(Photo : ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO/AFP via Getty Images)
The Finnish Border Guard proposed to build a fence on its eastern side, the longest EU border with Russia, in early 2022, which has began recently.
Finland has beagn constructing a fence that begins from Pelkola on the Russian border. The alleged purpose of the partition is to keep Russia out with barbed wires as physical sign that it wants nothing to do with Moscow,
Finland Erects Symbolic Fence
Sources say the parts of the border fence will be placed under construction from 2023 to 2025. Border crossing points will be included in the nearby areas thought as crucial by the Finns. Details indicate that funds have been provided to complete the 70-kilometer span that stretches from the southeast of Finland, North Karelia, Kainuu, and Lapland.
Finland has already began is the forest clearance with a road built and a three-meter partition, and to equip with a technical surveillance system to monitor activity as well. A three-kilometer stretch at Pelkola, which is close to the Imatra border crossing, will be done by June, as reported by Sputnik News.
The Finnish Border Guard suggested, in early 2022, that a barrier be made to cover approximately 10 to 20 percent of the east side border, around 260 km, which is a small portion of the total massive 1,300 km border. This is the longest border shared with the Russian Federation, noted Reuters.
One of the reasons why the border guard wanted partial fencing is to prevent illegal border crossing from the other side. However, scientists say the barrier will keep the movement of wildlife all over regions in the area. This barrier is three meters tall with barbed wires on top that would keep animals from crossing over the opposite side. Scientists say that the barrier will impact animals living in these regions too.
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The border project with a cost of $404Mln is deemed not a priority for the national budget of Helsinki. The project requires the procurement of technology to monitor the border at all times, which includes road construction relevant things to build the wall.
One of the most serious implications of the barrier is the Finns would alienate its Moscow relations in an unfavorable way. They would lose the trade and economic relationship which started in the Soviet Era. Now more than ever the ideological difference has taken a worse turn as US-backed NATO would inadvertently throw the Finns in the line of fire. No more neutrality as they become part of NATO expansion.
Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine Prompts Fencing of Borders
Everything changed when the special operation of Russia commenced in Ukraine, which made smaller European countries consider their options. Helsinki decided to file a bid to join NATO, together with Sweden, and even agreed on punitive actions against Russia, cited AP News.
The Finns would make border crossing hard and make visas hard to get. One of the worst consequences of turning away Russian tourists is no income for communities near the border, which depends their business on Russian tourists.
After Helsinki, a spate of barriers rose in eastern Europe, which is what Latvia did in 2021 on the border with Belarus. Countries like Lithuania, Estonia even Poland are part of locking out Moscow physically. This year, Finland has began building a fence that starts at Pelkola which will be 70 km from the border close to Russia.
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