Finland blocks border crossings to stop migrants

Bangkok Post Group

Finland will erect barriers at four crossings on its border with Russia from midnight, officials said on Friday, seeking to stem an increase in migrants that Helsinki says has been orchestrated by Moscow. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00 Finland will erect barriers at four of its nine border crossings with Russia from midnight

00:04 on Friday.

00:05 It wants to stem an increase in migrants that Helsinki says have been orchestrated by Moscow

00:10 in revenge for Finland's defence cooperation with the United States.

00:14 Here's Finland's Interior Minister, Mari Rantanen, speaking on Thursday.

00:19 It's clear that Russian authorities have facilitated people in crossing the border from Russia

00:27 to Finland.

00:28 It's possible that this form of illegal entry that we are now experiencing could grow and

00:37 intensify quickly and significantly.

00:41 It's already putting a strain on Finnish authorities.

00:47 Helsinki angered Moscow when it joined the NATO military alliance in April, after decades

00:51 of non-alignment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

00:55 The Kremlin denies Finland's accusations, with the TASS, a news agency, reporting spokesman

00:59 Dmitry Peskov had said the country was making a "big mistake" by choosing a path of confrontation.

01:06 Also speaking on Thursday, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtinen.

01:12 Finland's eastern border is also the external border of the Schengen area, the European

01:16 Union and of NATO.

01:19 Finland is well prepared to counter any type of hybrid operations together with their partners

01:23 and allies.

01:25 We hope the pressure will ease soon and we can reopen the border crossings which are

01:30 essential for many families, diplomats and the transfer of necessary goods.

01:34 Thank you.

01:36 According to the border guard, some 300 asylum seekers, mostly from Iraq, Yemen, Somalia

01:41 and Syria, arrived in Finland this week.

01:44 According to officials, nearly 100 had entered the country from Russia by midday on Friday

01:48 alone.

01:49 But from Saturday, asylum seekers arriving via Russia will only be allowed to hand in

01:53 their applications at two northern border crossings.

01:57 Finland shares an 830-mile border with Russia that also serves as an EU external border.

02:03 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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