Finland's national stockpiles have been in the news throughout the pandemic, but are they big enough?
Not according to Janne Känkänen, the CEO of the National Emergency Supply Agency (Nesa), who says there may be a need for bigger stockpiles in Finland.
The CEO told the business daily Kauppalehti that Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine could have wide-ranging implications for Finland’s security of supply, with the war affecting many different critical sectors.
Although Känkänen says Finland’s supply security systems are in good shape, including industry cooperation, the agency is currently working to implement various measures as a response to the change in the country’s foreign and security policy.
During the 2000s, there were various changes made to supply security stocks. Storage targets for imported fuels and bread cereals were lowered, with five months of fuel and six months of grain now stocked. Känkänen says that in the current security environment, that might not be enough.
A report is currently being prepared on Finland's security of supply.
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Rotenberg's maths problem
Naturalised Finnish citizens need to prove their Finnish or Swedish language skills while applying for Finnish citizenship, even if they're Russian oligarchs.
Gennady Timchenko and Boris and Roman Rotenberg managed to do that when they obtained Finnish citizenship, but they only had to submit a report on their Finnish or Swedish language skills.
Back then, there were no clear requirements for these language skills, causing issues that led to a legal amendment in 2003. Now citizenship is conditional on satisfactory written and oral Finnish or Swedish proficiency with clear rules on acceptable documentation.
Helsingin Sanomat looked into the families' documents, and also obtained the high school diploma of Rotenberg’s son Roman. It showed he received a grade of "improbatur minus", a failing grade, in his high school matriculation exam.
"Even at primary school, you don't know what you're doing," a maths teacher interviewed by HS said, describing the meaning of the grade.
Rotenberg graduated from the Pohjois-Haaga Coeducational School in 2001. He is now deputy managing director of the Russian bank Gazprombank.
Known as an ice hockey influencer, Rotenberg was a key figure in and part-owner of the Finnish team Jokerit after it moved to the Russia-based KHL league. He is a co-owner of St Petersburg club SKA and is vice chair of its board.
Pause in spring weather
A turnaround in the weather outlook is due this weekend, as a spring storm is expected to arrive in Finland and temperatures will drop.
Meteorologist Heikki Sinisalo from the Finnish Meteorological Institute told Ilta-Sanomat that a low pressure system is approaching from the west, bringing strong winds and occasional snowfall throughout southern and central Finland.
The expected snowfall is estimated at 5-15 cm. Earlier forecasts predicted heavy snowfall in the capital region.
“According to the latest forecasts, the heaviest snowfall will fall further inland,” said Sinisalo.