Finland acts against Russian destabilization, shuts down eastern border
2:39 AM EST, November 30, 2023
Russia persists in applying hybrid warfare tactics with an aim to destabilize NATO countries.
Finland has decided to close their eastern border, as Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and Interior Minister Mari Rantanen announced at an emergency press conference. The closure is justified by the government to ensure the security of the border and the state.
In effect, immigrants moving towards Finland through Russia will not be allowed to cross the eastern border and apply for asylum. Only the transportation of goods will be permitted across the Finnish-Russian border.
The government decided to make an absolute closure of the entire eastern border in response to the influx of migrants from third countries. As Prime Minister Orpo emphasized, this strategy was put in place in response to the "varying organized actions by the Russian state aimed at exerting influence."
Despite harsh winter conditions, asylum seekers have managed to reach the North. For instance, on Thursday, November 16, a group of around 20 people managed to reach the first border crossing in the North in Kuhmo, even on bicycles. In Russia's recent hybrid operations, over 800 people have crossed the Finnish border in total.
The decision to close the entire border, encompassing the final open crossing to the far North in Lapland, in the direction of Murmansk (approximately 155 miles from the border), will be enforced from Wednesday night to Thursday and will remain in effect for two weeks.
"Consequently, asserting a similar stance against other nations, like Finland, can be predicted. It may try to destabilize Norway and Estonia or repeat previous attempts at disruption. Remember, Russia has previously attempted to destabilize the situation on the Belarus-Lithuania, Belarus-Latvia, and Belarus-Poland borders. It is no coincidence that Norway and Estonia are also preparing to close their borders”, assesses the expert.
Officials of the European Union have insinuated that Russia and Belarus orchestrated this crisis, using refugees as proxies in their political maneuvers against EU and NATO nations.
