Finland to close all but one border crossing with Russia to halt flow of asylum seekers
- Border crossing closures follow a surge in asylum seekers which Finland claims Russia is intentionally pushing
- Nato’s newest member Finland guards 1,300km of border with Russia, the alliance’s longest stretch facing its main adversary
Finland will close all but the northernmost crossing point on its border with Russia from midnight on Friday in a bid to halt a flow of asylum seekers to the Nordic nation, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said.
Since the beginning of the month, more than 600 people without valid travel documents to the European Union have come to Finland via Russia, prompting Helsinki to shut several crossings and accuse Moscow of funnelling migrants. The Kremlin denies the charge.
“The government has today decided to close more border stations,” Orpo told a press conference on Wednesday.
The asylum seekers come from a range of nations including Yemen, Afghanistan, Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria, according to immigration authorities.
The European Union border agency Frontex plans to deploy officers and equipment to Finland as soon as next week in response to a request from Helsinki, a spokesperson said.
