Russian neo-Nazi militant detained again in Finland

By Alexandra Enberg

IZMIR, Türkiye (AA) - A Russian man living in Finland who is wanted in Ukraine for allegedly committing war crimes has been detained again after being released last week from prison.

Yan Petrovsky, a co-founder of the neo-Nazi Rusich military group, is now the subject of an initial inquiry by the Finnish Central Criminal Police.

Finland's deputy crown prosecutor may decide to launch a formal terrorist investigation into Petrovsky as early as the coming week.

Ukraine had requested Petrovsky’s extradition from Finland, where he had earlier applied for asylum under the name Voislav Torden.

Petrovsky and his associates have been accused of torturing and killing Ukrainian military personnel.

However, Finland’s Supreme Court ordered his release from Vantaa Prison on Friday, where he had been detained since August, saying it considered that there is a real danger that Petrovsky will be housed in a prison in Ukraine where conditions do not meet the requirements of humane treatment required by the European Convention on Human Rights.

In several decisions, the European Court of Human Rights has stated that prison conditions in Ukraine violate the Human Rights Convention due to overcrowding and various material deficiencies.

On Saturday, the Finnish Border Guard announced that they were looking into Petrovsky's conditions for staying in Finland.

Deputy Prosecutor General Jukka Rappe told Finnish broadcaster Yle that the office of the Prosecutor General of Finland is directing the Central Criminal Police's preliminary inquiry, which is examining information received by Ukraine.

The information includes justifications for Ukraine's position on Petrovsky's transfer to its territory.

The prosecutor general’s office now has access to the material.

The decision on whether to launch a formal preliminary investigation in Finland into Petrovsky for the alleged terrorist offences will be made by Rappe.

“This decision will be my responsibility when sufficient explanations are obtained in the case. Hopefully, we will receive them at the beginning of next week,” he told local media.

Should more information be required, it will be requested from Ukraine.

A meeting between the Central Criminal Police and the prosecutor general has been scheduled within the next few days.

Finnish law states that if a preliminary investigation is warranted in Finland for "investigative reasons and the implementation of criminal liability," then a suspected crime committed elsewhere may also be looked into.

The authorities are currently debating whether to look into possible terrorist offences in Ukraine here in Finland.

Petrovsky was taken into custody in July at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport on charges of aiding and abetting terrorist operations.

Recognized in Finland as Voislav Torden, he was prohibited from entering Finland under a European Union sanctions list under his former name, Yan Petrovsky.

With the aid of facial comparison and intelligence from the Finnish Border Guard, his previous identity was discovered.