Threads that follow and reflect on news and political dimensions understandably focus less on citizens’ opportunities to influence. The first things that come to mind are
consumption choices
investment choices
Additionally, if one is actively involved in suitable clubs or organizations, one can try to influence their statements.
Furthermore, I would like to see a discussion here about the situation’s effects on stock market and other companies. Related messages have already appeared in individual company-specific threads. However, forming an overall picture is difficult: for example, S Group, and I assume Kesko (I don’t know for sure), produce and import foodstuffs from Russia. Could some products run out in stores?
A bigger question relates to Italian banks. Are banks there at risk of collapsing or already collapsing? Will there be chain reactions in the financial system?
Finally, a public thank you for the moral integrity of Barona company’s CEO, Lasse Määttä.
All day I’ve mainly been thinking about what I could do myself. All sensible suggestions are welcome! Small choices, boycotts, and general awareness are helpful!
Russia’s Lukoil owns the Teboil (Finnish gas station chain) chain and sells Russian oil refined there. Teboil, therefore, directly finances the Russian economy.
I believe that even with relatively little organization, a popular movement could be created to drive Teboil into bankruptcy. For example, advertisements around every gas station saying “Don’t support Russia, don’t refuel at Teboil.” Appeals to employees to change employers, etc.
An interesting detail is that Teboil was forcibly transferred to Soviet ownership after the wars because the previous owner was German.
To me, it would be a rather small sacrifice to not attend events at Hartwall Arena, including the spring Ice Hockey World Championship games. There are certainly enough other event venues in this country.
Teboil is an obvious target for a boycott, but Neste acquires a significant portion of its oil from Putin. Similarly, electricity is bought from there, which is produced with Russian lignite. So, it might be extremely difficult to find gasoline here that hasn’t been made from Russian oil.
Now would be a high time to decide on at least 5 new nuclear power plants. And in the meantime, let’s buy oil from the Saudis. They are also robbers, but compared to Putin, they are petty criminals.
ABC, St1, and Shell all get their fuel from the same place. Can you, however, find solid confirmation that none of NEOT Group’s refineries use Russian crude oil?
It is China that has made this move possible for Putin. Without China, Putin would not have dared to do this. The agreement with China guarantees survival during sanctions. Consumers can avoid everything made in China (damn difficult, of course!).
DNA and Telia offer free calls to Ukraine - a great move. Also from Barona. If companies everywhere do this, small streams will form a big impact. Not enough, but every drop is needed.
"When you live in a country neighboring Russia, today you have the same feeling as living in an apartment building next to a serial killer. Many opinions/facts that were previously claimed to be racism against Russia have again been proven true.
Teboil is going to be boycotted, that’s where I start. The next step is for every Jokerit sponsor to immediately stop their financial support."
Regarding Teboil, I’m following my late father’s lead and only go to Teboil to take a dump.
Another company I found today is Nokian Tyres. They have a factory in Russia, from which 70% of their production goes outside of Russia. Earlier today, it said on Nokian Tyres’ website that they were the largest exporter of consumer goods from Russia. Now it seems they no longer want to boast about this.
How dependent is Neste on Russia in the end?
I tried to find some information, but only found a text from HS (Helsingin Sanomat):
"Among Finnish major companies, Russia’s sanctions could also hit the oil refiner Neste.
According to Reuters, two-thirds of the oil used by Neste comes from Russia.
If sanctions target Russian crude oil and oil products, it will impact the global oil market. At this stage, the effects are difficult to determine. If Russian oil were not available, Neste would buy its crude oil from other markets."
Bio-based products are the largest part of the liquid fuel business and are not linked to Russia. Approximately 70% of gasoline is refined from Russian oil, but there would be no problem reducing this to 0-10% if there were availability issues. For ethical reasons, I would not do this, because the impact would be greater for the Finnish state than for Russia, which sells unprocessed products.
ABC’s E85 ethanol fuel in my car’s tank.
I haven’t looked into where it comes from specifically, but I hope it’s as domestic as possible. I need to delve into the topic a bit.
Now, Finland should start innovating domestic defense systems based on the knowledge gained from the war in Ukraine. All available expertise should be put to use. Perhaps the defense forces could order a remote-controlled Ponsse that launches missiles and anti-aircraft fire.
And liquefied biogas in the tank, which Neste, for example, could start producing in cooperation with Valio and farms.
Alright, if you want to boycott, if your home or workplace is possibly heated by district heating, and if that’s produced with coal imported from Russia or wood chips imported from Russia, for example.
Please turn off the heating. And move to premises heated with domestic energy.
Life will become difficult if one intends to avoid industrial raw materials imported from Russia. For example, how much wood does the forest industry get from Russia? Petrochemical products are by-products of oil refining, used, for example, in the manufacture of plastics and medicines.
In addition, Russia is one of the world’s largest suppliers of ammonium nitrate, which is an essential part of global food production through fertilization. It’s becoming very difficult to avoid commodities where some part of them comes from Russia.
I’m not trying to defend anything, just bringing this up. I myself will also avoid refueling at Teboil from now on.
Many entities have already disengaged or are in the process of disengaging from cooperation with Russian entities. For example, an investor can propose a demand at the general meeting to reduce geopolitical risk by changing the raw material supplier.
Now is the time to be creative and bold, and start devising measures that directly affect cash flows to Russia.
