Finland unveils 200-km fence on Russian border

Finland unveiled a 200-kilometre fence on its eastern border with Russia on Monday, saying it was meant to deter Moscow from using migrants to destabilise the country.

Finland closed its 1,340-kilometre border with Russia in December 2023 after more than 1,300 migrants arrived without visas. Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said the situation was now calm but tense.

“It can change really rapidly, and that is why we need to be very prepared,” Rantanen told AFP at a media event near the Nuijamaa border crossing point in southeastern Finland.

The 4.5-metre-high barbed wire fence has been built in strategic areas and is equipped with cameras and sensors. Rantanen said it would help surveillance and could keep people out of Finnish territory if needed.

Finland accused Moscow in 2023 of “hybrid warfare” by orchestrating the arrival of third-country nationals at its border, a charge the Kremlin denied. The episode came months after Finland joined NATO in April 2023.

Finland's Border Guard said the project involved around 1,000 landowners and hundreds of companies. Project manager Erkki Matilainen said it cost 356 million euros, with annual maintenance estimated at 2 million to 3 million euros.

Finland's land border crossings with Russia will remain closed until further notice. Helsinki last week proposed extending its Border Security Act until December 31, 2028. The temporary law allows border guards to turn away asylum seekers under certain circumstances, and experts have said it conflicts with Finland's international human rights commitments and constitution, which the government has acknowledged.