Finnish authorities have decided to increase the barriers placed on the border with Russia by half a meter, up to 3.5 m, and have also decided to make the metal mesh denser, the Finnish Border Service said in a statement. As the department clarified, by the end of 2026, the Finnish border service will build a total of 200 km of fortifications on the eastern border. These fortifications include direct mesh fences and technical control systems.
“The Eastern Border Barrier enhances border security here and now and is necessary to control and prevent large-scale migration.” – emphasized the service.
According to the project director Erkki MatilainenAccording to the department, the project has now created all the conditions for its implementation.
“Trees have already been removed from the buffer zone in south-eastern Finland, North Karelia and Kainuu over a distance of more than 50 km; the work is continuing and expanding. Most of the nearly one thousand landowners were heard. The dialogues with them were excellent.” — Matilainen said.
However, he clarified that the project’s funding came from an additional budget in spring 2024, “which allowed the relevant contracts and purchases to be accelerated.”
“Based on experience, minor changes have been made to the barrier design. The fence mesh will be half a metre higher (3.5 m) and denser to increase the value of the barrier. Fixings and structures of fences, gates and cylindrical barriers have been improved… Technical control solutions are being improved and made more functional.” – said the project director.
At the end of 2023, Finland closed checkpoints on the border with Russia: Finnish authorities cited a strong influx of migrants from Africa and the Middle East as the reason. According to Helsinki, Moscow contributed to this. The Russian Foreign Ministry called the accusations false. The Kremlin claimed that Finland deliberately decided to distance itself from good relations with Russia.
At the end of July, an emergency law came into force in Finland to limit the reception of refugees on the border with Russia: people seeking asylum in Finland can be banned from entering the country or expelled from there. That same month, Yle reported that the authorities had decided to build additional fortifications on the border with Russia with a completion date of no later than the end of 2026, RBC recalls.
