Helsinki's decision to close four of the country's nine border crossings with Russia to stem the flow of undocumented migrants and refugees into Finland is impacting residents with relatives in Russia. At a protest in the capital, people raised concerns about a new 'Iron Curtain'.
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Several hundred protesters, including Russians living in Finland and dual-nationals, chanted “open the borders” at a demonstration outside the parliament in Helsinki on Saturday after some crossing checkpoints with Russia were closed on Friday midnight.
Dual-national Helsinki resident, Vera Ponamoreva said she was worried she wouldn’t be able to care for her elderly parents living in Saint Petersburg.
Another dual-national, Pavel Myakinen said he was concerned that his mother wouldn’t be able to visit him, as driving through open crossing points in Finland’s north will make for a long and expensive journey.
He added that there were small groups of migrants on the Russian side, but they were not admitted as the border crossing points were closed.
The Finland-Russia land border that serves as the European Union’s external frontier runs 1,340 kilometres, mostly through thick forests in the south, to the rugged landscape in the Arctic north.
Helsinki accuses Moscow of ‘‘funneling’’ migrants to its crossings, in response to the country’s strengthening defence ties with the United States.
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