Fears that Russia will invade other European countries have been heightened after a senior researcher with the Finnish Institute of International Affairs accused the Kremlin of attempting to use anti-Russian sentiment to justify its war on Ukraine.
The Russian embassy in Helsinki has reportedly urged Russian citizens living in Finland to report any incidents of suspected discrimination, hate speech or violation of civil rights to them, reports Yle News.
The appeal for information was made through the embassy's social media accounts.
Jussi Lassila, a senior researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told Yle the statement was an expected reaction.
He said: "Friends are scarce, and the information front has been completely lost. The moral support in the world is on the Ukrainian side, and there are no clear allies [for Russia]."
Since the beginning of the invasion almost four weeks ago, Russian speakers living in Finland have reported suffering from verbal and physical abuse due to their nationality.
Mr Lassila said it was expected for the Russian government to try and utilise any mistreatment of Russian citizens abroad to their advantage to sway the Russian people.
He added: "We must not go down this path. We must get as many Russians as possible against Putin and on the side of justice and truth, on the side of Ukraine and Europe."
Mr Lassila also urged Finnish people not to act out against Russian citizens as this would play into Putin's hand.
He said: "This whole catastrophe is the result of what happens when there is an authoritarian regime where the views and opinions of the citizens are not asked for or are considered irrelevant."
Similar calls have been issued by other Russian embassies, such as in Moldova and Sweden.
Fears that Russia will attempt to take Moldova next have been mounting for weeks as 1,300 Russian troops have been camped out in Transnistria, Moldova's Russian-backed breakaway region for some time.
Transnistria was established after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1990.
The self-declared republic supplies the country's gas and houses a stash of 20,000 tonnes of ammunition, one of Europe's largest weapons depots.
Rumours swirled that Russian troops may come through Transnistria to attack Odesa in Ukraine's south after a video was posted online from a national security council meeting, where Belarus's President Alexander Lukashenko seemingly revealed Putin's battle plan.
The map he was pointing to indicated that troops would move onwards to Moldova as he was seen emphasising a red line into the country.
However, Moldovan politicians have maintained they are not worried.
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