STOCKHOLM, November 24. /TASS/. Finnish Ambassador to Russia Antti Helantera has informed the Russian Foreign Ministry about his country’s decision to close border checkpoints.

"Finnish Ambassador to Russia Antti Helantera visited the Russian foreign ministry <…> on November 24 to inform it about the Finnish government’s decision of November 22, 2023 to temporarily close the Kuusamo, Salla and Vartius border checkpoints," the Russian foreign ministry said.

The Finnish ambassador reiterated that his country is ready to continue cooperation between the two countries’ border services in conformity with the existing agreements.

Finland shut down four crossing points on the eastern border with Russia (Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra and Niirala) on the night of November 17 to 18 due to what it described as the influx of third-country citizens. On November 22, the Finnish government made a decision to close three out of the four remaining crossings on the border with Russia until December 23, 2023.

Thus, Raya-Jooseppi (Lotta on the Russian side) is the only checkpoint on Finland’s land border with Russia. However, the Finnish authorities do not rule our that this crossing could be closed too if the influx of illegal migrants does not stop.