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Russia begins to annul visas of Finnish citizens shopping for fuel, food — newspaper

This happened several dozen times at the Vaalimaa and Nuijamaa border crossing points, the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reported

© Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva/via REUTERS

STOCKHOLM, May 13. /TASS/. Russian border guards began to annul visas for those Finnish residents who come to Russia to refuel their vehicles and buy food, the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reported on Saturday.

According to it, this happened several dozen times at the Vaalimaa and Nuijamaa border crossing points.

The newspaper notes that people travel from Finland to Russia to shop and refuel using multiple-entry business visas obtained through private visa centers but previously, Russian authorities used to turn a blind eye to it even though such visits did not constitute a business trip.

In February, Finland began to build a "test section" of a 3-km-long fence on the border with Russia near the Imatra border crossing. The fence will be equipped with technical control systems. The first stage of the construction worth €6 mln is supposed to be completed by the end of June.

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