabotage (which countries)": "FI, RU",
  "Continuous? (e.g. Jammers)": "",
  "Country (FI;EE;LV;LT;PL;BSR;Air)\nSeparated by Semicolon": "FI",
  "Date": "17-May-24",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "",
  "Follow-Up Link?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "https://yle.fi/a/74-20089020",
  "Follow-Up NOTES": "",
  "Follow-Up incl. Investigation, Prosecution?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "??FSB gave bikes to migrants on ?? border",
  "Latitude, Longitude (WGS84, Decimal Degrees)": "",
  "NOTES": "??FSB gave bikes to migrants on ?? border",
  "Political Disruptions w/ Laws to Favor Kremlin (which countries)": "",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "",
  "Screen Snapshot": "",
  "Screen Snapshots": "",
  "Type Dropdown": "",
  "Where?\n(Air, Land, Sea)": ""
}