Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Boosts 'Security' After Finland Closes Border Points

Migrants line up at the international border crossing between Russia and Finland. Jussi Nukari / AP / TASS

Russia on Thursday announced tightened security in its northern Murmansk region after Finland said it would close all but one border crossing between the two countries.

Helsinki said Wednesday the move follows a surge in attempted crossings by migrants seeking asylum in the EU country — which Finland says is a destabilization ploy by Russia.

"A decision has been taken to introduce a heightened state of readiness in the Murmansk region, and a number of additional measures to ensure the security of our residents," Murmansk governor Andrey Chibis said in a social media post.

He did not provide details.

Relations between the two countries, which share a 1,340-kilometer border, have soured after Moscow launched its military offensive on Ukraine and Finland joined the NATO military alliance.

Chibis said Finland's decision to only keep its northernmost border crossing open would result in a "significant increase" in the number of migrants seeking to cross into Finland from his Arctic region.

Around 400 people were waiting to cross through the Salla border on Wednesday, he said — 50 of whom were allowed to enter Finland.

Helsinki has accused Moscow of allowing migrants without documents to cross their common border.

It has seen an influx of attempted border crossings by people from the Middle East and Africa since late August.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more