Finland Seals Border with Russia Over Security Fears and Hybrid Threats

Finland has announced that its eastern border with Russia will remain closed indefinitely, citing continuing security concerns. This decision extends a policy that began in 2023, when Helsinki accused Moscow of deliberately orchestrating a migrant crisis to destabilise the Finnish border region.

The Finnish government confirmed that no reopening date is currently planned for any of the land checkpoints along the 1,340 kilometre eastern border. Authorities are standing firm, stating that the indefinite closure is a direct response to what they describe as Russia’s use of migration as a geopolitical tool.

In 2023, Finland began gradually shutting down border crossings after a marked increase in undocumented asylum seekers, primarily from third countries. Helsinki claims these individuals were purposefully directed to the Finnish frontier by Russian officials. The Finnish Border Guard reported that Russian border guards did not intervene and allowed people without proper documentation to pass, an act Finland views as hostile.

This tactic is widely seen in the region as part of Moscow’s so-called hybrid warfare, a mix of military threats and other pressures used to undermine neighbouring states without conventional armed conflict.

In October 2024, Finland permanently closed the temporary crossing points at Inari and Parikkala. While these closures were reportedly agreed upon with the Russian side, the Finnish authorities now confirm that all remaining checkpoints will stay shut for the foreseeable future.

The Finnish Ministry of the Interior stated the decision was based on intelligence assessments pointing to continued efforts by Russia to interfere with Finnish stability through manufactured migration flows. Officials also expressed concern about potential sabotage, infiltration, and disinformation campaigns emanating from Russian territory.

In response to the announcement, Finnish citizens have largely backed their government’s hard stance. Public opinion surveys suggest a majority of Finns support continued border closures until Russian behaviour changes significantly.

Although Finland is now a member of NATO and increasingly aligning with Western security structures, the move to keep the border shut also reflects a broader European response to perceived threats from the Kremlin. Other neighbouring countries, including the Baltic States, have voiced similar concerns about Moscow’s tactics along shared frontiers.

For context, the economic impact on cross-border trade has been minimal. The volume of trade and travel across the border had already declined sharply since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Tourism, once a source of cross-border income, has virtually ceased.