The majority of Finns are concerned about the direction of Russian policy, and about 79 percent of respondents to Yle’s survey considered Russia’s current course to be a threat to Finland.
By comparison, only 11 percent of respondents said they weren’t worried, while 10 percent were insecure.
This is a dramatic leap from the results of a different but relevant study published by Taloustutkimus at the end of last year, which clarified the main concerns of Finns. At the time, only 15 percent said they were concerned about hostility in Russia.
Research Director of the University of Helsinki Tuomas Forsberg told Yle that the situation in Ukraine has directly affected people ‘s willingness to talk about their fears about Russia.
"There is no need to be shy when it comes to Finland seeing Russia as a threat," Forsberg said.
PhD researcher Johanna Vuorelma The University of Helsinki added that attitudes have also changed among people who previously trusted more in Finnish-Russian relations.
"The figure is very high. This view of Russia as unreliable is less divided. It can be said that there are no longer two camps, as there have been in the past," Vuorelma told about the results of the survey.
Attitudes towards the issue were not very different between different age groups. As many as 86 percent of 35-49 year olds found the situation in Russia alarming. The corresponding figure for 18–24-year-olds was 73 percent.
A poll, some of which was published in Yle on Monday, also showed that 53 per cent of Finns support NATO membership – for the first time in Yle’s poll, a majority was in favor of joining the military alliance.
Data from the investigation were collected over three days from the day before Russia began its hostilities against Ukraine, on February 23rd.
Source: The Nordic Page