Finland Seizes Men Illegally Entering From Russia Through Forest
- Group of Iranian men cross closed border through the terrain
- Finland has been concerned over arrivals beyond checkpoints
A Finnish Border Guard in Lappeenranta, Finland.
Photographer: Vesa Moilanen/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Finnish border guards arrested a group of men who illegally crossed the closed Russian frontier through the forest, suggesting worsening tension on the NATO’s newest demarcation with its key adversary.
It’s a worrying sign for the government in Helsinki to see asylum seekers arrive through the wilderness as checkpoints have mostly been closed since mid-November. The border spans 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) and its length makes it hard to monitor, though it’s enclosed by thick forest on both sides, and snow cover hinders crossing.