23 november 2023 — 12:00
The Finnish government on Wednesday, November 22, announced the closure of almost all checkpoints on the border of Russia with Finland.
-The State Council also decided to close the Kuusamo, Salla and Vartius border crossings on the eastern border on Friday, November 24, 2023, from 00:00, - the official message says.
The only working checkpoint on the land border remains Raya-Joosepi, which is located on the border with the Murmansk region. According to the country's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, the road to it requires "serious efforts".
Recall that on November 18, Finland closed four border crossings on the border with Russia: "Vaalimaa", "Nuiyamaa", "Imatra" and "Niiralaa". These points will not work until February 18. The Parikkala checkpoint was closed back in April.
Vladimir Matyagin, President of the National Association of Freight Motor Transport "Gruzavtotrans", told TASS that after the closure of four checkpoints on the border of Russia and Finland, cargo carriers changed routes to other destinations without loss.
- There were no problems for cargo carriers, since the loss of the route is compensated by other directions, for example, domestic ones, - TASS quotes Matyagin.
Among them are Moscow, as well as foreign destinations — Turkey, Iran, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Georgia.
The Finnish authorities explain the closure of the border by the influx of refugees. Thus, according to the Finnish border service, migrants from the Middle East and Africa — from Iraq, Yemen and Somalia - mainly come to the country.
It is reported that the Kuusamo, Salla and Vartius border crossings will not work from November 25 to December 23.