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Finland confirms flow of migrants from Russia stopped

Samuli Murtonen also said that Finnish and Russian border guards are in contact

HELSINKI, June 5. /TASS/. The flow of migrants heading from Russia to Finland has stopped since the beginning of the year owing to the efforts of both countries' border guards, Deputy Commander of Finland’s North Karelia border guard Samuli Murtonen told a press conference.

"It seems like the job has been done well on both sides," Murtonen commented on the absence of migrants at the border, the Yle broadcaster reported.

Murtonen also said that Finnish and Russian border guards are in contact. "The nature of interaction has not changed. If we meet on cross-country terrain, we say hello to each other," he said.

All checkpoints on the Finnish-Russian border are currently closed indefinitely by decision of the Finnish government due to uncontrolled refugees inflow. Finland expected the situation to worsen in summer over better access to the border, but it has not changed. Two violations were recorded at the border in May; people left Finland for Russia, the Finnish border guard said on June 4.