The Government of Finland has decided to continue the restrictions on the border with Russia, according to the Finnish Customs Service Tulli. The border crossing points will remain temporarily closed, with the exception of the border crossing points of Vaalimaa and Niirala, which have been opened for traffic since Thursday 14 December. The closure of the border crossings on the Russian border is explained by the Finnish authorities by “irregular migration”, which “still poses a serious threat to national security”.
In accordance with the Government decision made on 12 December 2023, both goods and passenger traffic on the Finnish-Russian land border at the border crossing points of Imatra, Kuusamo, Nuijamaa, Raja-Joosepi, Salla and Vartius will remain closed.
The border crossing points of Vaalimaa and Niirala open on 14 December 2023. The freight train traffic in Vainikkala will continue. This decision will remain in force until 14 January 2024.
According to Russia’s Northwest Customs Office, since the opening of Vaalimaa (Torfyanovka) and Niirala (Wartsila), by 9 a.m. Moscow time 24 trucks, 190 cars, three buses and 348 persons crossed the border via Vaalimaa (Torfyanovka), most of them were entering Russia from Finland.
Photo: Northwest Customs Administration