Finland has begun constructing the first segment of a fence along its border with Russia as of Friday, less than two weeks after joining NATO in an effort to complete a security transformation in response to the war in Ukraine. Out of fear of potential backlash following its NATO membership application, the government decided last year to build the fence primarily in anticipation of a possible move by Russia to flood the border with migrants.
Finland is wary of a repeat of events that occurred on the eastern border of the European Union in Poland during the winter of 2021, when the bloc accused neighboring Belarus, a close ally of Russia, of creating a crisis by transporting migrants from the Middle East, granting them entry visas, and pushing them toward the border.
The Finnish fence, made of a mesh of steel, is expected to cover about 200 kilometers of the most sensitive sections of Finland’s border by the end of 2026. Project manager Ismo Korki stated that the fence is not intended to stop any invasion attempts but will be equipped with monitoring equipment. To date, the total 1300-kilometer border has seen only limited human activity.
