Combat Operations Continue on Finnish IslandAmid turmoil, civilians demand answersby AAN World News, 18th of February 2022Earlier this week, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberger appeared before the UN Security Council and proclaimed that joint combat operations against the Russian separatist faction known as the "Nationalist Russian Union" were proceeding well. Questions asked by the press corps, including AAN's liaison Kate Toutikian, were met with positive language but little concrete information regarding matters such as casualties or projected length of operations.
Despite the recent unveiling of a black box that apparently confirmed the guilt of the NRU in the shootdown of American Airlines flight 270 in early 2021, there has been no shortage of criticism for both sides of the conflict. International human rights advocates such as IDAP chairman Karl Helmutsson have spoken out at increased intervals in condemnation of any armed resolution to the conflict.
Via video call from his office, Helmutsson had this to say during a board meeting with fellow IDAP head staff.
"These are not our values," he said. "They killed 113 people. It's terrible, yes--but why do we think killing a thousand in response is acceptable? Where are our diplomats?"
Helmutsson was not alone in his thoughts. AAN's Liam Keltner recently traveled to the war-torn town of Nyker on Oviaukko Island, Finland, where elite US forces are rapidly retaking ground formerly seized by NRU troops. The town is largely in ruins, and local services are all but absent. What few law enforcement remain are too ill equipped to refuse either belligerent party, and instead have put their shoulder into rebuilding.
Pictured above:
AAN's Liam Keltner interviews Antti Huoklonen, a local teacher whose community has been adversely impacted by the occupation and susequent battles against NRU splinter forces."It's all we've got," Corporal Teimo of the local police said. "The power to keep going."
Witnesses of a recent battle claim that any number of "bombs" or mortars fell in and around their town. One man, who did not wish to be named, claimed to have seen a soldier shot dead right in front of himself but could not identify which side he was from. Everywhere in the streets, power tools can be heard fighting their own sort of war.
Local schoolteacher Antti Huoklonen volunteered to tour the town with AAN's Liam Keltner for several hours, as his students had been dismissed indefinitely. On the nature of the fighting, he had this to say.
"I don't know if it will stop. Look, the government just sent us this crane and it's already wrecked. My house has been damaged twice now."
Among those in the formerly-sleepy village, Huoklonen is a vocal representative. He speaks often at functions, oversees a junior sports team in the regional capital Roenne, and is an accredited youth counselor. He alleges willingness to speak his mind even amid local fears of reprisal from NRU forces.
When asked if he had a message for international leadership, he responded with an animated gesture.
"It's enough," he said. "Your solution does not work. Find another--or kill each other somewhere where there are no people."
Inquiries on these matters to the White House Press Secretary's office did not receive direct comment, other than an email response insisting that "American forces exercise the maximum possible discretion and compassion when conducting peacekeeping operations in populated areas."
These published news excerpts are the fictional work of the S-2 Intelligence Team of the 506th IRRU.
