Finland plans to keep its border with Russia closed due to the threat of migration pressure
The Finnish Ministry of the Interior has drafted and submitted a bill to extend the law on temporary measures to prevent illegal entry across the eastern border. The key objective of this bill is to prevent the exploitation of migrants and to counter hybrid pressure on the country.
This was reported by the ministry’s press service on Tuesday, May 26.
The head of Finland’s Ministry of the Interior, Mari Rantanen, noted that the current security situation on the border with Russia is currently assessed as tense but stable. At the same time, she emphasized the need to be prepared for sudden and serious challenges, confirming Helsinki’s intention to continue resolutely stopping any attempts to illegally cross its external border.
The ministry added that the risks of a resumption of mass illegal entry from Russia remain consistently high, and there are currently no prerequisites for a rapid improvement in the security situation on the eastern borders.
As a reminder, during 2023–2024, the Finnish government adopted a series of decisions regarding the complete closure of all eight existing passenger border crossing points on the border with Russia. This step was a response to the mass transport of migrants from third countries to Finnish border areas, artificially organized by Russian special services with the aim of destabilizing the situation in the country.
The Finnish Air Force will conduct special exercises to repel drone attacks in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, as well as in the Kymenlaakso and South Karelia regions bordering Russia.
A delegation from the Helsinki Fire and Rescue Department in Finland spent four days studying the experience of Ukrainian rescue workers in dealing with the aftermath of war.
