Finland’s government announced on Tuesday the total closure of its border with Russia for two weeks from Thursday, in response to the current migration crisis in Northern Europe, which Helsinki directly accuses Moscow of.
At a press conference, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo indicated that the Raja-Jooseppi border post, the only one that remained operational, will close in the early hours of Thursday until December 13.
“Russia has caused this situation and can also put an end to it,” Orpo added, acknowledging that this government measure aims to immediately control “hybrid activities under Russian influence.”
For his part, Interior Minister Mari Rantanen stressed that the total closure of the border with Russia is a “necessary” measure in the name of national security, although the government acknowledged that the decision was difficult to make.
In November, the Finnish authorities announced the closure of all border crossings with Russia, with the exception of Raja-Jooseppi, located in the far north of the country and difficult to access due to the weather conditions in the region.
More than 700 migrants without visas or legal documentation, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, arrived in Finland this month, exponentially increasing the usual number of entries.
After Ukraine, Finland shares the longest European border (1,340 kilometers) with Russia.
Source: DN
