The key facts
- In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Sanna Marin proposed shooting down Russian planes for violations of EU and NATO airspace
- Zakharova called the proposal 'foolishly aggressive' and noted that Marin works as an expert at the Tony Blair Institute
- Finland's Defense Ministry stated that the mechanism for responding to airspace violations is already well established
Marin's statement and the Russian Foreign Ministry's reaction
Former Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin, in a conversation with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, proposed shooting down Russian planes every time they, in her words, violate the airspace of European Union and NATO countries. Official spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova, at a briefing, called this proposal 'detached from reality and not even warlike, but foolishly aggressive.' Her words were reported by TASS. Zakharova also noted that Marin receives a salary as a hired expert at the British Tony Blair Institute for Global Changes.
The position of Finland's Defense Ministry
Head of Finland's Defense Ministry Antti Häkkänen responded by recalling that the country already has a well-established mechanism for responding to airspace violations. According to him, the units responsible for guarding the sky are on duty with weapons and can use force if necessary. The minister added that in case it is impossible to quickly contact the Defense Ministry, the military has procedures in place for obtaining permission to use force. Häkkänen urged Finnish citizens and, in particular, Marin not to worry about this issue.
Context
Earlier, Finland suspected two Russian planes of violating the country's airspace.
