CHIKUN/KAJURU REP, HON. FIDELIX BAGUDU, ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE. (PHOTO).
Some swastikas remain on Finland’s air force flags, but they are being phased out
Finland’s Air Force, now part of NATO, still has a few unit flags displaying swastikas, but plans are underway to remove them, mainly to avoid awkwardness with Western allies. The swastika has a long history in Finland and was adopted by the air force in 1918, long before the rise of Nazi Germany. The symbol originally came from Count Eric von Rosen, who donated Finland’s first military plane and used the blue-on-white swastika as his personal emblem.
The Air Force has been gradually phasing out the symbol over the past several years, including removing it from the Air Force Command’s unit emblem. The remaining swastikas appear on a handful of unit flags, raising concern among NATO allies and foreign visitors. Officials said the plan to replace the flags was launched in 2023, the year Finland joined NATO, though they stressed it is not directly tied to alliance membership. New flags featuring an eagle will replace the swastika flags, reflecting the modern identity of the Air Force and ensuring better alignment with NATO partners where the symbol is strongly associated with Nazi Germany.
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