Finland raises border barrier with Russia to boost security
The barrier on the Finnish-Russian border will be taller and denser than initially planned. The Finnish border guard expects it to be 12 feet instead of 10 feet tall. The decision was made based on conclusions drawn from a pilot project and observations of the situation on the border with Russia.
The services decided to modify the project for constructing the barrier on the border with Russia after experiences gathered during the pilot, during which approximately 2 miles of fence were installed.
The test section, a 2-mile stretch of metal barrier topped with barbed wire, completed in the fall of last year, is located in southeastern Finland near the border crossing in Imatra.
In the coming years, they plan to secure around 124 miles, or 15 percent of the more than 800-mile-long Finnish-Russian border, mainly near the most popular transportation routes.
The new border barrier with Russia is expected to be completed by 2026
They decided to change the method of constructing the pontoon crossing in marshy areas. The border guards added in the statement that the monitoring system continues to be developed.
According to the project chief, Erkki Matilainen, from the border guard department, construction of the actual fence has already started in South Karelia near the border crossing at Nuijamaa.
Meanwhile, in other parts of southeastern Finland and Kainuu, trees have been removed along stretches over 31 miles. The work is progressing according to schedule, stated Matilainen. The project is expected to be completed by 2026.
The Finnish Ministry of Defense is preparing changes to the law, prohibiting the sale of real estate to Russians
Furthermore, the Finnish Ministry of Defense wants to introduce a total ban on selling real estate to Russian citizens. The ministry explains this step as an effort to prevent the destabilization of Finland. The ministry believes real estate could be used in crises, threatening the country's security.
Finland must ensure that there are no weak points in society that can be exploited by hostile forces, argued Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen at a press conference in Helsinki.
Under the new law, authorities will have the power to refuse permission to purchase real estate to individuals and legal entities from countries deemed to threaten the integrity, sovereignty, and independence of other countries.
