EU country prohibits Russian-born child from visiting nuclear facility on school trip, reports say
A Finnish student was not allowed to attend a school trip to the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant due to his Russian birthplace, according to a report from Yle. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
A Finnish student was barred from a field trip to the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) due to its “corporate security policy,” Yle reported.
Reports indicate that the controversy began in November when a Finnish student, identified by the pseudonym Dima for privacy reasons, was informed that he could not join his high school’s visit to the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant located in western Finland because of his Russian heritage.
According to a message shared with Yle, Dima's family received communication from school officials stating, “due to corporate security and the current world situation, you cannot participate in the visit to Olkiluoto because you were born in Russia. This is a strict corporate security policy that unfortunately cannot be influenced.”
Expressing her disbelief and frustration, Dima’s mother, Anastasia, questioned how her son, a dual citizen of Finland and Russia, could be classified as a security threat. “Can the management of the nuclear power plant really think that a child could be a spy? In what way is my son responsible for the ‘world situation’? This is a completely racist, absurd and illegal justification for not allowing a student on a field trip.”
A spokesperson for the Olkiluoto plant confirmed to Yle that there is indeed a strict security policy in effect, which restricts access to certain areas of the facility for citizens of Russia and Belarus, a close ally of Moscow.
Owned and operated by Teollisuuden Voima, the Olkiluoto NPP comprises three reactors and supplies about 30% of Finland’s total energy needs. Though the plant was constructed without Russian involvement, there was once significant collaboration between Moscow and Helsinki in the nuclear energy sector, particularly on the now-canceled Hanhikivi 1 NPP project, which was halted following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
The ongoing conflict has severely impacted Finland's relations with Russia, leading to unprecedented lows. In April 2023, Helsinki abandoned its longstanding policy of neutrality and joined NATO.
Moscow has criticized Finland's shift toward NATO, labeling it “a big mistake.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed regret in November 2023, stating that “we have always had mutually beneficial, respectful relations and understanding with Finland.” Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Finland of abandoning its neutrality and joining “the US-led anti-Russian project.”
Russian nationals residing in Finland have already encountered instances of exclusion. During the autumn of 2022, the organizers of The Voice of Finland song contest dismissed a female performer holding a Russian passport due to the Ukraine conflict, but later reversed their decision after concerns were raised about potential public backlash.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
Reports indicate that the controversy began in November when a Finnish student, identified by the pseudonym Dima for privacy reasons, was informed that he could not join his high school’s visit to the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant located in western Finland because of his Russian heritage.
According to a message shared with Yle, Dima's family received communication from school officials stating, “due to corporate security and the current world situation, you cannot participate in the visit to Olkiluoto because you were born in Russia. This is a strict corporate security policy that unfortunately cannot be influenced.”
Expressing her disbelief and frustration, Dima’s mother, Anastasia, questioned how her son, a dual citizen of Finland and Russia, could be classified as a security threat. “Can the management of the nuclear power plant really think that a child could be a spy? In what way is my son responsible for the ‘world situation’? This is a completely racist, absurd and illegal justification for not allowing a student on a field trip.”
A spokesperson for the Olkiluoto plant confirmed to Yle that there is indeed a strict security policy in effect, which restricts access to certain areas of the facility for citizens of Russia and Belarus, a close ally of Moscow.
Owned and operated by Teollisuuden Voima, the Olkiluoto NPP comprises three reactors and supplies about 30% of Finland’s total energy needs. Though the plant was constructed without Russian involvement, there was once significant collaboration between Moscow and Helsinki in the nuclear energy sector, particularly on the now-canceled Hanhikivi 1 NPP project, which was halted following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
The ongoing conflict has severely impacted Finland's relations with Russia, leading to unprecedented lows. In April 2023, Helsinki abandoned its longstanding policy of neutrality and joined NATO.
Moscow has criticized Finland's shift toward NATO, labeling it “a big mistake.” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed regret in November 2023, stating that “we have always had mutually beneficial, respectful relations and understanding with Finland.” Additionally, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Finland of abandoning its neutrality and joining “the US-led anti-Russian project.”
Russian nationals residing in Finland have already encountered instances of exclusion. During the autumn of 2022, the organizers of The Voice of Finland song contest dismissed a female performer holding a Russian passport due to the Ukraine conflict, but later reversed their decision after concerns were raised about potential public backlash.
Allen M Lee contributed to this report for TROIB News
