Finland Begins Fencing On The Russian Border
Finland has started to build a 200-kilometer fence on the Russian border to increase security. The Border Guard has announced that the fence will be 3 meters high and will be covered with barbed wire.
BORDER TALK WITH WOODEN FENCES
Finland shares the longest European Union border with Russia at 1,340 km. Currently, Finland’s borders are protected by light wooden fences.
Finland has decided to erect a metal fence on its border, as the number of Russians seeking to escape conscription and fight in Ukraine is growing.
While the fence works at the Imatra border gate started with the clearing of the forests, road construction and fence installation is planned to start in March. Night vision cameras, lights and speakers will be placed in certain parts of the fence.
Border Guards stated that the 3-kilometer pilot project is expected to be completed by the end of June, and that the fence will be 3 meters high and 200 kilometers long.
Finland, on the other hand, made new changes to the Border Guard Law in July, allowing stronger fences. Existing wooden fences are mostly used to prevent animals from crossing the border.
Russians who don’t want to fight are coming to the border
Since Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, Finland has been trying to strengthen its eastern border. In September, large numbers of Russians began to flee to Finland after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the mobilization of reserve forces to fight in Ukraine.
On the other hand, after Russia began attacking Ukraine last year, both Finland and Sweden decided to join NATO after years of neutrality.
Helsinki has fewer diplomatic hurdles than Stockholm, and the Finnish government wants to act before the April general elections.
Turkey and Hungary have not yet approved the proposals of Finland and Sweden to join the defense bloc.
