Finland began constructing a fence along its border with Russia last year in response to migration from Russia in 2023. The fence, which will eventually cover 200 kilometers, is expected to be completed in 2026.
Finland continues to fortify its eastern border with Russia, completing the first 35 kilometers (22 miles) of a fence it is building to prevent migrant crossings.
The construction of the border fence began last year in response to migration from Russia that started increasing in 2023, which Helsinki reportedly believes was deliberately orchestrated by Moscow.
Citing the Finnish Border Guard, Reuters reported that the fence stands 15 feet high and is topped with 3.5-meter-high metal railings and a meter-high roll of barbed wire. Cameras, sensors, loudspeakers, and lights also line the border as surveillance tools. The border fence will eventually cover 200 kilometers (124 miles) of the border's total 1,344 kilometers (835 miles) length by the time it is estimated to be completed by the end of 2026.
Speaking to Reuters, Antti Virta, deputy commander of the Southeast Finland Border Guard District, explained, "The main purpose of the fence is to control a large mass of people if they are trying to enter from Russia to Finland."
Last year, Finland passed legislation that granted border guards the power to block asylum seekers crossing from Russia.
Read AlsoFinland enacts law to restrict asylum seekers at Russia border
Crossings from third countries
In 2023, about 1,300 migrants from third countries such as Syria and Somalia arrived in Finland through Russia to apply for asylum. Finland closed all eight crossing points to Russia indefinitely to stem the inflow of people.
Moreover, Finland introduced several policies that restrict the rights of asylum seekers over the past year, including cutting social benefits.
Read AlsoAsylum seekers in Finland: How border closure and other restrictions have impacted them
Watching closely
After decades of peaceful relations with Russia, Finland joined the NATO military alliance in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The British newspaper The Guardian reported that Finland expects Russia to further build up troops along their shared border when the war in Ukraine ends, citing reports that Moscow had strengthened its military bases near the Nato frontier.
Maj Gen Sami Nurmi, the head of strategy of the Finnish defence forces, was quoted by The Guardian the military is following Moscow's manoeuvring "very closely" and that it was their job, as part of the NATO alliance, to "prepare for the worst."
Relations are at their lowest point
According to the Berlin-based Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 marked a turning point in Finnish-Russian relations, prompting Finland and Sweden to join NATO and severing most bilateral ties. Today, contact between their border authorities is minimal and purely technical. Relations are at their lowest since World War II.
Finland views the use of migration as hybrid warfare and has introduced strict legislation to counter it, including temporary pushbacks.