"Finland to Shut Four Key Border Crossings with Russia Amid Rising Tensions: Closures Stem from Increased Asylum Requests and Moscow's Alleged Actions.

 Summary 

Finland is closing four of its eight border crossings with Russia, including key hubs Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra, and Niirala, due to increased asylum requests and alleged destabilizing actions by Moscow against illegal migrants. Read full article 

The closures, effective Saturday, come amid rising tensions with Russia over Helsinki's defense cooperation with the US. Finland joined NATO in April, prompting unspecified countermeasures" from Russia. 

The Border Guard of Finland notes a surge in unauthorized immigration, primarily from the Middle East and Africa, with suspicions that Moscow is influencing people to seek asylum at the Finnish border. 

The Kremlin expresses regret over strained relations. Plans include building a 200-kilometer fence along the border by 2026.

Details 

Finland has announced that it will shut down four of its eight border crossings with Russia, citing an increase in asylum requests there and Moscow's alleged destabilising actions against illegal migrants, primarily from Africa and the Middle East.

The border crossings in the southeast areas of Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra, and Niirala will close early on Saturday, according to a statement made on Thursday by Interior Minister Mari Rantanen.

With around 3,000 users each day, the crossings are often the main transport hubs between Finland and Russia.

According to the administration, starting on Saturday, those seeking asylum through Russia would need to submit their applications at two border crossings in the north.

With almost 1,300 km (830 mi) of shared border, tensions between Finland and Russia are rising due to Helsinki's defence cooperation with the US, which is the reason for the border closures.

In April of this year, Finland joined NATO, giving up its long-standing stance of military non-alignment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In response, Russia declared it would take "countermeasures" that were not yet described.

Since then, the Border Guard of Finland has observed an increase in unauthorised immigration, primarily from the Middle East and Africa. According to Finnish officials, Moscow is pushing people to travel to the border with Finland in order to request for asylum.

These folks obviously receive assistance in order to cross the border. Petteri Orpo, the prime minister, stated on Tuesday that "this seems like a very conscious decision."

"Perhaps something about Finland's activities irritates [Russian officials]," Rantanen speculated.

In response to previous rumours that Finland was considering a breakup, the Kremlin blamed Helsinki for the weakening of relations.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Wednesday, "We deeply regret that the Finnish leadership has chosen to deliberately move away from what used to be good relations."

By 2026, Finland plans to have built a 200-kilometer (124-mile) fence along a portion of the border.

Finland's borders are currently generally guarded by thin timber fences that are primarily intended to prevent cattle from straying into adjacent countries.