Finland pushing back 'weaponized migration' on border with Russia
Nov 26, 2023
Helsinki [Finland], November 26: Growing numbers of asylum-seeking migrants have in recent weeks been crossing the once quiet border from Russia into Finland in freezing temperatures, a move Helsinki has labelled a hybrid attack. Cloaked in heavy winter coats, many have been arriving on bicycles, attempting to bypass a ban on crossing the border on foot. Finland barred entry by bicycle last week. In early October, the Finnish border guard raised the alarm about a shift in Moscow's policy, saying Russia was allowing an increasing number of migrants without proper papers to reach the border. Since August, around 700 asylum seekers have entered Finland without a visa over its 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border with Russia.
