Helsinki has suspended employment subsidies and launched legal steps to recover funds after reports linked a city-backed association to recruitment of children for a Russian camp in occupied Crimea.
Mayor Daniel Sazonov said the city would act to reclaim more than €45,000 paid to the Sun Ray association after findings first reported by Helsingin Sanomat and Iltalehti.
The payments covered wage support and additional city funding granted in 2024 and 2025.
According to Helsingin Sanomat, the association used its activities to identify children in Finland for a summer camp programme in Crimea under Russian control.
Sazonov said the city had no knowledge of the organisation’s links to Russian influence activity when the decisions were made. “It is repulsive that public money could be used in this way,” he said, adding that the city would use all legal means to recover the funds.
The mayor confirmed that lawyers had begun reviewing options for repayment and that an internal audit was under way. He told STT that officials had “set the lawyers to work” to find grounds for recovery.
The case centres on the Artek camp in Crimea, a site long associated with state-backed youth programmes. Iltalehti reported that children from Finland have attended the camp in recent years through a selection process run by the Finland-registered Sun Ray association.
Applicants were asked to submit essays and videos on themes linked to Russian identity, with winners awarded places at the camp. The outlet reported that the programme forms part of a broader effort tied to Russian state messaging.
Researchers cited by Iltalehti said the camp operates within a wider system of youth activity linked to political aims. The facility has drawn attention in Europe due to its role in programmes involving children from occupied areas of Ukraine.
Helsinki’s employment services said the association’s activities were not apparent in funding applications, which require only general descriptions of operations. Annukka Sorjonen, head of the city’s employment services, told Helsingin Sanomat it would be “extremely unfortunate” if public support had enabled such activity.
Following the revelations, the city has paused all new subsidy decisions for several weeks. During this period, officials will review recent funding cases and tighten procedures.
Sazonov said future assessments must examine not only jobseekers but also organisations receiving support. He called for legislative changes to allow authorities to gather more detailed information and refuse funding where necessary.
“The law must clearly allow support to be denied in cases like this,” he said.
The city will also review past decisions to ensure no other recipients breach its ethical standards. According to Sazonov, current rules rely on limited disclosures, which leave gaps in oversight.
The association at the centre of the case is registered in Finland and lists activities related to youth and leisure programmes. Its leadership includes individuals linked to networks active in Russian diaspora and cultural initiatives, according to Iltalehti.
The Finnish foreign ministry advises against travel to Crimea, which remains under Russian control and subject to military activity. Under Ukrainian law, entry to the region through Russia without permission is prohibited.
Authorities in Helsinki said no injuries or damage resulted from the funding decisions but stressed that public trust had been affected.
HT