Finland will close the last operating checkpoint on its Russian border on Thursday, entirely shutting off the NATO country’s eastern border with Russia for two weeks.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo stated in a release that “Russia is facilitating the instrumentalization of people and directing them to the Finnish border in harsh winter conditions. Finland is resolute in bringing an end to this phenomenon.”
The official announcement from Finland’s Ministry of Internal Affairs specified that the last checkpoint would close at midnight on November 30, effectively sealing the eastern border until December 13. This decision reflects the country’s determination to address the challenges posed by the orchestrated movement of people in difficult weather conditions.
The decision to close the eastern border until December 13 is part of an escalating effort by Helsinki to restrict crossings from Russia. This initiative gained momentum after the invasion of Ukraine last year and Finland’s subsequent accession to NATO earlier this year. the last operating checkpoint
Interior Minister Mari Rantanen emphasized the necessity of closing the entire eastern border with Russia in order to “protect Finland’s national security against this Russian hybrid operation.” The Finnish Border Guard echoed this sentiment in a social media post, stating that “Finland’s goal is to end the illegal entry from Russia.” They assured that they are prepared to swiftly implement the government’s decisions to ensure border security.