Earlier this month some two dozen people were released in the biggest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West in years.
It shone a light on the band of foreigners held in Russian jails.
The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo) told Hufvudstadsbladet that there's a heightened risk that Russia could exploit Finns in an attempt to release imprisoned Russians in Finland. The recent prisoner exchange demonstrated the efficacy of hostage diplomacy, according to the paper.
"Russia has secured the release of many citizens through hostage diplomacy," Supo deputy director Teemu Turunen told HBL, noting that it's a tool employed by authoritarian states with Finns not holding any special protection in this regard.
Turunen was, however, tight-lipped as to whether there is currently any Russian imprisoned in Finland whom the regime wants released — someone who could potentially be involved in a future prisoner exchange between the countries.
Vandalised heritage
Media outlets, including Ilta-Sanomat, are asking why a national landmark in central Helsinki was vandalised. The bronze sculpture in question depicts Elias Lönnrot, considered the father of the Finnish Kalevala, writing down the songs that would make up the Finnish epic.
IS reports that the monument has been defaced with a red substance, with the word "colonialist" graffitied across the sculpture's base.
Elias Lönnrot's head seems to have been the main target of the substance, although it's also partly on the face of Kalevala character Väinämöinen, who is seated next to Lönnrot.
Lönnrot was a prominent member of the Fennoman movement, which was instrumental in building a sense of Finnish identity in the 19th century.
Some academics have argued that that Kalevala showed elements of a colonialist attitude among Finns towards Karelians.
Pricey fungus
Taloussanomat offers tips for aspiring mushroom hunters as the matsutake mushroom season begins. This fragrant mushroom, called tuoksuvalmuska in Finnish, thrives in dry pine forests. Enthusiasts have already reported sightings in Lempäälä.
It's coveted a fungus around Asia. In Japan, young matsutake mushrooms are reported to sell for up to 4,000 euros per kilo, with the price often exceeding 1,000 euros per kilo.
In Finland, restaurants have purchased it at prices ranging from one to 30 euros per kilogram.
Tea von Bonsdorff, a mycologist at Helsinki University, lamented the fact that Finland has not been able to figure out how to successfully export the mushroom to Japan.
While slightly forgotten now, Finland used to see matsutake tourists who went on special forays in search of the pine mushroom, according to Bonsdorff.
Mushrooms can be picked almost anywhere in Finland thanks to Everyone's Rights, which allow access to nature regardless of property ownership. However, it is important to exercise caution and only pick identifiable and edible mushrooms.
The Finnish Martta organisation has a guide in English to some of the easier-to-find varieties of mushroom in Finland's forests.
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