Johan Bäckman, a Finnish academic known for his close ties to Russia, has received Russian citizenship, according to Russian newspaper Kommersant and state news agency Tass, which announced the matter in a post on Telegram.
Kommersant's brief article about the news listed Bäckman and 14 others receiving Russian citizenship by decree of President Vladimir Putin.
Bäckman, 53, is an outspoken academic who has for years supported Russia's foreign policy, including being against Nato's expansion.
In the summer of 2022, Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat reported that Bäckman had for years provided Russian state television outlets with news stories and press releases denigrating Finland and other Western countries.
Earlier that year, Finland's Supreme Court handed Bäckman a 60-day suspended prison sentence for harassing Yle journalist Jessica Aro.