Migrants arrive at a checkpoint in Virolahti on Friday. (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva/The Associated Press)
Finland has once again closed its border with Russia for a month, responding to the entry of over 300 asylum seekers from Russia in just two days, according to the Finnish Border Guard. While the Nordic country initially reopened two border crossings on Thursday after a two-week closure, the Finnish government decided to shut them down again on Friday due to the renewed influx of asylum seekers following the relaxation of restrictions.
In November alone, approximately 900 asylum seekers, hailing from countries such as Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, entered Finland from Russia. This marked a significant increase from the previous rate of less than one per day, according to the Border Guard. The Finnish government contends that this sudden surge is orchestrated by Moscow in response to Finland's decision to enhance defense cooperation with the United States. However, the Kremlin denies any such involvement.
The influx of asylum seekers had ceased when Finland closed its border in late November, only to resume on Thursday when two out of the eight crossings were reopened. On Friday, tensions escalated on the Finnish side of the Vaalimaa crossing, with traffic congestion reported. Angry and hungry Russian border crossers, some of whom had waited the entire day with their children, faced the unexpected reclosure.
The Finnish Border Guard explained to Helsingin Sanomat, Finland's largest daily newspaper, that they couldn't allow border crossers from Finland to pass through because Russian border authorities were permitting a large number of migrants through the crossing from the Russian side.
On Thursday, 155 asylum seekers arrived through the two open crossing points, and by Friday, more than 200 people had sought asylum before the borders closed again, as reported by the Border Guard to the local TV channel MTV.
Responding to concerns raised by the Council of Europe regarding the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants following the temporary border closure, Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen, representing the anti-immigration Finns Party, stated that there were no human rights concerns. She pointed out that asylum could still be sought at other entry points, and Finland continues to allow asylum applications at harbors and airports.
