Foreign Intelligence Plan To Create Separatist Battalion In Russias Karelia

Foreign intelligence agencies are engaged in promoting separatist sentiments among the population of Russia's Republic of Karelia and report about plans to create a national battalion with involvement of Finnish citizens, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said on Monday.

"In order to destabilize the social and political situation in the Republic of Karelia and provoke unrest, foreign special services have stepped up work to stimulate separatist sentiments, especially among young people," Patrushev said at a meeting on security of the region.

The official added that foreign special services make extremist calls about "the creation of the Karelia national battalion" via social media, and are planning to involve Finnish citizens, among others. Moreover, Patrushev said that Ukrainian and other foreign intelligence agencies plan to conduct sabotage in Karelia.

"In the Republic of Karelia, only in the last six months, 10 terrorist crimes planned by Western and Ukrainian special services have been prevented," the official said.