I’ve long been kinda irritated by the “Russia takes what’s left of Finland/Sweden” bit in my 3P timeline, but didn’t see any other way it would turn out under the starting conditions.

But I think I figured out a fix.

As evidenced, wars in the modern era are easy. Russia’s rot hasn’t set in fully by 2001 (GM Fiat). But also the US hasn’t invaded Iraq/Afghanistan either, so this lesson isn’t available in the recent past.

Russia sweeps in to Sweden and Finland and overtakes them, but the territory is costly to hold in the same way it was for the US in the ME in our timeline.

After the Interrealm Diplomatic Framework Accords are signed and relations are formalized, part of the condition is free-er travel, particularly for people who were previously citizens of out-realm.

Three of the more common Forcemarks for the Aesir are Jarfr (weasels), Sannrjarfr (badgers), and Ratatosk (squirrels).

The former two are anthros, and both have a “war dance” where if they get worked up or injured, they go into a sort of adrenaline overdrive/berserk mode. This is biological and works out of realm. Ratatosk are normal-sized squirrels with a horn and greatly enhanced mental ability because of their intended role as messengers and spies.

Plenty of jarfr and sannr that would now be allowed back in to the occupied area would be former citizens of the Scandiavian countries. Few if any realmfall period ratatosk would remain by 2012, they’d be one or two generations down and they tend towards larger familes, they might have a very “regain our land for the wound that hurt our parents” vibe.

Other realm species would almost certainly get in but these are the three I see being a major issue to deal with in a occupation capacity. Most of the others common ones aren’t possessing any special out-of-realm abilities.

All of this, combined with the definitely already extant partisan movements, allows an effective insurgent campaign to remove Russia from the area over 3-5 years.