The Finnish government announced this Thursday (11) that it will extend the total closure of its eastern border with Russia to human traffic until February 11 to prevent the Kremlin from once again encouraging the massive arrival of refugees as a form of destabilization. .
“It is necessary to continue with the border closure because the threat of Russian hybrid influence persists. In areas close to the border there are still migrants waiting for it to open,” Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said at a press conference.
Rantanen highlighted that national security is a critical issue for Finland and takes priority over any other issue. “We know the situation is difficult for Russians and dual nationals living in Finland, but Russia's attitude leaves us no other options,” she said.
In 2022, Finland approved a legal reform that allows the total closure of the border temporarily if the government deems it necessary to avoid “a serious threat to public order, national security or public health”.
This reform, which aims to combat Moscow's “hybrid influence activities”, also made it possible to build ditches at the most vulnerable points of the border, currently under construction in the southern strip.
In November last year, the Finnish Border Guard warned of an unusual increase in the flow of refugees from Russia, which led authorities to gradually close its eight border posts.
Despite this, more than 900 asylum seekers from third countries arrived from Russia in November alone, a number 30 times higher than usual, according to immigration authorities.
On November 28, the Finnish government decreed the total closure of the border for two weeks to try to stop this phenomenon, considered by Helsinki to be a “hybrid attack” by Moscow in response to the Nordic country's accession to NATO.
Finland partially reopened the border on December 14, but closed it again that same day after registering the arrival of 62 refugees in a few hours.
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