Russia Waves Off Finland's Border Crossing Accusations
Russia has brushed off Finland's allegations of smuggling undocumented migrants across their shared border to destabilize Finland, which became a NATO member in April. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declared, "We don't accept such accusations." Peskov added that border crossings are for individuals with the right to do so and slammed Finland's claims as "far-fetched."
Finland recently shuttered half of its border crossings with Russia due to an increase in Middle Eastern and African migrants, particularly from Iraq, Yemen, and Somalia. The remaining crossings could face closure this week, sparking a warning from Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko. Grushko warned that such a move would hurt Finland's interests.
Russia and Finland share a long, 1340-kilometer border. Rapprochement between the two countries has soured significantly following Russia's military aggression towards Ukraine in 2022. In April, Finland joined NATO, which Moscow deemed an "attack on Russia's security."
Until now, Finland's borders have been safeguarded with light wooden fences intended for livestock containment. However, Finland is now constructing a 200-kilometer fence along its Finnish-Russian border due for completion in 2026.
Western nations once accused Russia's ally, Belarus, of busing tens of thousands of illegal migrants across the border to Poland and Lithuania in 2021 as retaliation for EU sanctions. The Kremlin strongly denies Finland's accusations, maintaining that their border crossings are for individuals with legitimate rights. Peskov deemed Finland's censure as baseless and far-fetched. This impasse arises as Finland narrows its border crossings with Russia in response to an influx of migrants, a move Russia views as counterproductive to Finland's interests.
Historical and recent events shed light on the dispute between Russia and Finland:
- Finland's demand for territories from the Soviet Union during the Winter War (1939-1940) and their refusal to cede the land led to Finland losing significant territory to the Soviet Union.
- Finland's decision to join NATO and Russia's response, condemning the move as an "attack on Russia's security."
- Finland closing its border crossings to travelers from Russia in 2023 due to an influx of asylum seekers. Finland later reopened two border crossings but kept the rest closed, citing concerns over security and instrumentalized migration.
- Criticism of Finland's border security law, which has been extended to combat instrumentalized migration, for violating EU law and international human rights treaties.
- Allegations of Russian involvement in facilitating asylum seeker entries and influencing migration policies in Finland.
The ongoing geopolitical tensions between Russia and Western countries, particularly regarding NATO expansion and migration policies, have driven Finland's actions to safeguard its borders and security. The dispute highlights Russia's desire to maintain its influence in the region and the fragile nature of international relations.
