1st day of entire border closure with Russia sees no asylum seeker

No asylum seeker arrived from Russia on Thursday, on the first day of the closure of entire land border, said Finnish Border Guard.

“First full day when all road border crossing points at Finnish-Russian land border are closed. Situation is stable for the moment, no new asylum seekers today,” Matti Pitkäniitty, Head of International Affairs Unit of Finnish Border Guard wrote in a post in social media platform X late Thursday night.

Meanwhile, the Finnish Border Guard intensified the surveillance at the bordering area to tackle the influx of the increasing number of asylum seekers from Russia.

“We are surveilling the integrity of the eastern border in an enhanced way. The border is surveilled by patrolling, technical control and surveillance flights. Temporary barrier devices have been set up in focus areas,” the Border Guard wrote in a post in X.

Finland closed the border crossing point of Raja-Jooseppi, the lone operative border crossing point with Russia from early November 30 night (Midnight between November 29 and November 30) to December 13.

The government on November 28 decided to close the border crossing against the backdrop of influx of the increasing number of asylum seekers.

Finland closed three more border crossing points- Kuusamo, Salla and Vartius- at the eastern border early November 24.

​The government took the decision on November 22.

But entry into Finland at the eastern border has continued despite earlier restrictions.

Earlier on November 18, Finland closed four border crossing points- at Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala at eastern border.

The government on November 16, decided to close part of Finland's eastern border with Russia.

The government on November 15 at a meeting decided that measures to ensure border security will be taken following the rapid increase in illegal entry at the eastern border.

Earlier on November 14, the Ministry of the Interior said, the government may decide to restrict cross-border traffic or to close border crossing points at eastern border with Russia against the backdrop of the influx of increasing number of asylum seekers.