The number of Finns – citizens of Finland – is growing in Russia. They run a business, study and teach, take part in different projects here. In Saint Petersburg alone there are 4 thousand “new” Finns, living as permanent residents. Media centre FINUGOR was informed about it by Consul General of Finland in Saint Petersburg Olli Perheentupa.

“These people are citizens of Finland; however, they live and work in Russia long enough. So to say, they come to Saint Petersburg instead of the Ingrian Finns, leaving for Finland,”- he added.

Consul General clarified that the Ingrian Finns make up half of all the Russian-speaking immigrants to Finland. The number of the repatriated Ingrian Finns in Finland reaches for about 25 thousand. “Unfortunately, only few of them speak Finnish,” – he remarked.

According to him, whereas a hundred years ago the number of the Ingrian Finns in the territory of the Saint Petersburg region was considerable, now their population is rather small, as well as in the neighboring Karelia. “The Russian Ingrians are losing their language and culture, and it is very regrettable,” – said O. Perheentupa.

Let us remind, that in January of the current year the President of Finland Tarja Halonen signed an act abrogating the Ingrian Finns repatriation law. July 11, 2011 is the last term for acceptance of the applications for repatriation.