Russia ramps up military infrastructure along Finnish and Norwegian borders

Russia ramps up military infrastructure along Finnish and Norwegian borders To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Issued on: PRESS REVIEW – Thursday, June 11: First, the latest news from Russia. Then, how cutting-edge surveillance technology at the World Cup is fuelling privacy concerns. And finally, why American women are embracing witchcraft retreats in Ireland. First, a look at developments in Russia. Independent outlet Meduza reports that the country is building up military infrastructure along its western border, including near Finland and Norway. The publication interviewed a former Finnish intelligence officer who said new barracks could accommodate up to 17,000 troops, enabling a significant expansion of recruitment. A Finnish Army commander estimates that Russia could eventually deploy 80,000 soldiers along the Finnish border, compared with around 20,000 previously. This is the kind of information that is difficult to find in Russia's state-controlled media. According to Radio Free Europe, after tightening censorship following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin is now considering creating its own state-run VPN. Virtual Private Networks have been widely used by Russians to access websites blocked by the authorities and conceal their online activity. The proposal has been met with scepticism. Radio Free Europe quotes exiled Russian journalist Dmitry Kolezev, who wrote on Telegram: "What a joke — first the state blocks everything and then it creates a state VPN to bypass its own blocking." He added that it was probably "a very good business" idea for the state. Next, to the World Cup. With more than five million fans expected to attend, security measures have been stepped up. Wired magazine has an article titled "Soccer Fans, You're Being Watched", which examines the sophisticated surveillance technology set to be deployed in stadiums across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The magazine cites experts who warn that concerns about terrorism, including those linked to the conflict involving Iran, could be used by the Trump administration to justify intrusive surveillance measures without sufficient privacy safeguards. One expert told Wired: "Security is often used as an excuse for agendas that have nothing to do with security at all." Among the technologies expected to play a major role are drones and counter-drone systems. From high-tech security to something decidedly more analogue. A feature in The New York Times explores "the low-tech World Cup craze thriving in the smartphone age". According to the article, the excitement surrounding World Cup sticker albums appears "immune to the digital revolution". One father of five says that despite financial difficulties, he still tries to buy as many sticker packs as possible because "the World Cup blurs reality". Finally, witchcraft retreats are on the rise. The Guardian reports that growing numbers of American women are joining witch covens and travelling to Ireland in search of what organisers describe as "spiritual isolation" and female solidarity. But these retreats are less about the supernatural than self-discovery, encouraging participants to trust themselves and their instincts. They are also big business: a two-and-a-half-day retreat can cost as much as €3,000 per participant. You can catch our press review every morning on France 24 at 7:20am and 9:20am (Paris time), from Monday to Friday.