Finland continues to close border with Russia amid risk of 'instrumentalized migration'

Finland has extended its decision to close border crossings with Russia "until further notice" as it remains concerned about "the risk of continued instrumental migration from Russia," the government has said.

"Based on the information available to the Finnish authorities, the risk that instrumental migration will resume and expand, as previously observed, remains likely. If this phenomenon continues, it will pose a serious threat to the national security and public order of Finland," the government said in a statement on its website on Wednesday.

The government recalled that border crossings on the land border between Finland and Russia have been closed since December 15, 2023, based on a number of government decisions. The latest decision came into force on April 15, 2024. Applications for international protection can be submitted at other border crossing points on Finland's external borders, which are still open to air and sea traffic.

As reported, on January 8, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced that the border with Russia would remain closed. He added that "Russia's shadow fleet is the biggest problem in the Baltic Sea" and that the EU and NATO are currently actively looking for ways to counter it.

As explained in open sources, "instrumentalized migration" is a situation in which state and non-state actors use migrants as a tool, covertly or overtly, to exert strategic or political pressure on the target state.