Finland extends the closure of its border with Russia

Finland said on Thursday it would keep its eastern border with Russia closed for another month due to an ongoing dispute over increased numbers of migrants in the area.

Relations between Finland and Russia, who share an 800-mile border, deteriorated after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Late last year, Finland closed all its border crossings with Russia, accusing Moscow of facilitating a potentially destabilizing influx of migrants, mainly from Africa and the Middle East.

Finland’s government has suggested that Moscow was retaliating for its decision to join NATO last year and its support for Ukraine. Russian authorities call the accusations ‘unfounded’.

The Finnish government partially reopened the border in December but quickly closed it again, saying the flow of migrants had resumed.

On Thursday, the Finnish government said in a statement that migrant arrivals had stopped, but the risk of a resumed influx remained likely and posed a threat to Finland’s national security.

“It is very likely that Russia’s hybrid influence activities will resume and expand,” Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen said at a news conference on Thursday.

She said migrants were waiting at the border with Russia in case of reopening and that the border would remain closed until February 11.

“National security is a crucial issue for Finland,” Ms Rantanen said. “It is necessary to continue the border closure.”

The move to close the borders came after about 900 migrants crossed the Finland-Russia border to seek asylum in November, a sharp increase from previous months. Finnish authorities have argued that a much higher number of migrants seeking asylum puts pressure on immigration services and increases the risk of ‘radicalised’ people entering.

Ms Rantanen acknowledged that the situation was “very difficult” for dual citizens and Russian nationals living in Finland who had to cross the border. She added that the closures would be temporary and not a permanent solution.

Human rights experts have called on Finland to provide more evidence that the closure is necessary, pointing to the country’s obligation under international law to welcome asylum seekers.

Finland has argued that other points of entry, such as Helsinki airport, can still receive asylum applications. But Martin Scheinin, a human rights scholar at the University of Oxford, said there was no “real and effective way” for that to happen.

“Finland has blocked any effective possibility to approach its authorities at the borders,” he said.