More asylum seekers rush to Finland from Russia before border closure

FILE PHOTO: Cars in line wait for the closed Vaalimaa border checkpoint between Finland and Russia to reopen, in Virolahti, Finland on December 13, 2023. Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva/via REUTERS/File Photo

By Essi Lehto

HELSINKI (Reuters) – The Finnish Border Guard on Friday said more than 200 asylum seekers have entered Finland from Russia since the Nordic country reopened some border crossings on Thursday to allow travel between the two countries after a two-week total closure.

The Finnish government said on Thursday afternoon it will again shut the border from 1800 GMT on Friday, this time for one month, after the inflow of asylum seekers restarted as soon as the border restrictions were relaxed.

Some 900 asylum seekers from nations such as Kenya, Morocco, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen entered Finland from Russia in November, an increase from less than one per day previously, according to the Border Guard.

Helsinki says the inflow of asylum seekers arriving via Russia is an orchestrated move by Moscow in retaliation for the Finland’s decision to increase defence cooperation with the United States. The Kremlin denies this.

The arrivals stopped when Finland shut the border in late November, but resumed on Thursday when two of the eight crossings were reopened.

In a letter published on Monday, the Council of Europe said it was “concerned about the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants” following the temporary border closure, and asked Finland to ensure it remained possible to seek protection.

Minister of Interior Mari Rantanen, who represents the anti-immigration Finns Party, told Reuters on Monday there was no cause for human rights concerns, however, as asylum could be sought at other entry points.

Finland still allows asylum applications to be filed by migrants arriving at harbours and airports.

(Reporting by Essi Lehto; Editing by Terje Solsvik and Frances Kerry)