Finland’s reindeer are under threat. Is Russia’s war in Ukraine to blame?

Reindeer herders are suffering from a surge in wolf attacks. Upgrade to watch the full report.

Kuusamo, Finland
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“These are Santa’s reindeer. But we are really lucky because Santa needs them only one day of the year. So we can fly them 364.”

It’s a well-rehearsed line. Juha Kujala has uttered it many times over the years. Even to the scant crowd of a visiting reporting team from CNN, he still delivers it with a grin.

Recently though, Kujala’s reindeer herd has found itself in unusual danger. On a near daily basis, he’s coming across reindeer carcasses. And he directs blame at an unlikely suspect: Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose war in Ukraine…