Finland begins to build a 200-kilometer “fence” with Russia

The Finnish government is building a 200-kilometre barrier on the border with Russia, supposedly to protect the country from possible Russian aggression. The structure accounts for 15% of the 1,300 km border between the two countries. They are currently marked with plastic tags and wire for most of their lengths.

Construction began on February 28, 2023, the target areas should be completed by 2025, and the remaining barrier to be completed in 2026. The deadline is justified by the weather conditions in the country.

The Finnish government calls partition “a wall” And in a Q&A document (accessible at location or the full – 455 KB), showing what the structure will look like. look:

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Illustrative photo of what the fence looks like on the border between Finland and Russia. The montage is on the Finnish government website

The proposal was submitted by the Finnish Border Guard and the Ministry of the Interior to the Finnish government.

To create the barrier, the country had to change its legislation and include an amendment that would limit the reception of asylum applications to specific entry points. The changes are also expected to allow for the construction of fences and roads on the Finnish side to aid in patrolling.

Finland and Russia have a history of wars and Helsinki, the country’s capital, feels threatened by its neighbor ever since the invasion of Ukraine.

“The separation fence on the eastern border is essential in the current security situation, as it prevents illegal entry, speeds up the detection and arrest of people illegally crossing the border, allows widespread and instrumental denial of entry, and improves regional monitoring and prevention of territorial violations.”Justify the government.

Last week, Finland officially became the 31st member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).

The Finnish government formally submitted its application in May 2022 after assessing that the country’s security was threatened. The decision to join NATO was prompted by the war between Russia and Ukraine. Finland had its entry I believe On March 30, after 30 member states of the organization approved membership.

Finland’s entry more than doubles the length of the military alliance’s border with Russia, as the Scandinavian country shares nearly 1,300 kilometers with the one led by Vladimir Putin. Previously, 3 NATO members shared land borders with Russia: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.