Yesterday in Espoo, a lecture was held dedicated to the problems of modern-day Saint Petersburg

The event was aimed at the Finnish-speaking population of Finland who are interested in Russia but have not visited it in a long time due to closed borders and the tense political situation.

One of the founders of Initiative FoReDi, Nikita Kirillov, spoke to the audience about elections and falsifications, corruption in public procurement, the state of journalism and censorship, problems in the education system, repression, stray animals, living standards, and food prices in Saint Petersburg.

He also highlighted the efforts of urban activists who are fighting an unequal battle to preserve the Okhta Cape and the park named after academician Sakharov, as well as the stories of two courageous women — Yelena Osipova and Lyudmila Vasilyeva — who, despite their age, health, and the risks involved, remain true to their convictions and continue to speak the truth.

We believe that such meetings are important for the Finnish public to better understand the harsh reality of modern Russia through first-hand accounts.

We express our gratitude to Toivo Tupin for translating the lecture into Finnish, and to the Espoo branch of the Finland–Russia Society for the invitation to speak.