Finnish Prosecutor's office to investigate Russian neo-Nazi Yan Petrovsky's involvement in war crimes in Ukraine

Finland's deputy chief prosecutor has decided to launch a preliminary investigation into war crimes committed by neo-Nazi Jan Petrovsky, co-founder of the Rusich sabotage and assault intelligence group.

This was reported by the Finnish public broadcaster Yle. 

The preliminary investigation will be conducted in Finland, as the court refused to extradite Petrovsky to Ukraine. The Central Finland Police Department will conduct it.

Finland can investigate crimes committed in Ukraine, as it is a so-called international crime.

It will be recalled that Yan Petrovsky took part in Russia's war against Ukraine. For this reason, in 2016, Norwegian law enforcement officers deported him to Russia. Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the militant has been under sanctions.

In August 2023, Petrovsky was detained in Finland, where he went under a new name to study for his wife. Ukraine requested the militant's arrest. 

On December 8, a Finnish court released the leader of the Rusich group and refused to extradite him to Ukraine.