Finland has announced that its border with Russia—shut since December 2023—will remain closed indefinitely due to ongoing security concerns.
The closure of the 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) eastern border came after about 1,000 migrants without visas entered Finland, a situation Helsinki claims was orchestrated by Russia. Moscow has denied the accusation.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Finnish government said, “Based on the current intelligence, there remains a significant risk of renewed and expanded instrumentalised migration.” Authorities warned that such activity could severely threaten national security and public order.
Applications for asylum have since been redirected to other official crossing points in the country. The government had already extended the border closure in April 2024 “until further notice,” a decision it has now reaffirmed.
“The government’s decision has remained consistent for nearly a year. Given the circumstances, it was appropriate to review and renew it,” the statement said.
Additionally, in March, Finland proposed prolonging a temporary law enacted in July 2024, which allows border officials to turn back asylum seekers under specific conditions if national security is at risk. This so-called “pushback border law” has been criticized by experts for potentially violating both Finland’s constitution and its international human rights obligations.
Despite these concerns, the government maintains that both the border closure and the temporary law have been effective in halting what it called “instrumentalised migration,” which began in late 2023.
