Russian special services wanted to create problems between Christians in Europe and Muslims in Turkey

Russia tried to create obstacles to Sweden and Finland's accession to NATO by creating artificial provocations that would have incited conflict between European countries and Turkey.

This was reported by the Finnish edition Yle .

After the burning of the Quran in Sweden, other violent demonstrations were supposed to break out. The russian special services' plan aimed to amplify fears of Islam within the European Union and escalate tensions between Turkey and European nations.

Journalists learned about such plans from a secret report of russian intelligence, which, in particular, indicated the following steps:

• planned demonstrations in major European cities mocking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan;

• one method involved widespread graffiti and derogatory wall writing against Islam and Erdogan across prominent EU locations;

• widespread distribution of demonstration footage in social networks;

• conducting the planned demonstrations, as indicated in the published materials of Russian intelligence.

One of the similar elements of "shaking up" the situation was implemented in March 2023 in Paris, when demonstrations against Islam and Turkey were organized in the city.

However, these efforts were not enough to block Finland's accession to NATO, which became the 31st member of the alliance in April 2023.

But Sweden's accession has been delayed due to the position of Turkey and Hungary.