Finland inaugurated on Monday a 200-kilometer fence, built in sections along the border with Russia, as part of the effort to discourage Moscow from using migrants to destabilize the country, reports AFP, quoted by Agerpres.
The Nordic country closed its border with Russia, which stretches over 1,340 kilometers, in December 2023, following the arrival of over 1,300 migrants without visas. The situation has been calm since then, with only a few isolated cases of illegal crossings.
“At present, the situation is calm, yet tense, and we truly do not know what tomorrow will bring,” stated the Finnish Minister of Interior, Mari Rantanen.
However, “things can change quickly, which is why we need to be fully prepared,” she added, standing next to a section of the 4.5-meter-high barbed wire fence, installed in strategic areas and equipped with cameras and sensors.
She made these statements in southeastern Finland, near the Nuijamaa border crossing point, which ceased its activity almost three years ago.
In 2023, Finland accused Russia of waging a hybrid war by orchestrating the arrival of migrants from third countries at its border, accusations denied by the Kremlin.
“It’s about an element of our border security system and it helps us with surveillance, but it also allows us, if necessary, to prevent people from entering Finnish territory,” explained Rantanen.
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