Finland will close half of its border crossing points with Russia from Friday to Saturday after accusing Moscow of allowing undocumented migrants to cross the border, the government announced on Thursday.
“The government has taken the decision to close the Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala border crossings”Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said this at a joint press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, in which he accused Russia of “malice”.
On Wednesday, the Russian Presidency (Kremlin) “deeply regretted” Finland’s plans to close its border with Russia, given the high number of illegal migrant crossings and in a context of rising tensions.
Relations between the two neighbors have deteriorated significantly since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, an attack that prompted Finland, concerned about its own security, to join NATO, an alliance that Moscow views as a threat.
“We deeply regret that the Finnish authorities have chosen a path in which they consciously distanced themselves from the good relations we had”Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when asked about Finland announcing on Tuesday that it is considering restricting border traffic or even closing its border crossings with Russia.
The Finnish prime minister accused Russia of deliberately allowing migrants to cross the border despite not having valid documents, suggesting it was an attempt to destabilize his country.
Finland shares a border of 1,340 kilometers with Russia.
Source: DN
