Russian-Finnish relations have deteriorated particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to Finland joining the Western NATO military alliance in April.
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Frontex, the European coast and border guard agency, announced the upcoming deployment of 50 officials to the Finnish border with Russia, in a press release published Thursday, November 23. The operation should begin “from next week”. This statement comes at a time when Helsinki accuses Moscow of orchestrating a migration crisis.
Finland, which is facing an increase in illegal entries into its territory via its eastern border, decided on Wednesday to close all its border crossings except one, with its Russian neighbor. The Finnish government claimed that it was “clear that foreign authorities and other actors played a role in facilitating the entry of people into Finland”according to a press release in which he also incriminates “international crime”.
Frontex agency supports Finland
“Frontex’s support for Finland goes beyond logistics, it is a demonstration of the unitary position of the European Union against hybrid attacks against one of its members”, for his part declared the executive director of Frontex, Hans Leijtens. Until now, 10 Frontex officials were deployed across the 1,300 kilometers of borders that Finland shares with Russia.
The Russian authorities reacted on Thursday by announcing that they were strengthening security in the border region of Murmansk, where the only border crossing still open with Finland is located. Russian-Finnish relations have deteriorated particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to Finland joining the Western NATO military alliance in April.
