Finland will close its entire border with Russia over migrant concerns

By JARI TANNER
Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — Finland says it will close its last remaining border crossing with Russia amid concerns that Moscow is using migrants as part of “hybrid warfare” to destabilize the Nordic country following its entry into NATO. Finland already had shut seven of its eight of the checkpoints on its 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) border with Russia following a surge in migrant arrivals. The Finnish government said the closure announced Tuesday is due to last for at least two weeks, after which one crossing point may be reopened. Finnish authorities say about 900 asylum-seekers crossed from Russia this month, an unusual increase. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says his country has a “profound reason to suspect” the influx was orchestrated.