Foreign intelligence agencies seek sabotage operatives on social media, warns Supo in Finland

According to Finland’s Security Intelligence Service (Supo), foreign intelligence agencies are actively seeking individuals on social media platforms to carry out sabotage attacks. Teemu Liikkanen, the newly appointed head of Supo’s counterintelligence department, noted that there are already signs of such activities in Europe. “This phenomenon has been identified, and we are monitoring it,” he stated, describing the potential acts as various forms of vandalism, including arson. “Through sabotage, the aim is to influence, create a climate of fear, or paralyze certain operations.”

Supo primarily suspects Russia in these activities. Liikkanen emphasized that those incited to commit sabotage may not even be aware of the original instigator, as intermediaries are often used to conceal the source. This also complicates proving state-sponsored criminal activities.

Liikkanen, who started his role in September, mentioned that while China is also a significant source of espionage against Finland, a few other countries remain unnamed. Experts have speculated that recent water facility breaches across Finland might have been Russian influence attempts, although Liikkanen clarified that no direct link to Russia has been established. Supo does not currently foresee a large-scale sabotage campaign targeted at Finland, as such actions would be comparable to armed aggression.

Furthermore, Supo is negotiating staff cuts to save €4.4 million, equivalent to about 60 full-time positions, which is expected to impact the agency’s performance, particularly in information gathering and analysis. Liikkanen acknowledged that while they will prioritize actions to mitigate adverse effects, it is clear that these cuts will affect their operations.