Finland’s prime minister Petteri Orpo claims that Russia is using migrants as “human weapons” against Finland. According to sources, there is now talk of closing the entire eastern border.
The Russian foreign ministry has dismissed the allegations as “completely baseless”, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov believes it would be a “big mistake” to close the border entirely.
– We are trying to prevent these people from entering. This is being done systematically by Russia. If we manage to stop it, this problem will disappear, the Finnish Prime Minister said at a press conference, adding that there is “concern” about the whole situation.
According to the Finnish authorities, the flow of migrants towards Finland is “exceptionally large” and they claim that the Russian state is behind it.
Sources in the tabloid Iltalehti also report that Finnish authorities are now considering closing the entire eastern border – something Orpo confirms.
– It seems that the phenomenon is continuing here. We are following the government’s situation very closely. We are very prepared for further decisions.
“Everyone remembers the iron curtain”
So far, four of the nine border crossings to Russia have been closed. The Finnish-Russian border is about 1340 kilometers long.
Russian citizens living in Finland have protested the actions and fear that the situation will become like that in East Germany.
– I am very worried and my parents are also very afraid. Everyone remembers what it was like with the Iron Curtain. It’s scary to go back to that, says Vera Ponoraomeva, who lives in Helsinki.
“Unfounded accusations”
Russian authorities insist that accusations of using migrants as a kind of “weapon” against Finland are “completely baseless”.
– Russia has never in its recent history threatened Finland. We did not have a reason for confrontation, says Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, adding that it would be “a big mistake” for Finland to close its borders completely.
Russian state broadcaster RT also reports that Finland has called in soldiers to reinforce the Vartius border station in Kuhmo, Finland.
