Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen (NCP) said reports that Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin's plane crashed in Russia on Wednesday evening were "hardly a surprise" to anyone.
"This is hardly the kind of incident that raises many eyebrows, either here or in Russia," Valtonen told journalists on Thursday morning.
International and Russian media have reported that a private plane, believed to have been carrying ten people, including Wagner chief Prigozhin, crashed on Wednesday evening near the Tver region in the northwest of Russia.
Russian state channel Rossiya 1 briefly mentioned the crash in an evening bulletin, saying that all people on board had been killed, according to BBC's live news blog on the latest developments. The Kremlin has not yet commented on nor confirmed reports of Prigozhin's presumed death.
In late June, Prigozhin launched an apparent coup, threatening to overthrow the Russian military leadership as he led thousands of Wagner troops on a "march for justice" to the Russian capital. The mutiny was however over within 24 hours.
In the midst of the coup attempt, Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned Prigozhin as a traitor. BBC also reported that under a deal to end the mutiny, charges against Prigozhin were dismissed and he was given the option to relocate to Belarus.
Finland's Foreign Minister Valtonen said that the incident clearly represented an internal development within Russia, adding that Finland was prepared for any potential outcomes.
"In authoritarian systems, transitions of power rarely occur as peacefully as they do in our democratic systems. Of course, it is too early to speak of any kind of power transition. We currently lack full information, but we are closely monitoring the situation. It is clear that this is an internal Russian matter, and we are prepared for any scenario," she said.
Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen (NCP), who was also present at the briefing, noted that the two ministers had not yet received full confirmation of the crash's details.
"All indications suggest that Russia is tightening its grip and is willing to employ any means necessary to maintain Putin's control over the situation. But it is better to make an analysis only when we know exactly what the underlying factors are," Häkkänen said.
PM Orpo: Incident reflects internal power struggle
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) said he believes Wednesday's plane crash is indicative of an internal power struggle within Russia.
"It seems evident that Russia is indeed embroiled in a power struggle. The situation in Ukraine hasn't unfolded according to their original plans, leading to these consequences," he said.
Orpo spoke to journalists following the conclusion of a National Coalition Party congress held in Helsinki. The PM had just returned from Kyiv, where met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Updated at 14:30 to include PM Petteri Orpo's reaction.