Finland will once again close its entire border with Russia to curb the influx of asylum seekers, according to Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, Reuters reports.
The decision comes shortly after Finland had temporarily reopened two of the eight border crossings, resulting in the renewed arrival of migrants. The Finnish Border Guard reported that around 36 asylum seekers had arrived.
The new border closure, starting Friday and lasting one month, aims to counter what Finland perceives as Russia’s ongoing “hybrid operation” against the country in response to Finland’s increased defense cooperation with the United States, a claim denied by the Kremlin.
In November, approximately 900 asylum seekers from various nations entered Finland from Russia, marking a significant increase from previous numbers and prompting the initial closure.
