The Finnish government has decided to close three checkpoints on the border with Russia – Rossiyskaya Gazeta

The restriction will be in effect for one month from midnight on November 24 to December 23. The Finnish Council of State has decided to close the Kuusamo, Salla and Vartius border crossings on the eastern border, according to the statement.

The Raja-Joosepi checkpoint will remain the only point on the Russian-Finnish border where asylum applications will continue to be accepted.

Previously, the Finnish government closed checkpoints on the border with Russia near St. Petersburg from November 18 to February 18, 2024. According to Finnish customs, after this cargo traffic between the countries practically stopped. , since it was through these points on the eastern border that the trucks passed. In Helsinki, the restrictions were explained by “overcrowding.”

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called the Finns’ actions “clumsy” following Helsinki’s attempt to shift responsibility to Russia. Her comment is posted on the department’s website. The director of the second European department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergei Belyaev, noted that Moscow will not leave any anti-Russian action by Finland unanswered.