The Finnish Foreign Ministry stresses that it does not recommend or promote volunteering as a fighter. However, the Ministry says it will assist Finnish citizens who are in Ukraine in accordance with the Consular Services Act whenever possible.
The information package published on Monday, in Finnish and Swedish, is also intended for the family and friends of volunteer fighters.
The page gives guidance on consular services and explains what Finnish legislation says about the legal status of volunteers in war and how Ukraine manages the affairs of volunteer fighters in different situations.
The guidelines cover issues such as entering into a service contract, being wounded, killed, missing in action, or becoming a prisoner of war. Guidance is also given on the personal effects of volunteer fighters, compensation paid by the Ukrainian armed forces and how to make a formal declaration of the death of a Finnish citizen who has fallen while fighting in Ukraine.
Among other things, the Foreign Ministry advises those leaving to consider the practical arrangements to be made at home in the event of a delayed return or no return at all.
The Ministry says the information on the page is based its experiences and those of Finland's Embassy in Kyiv, and their best understanding of the current situation. According to the Foreign Ministry, it cannot guarantee the timeliness of the information, as the situation can change rapidly.
