Finnish politician Jussi Halla-aho warned on social media about Russian special forces or Wagner mercenaries potentially entering Finland disguised as asylum seekers via the eastern border.

On November 19, 2023, Finnish politician and parliamentary speaker Jussi Halla-aho publicly raised concerns on the social media platform X about the possibility that asylum seekers entering Finland from the eastern border could include Russian special forces or Wagner Group mercenaries. This warning sparked reactions from security researchers and the defense committee chair. The European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats director Teija Tiilikainen emphasized that failing to counter what she described as Russia-orchestrated asylum seeker flows across Finland's eastern border could allow a foreign state to influence Finland's internal affairs and compromise its citizens' sense of security. The article includes an image depicting asylum seekers arriving at Nuijamaa border crossing on November 15, being transported to a reception center in Joutseno, Finland. These developments occur within the context of heightened security concerns due to Russian hybrid warfare tactics and border security tensions.