In a bid to curb the influx of asylum seekers, Finland has announced the installation of barriers on four out of the eight border crossings it shares with Russia. The Finnish Border Guard has confirmed that the barriers will be erected at midnight (22:00 GMT) at the Vaalimaa, Nuijamaa, Imatra, and Niirala crossings situated in southeastern Finland.

According to Matti Pitkaniitty, the head of international affairs at the Border Guard, the objective is to prevent unauthorized entry by utilizing barrier devices. He attributed these measures to changes in Russia's border policy.

Helsinki has accused Moscow of encouraging or turning a blind eye to undocumented migrants crossing over from Russia, although Russia has denied these allegations.

Earlier this week, Finland announced the closure of the aforementioned four border crossings, which are the busiest points of travel between the two countries, with approximately 3,000 people crossing each day.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has suggested that Moscow seeks to destabilize Finland in response to its decision to join NATO amidst Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed her support for Finland's actions, describing Russia's instrumentalization of migrants as "shameful."

Norway, Finland's neighbor that shares a border with Russia in the Arctic, has also expressed readiness to close its border if necessary.

Effective from Saturday, asylum seekers arriving through Russia will only be permitted to submit their applications at the Salla and Vartius border crossings in the north, as confirmed by Pitkaniitty.

These border closures come at a time of increasing tension between Russia and Finland regarding Helsinki's military alliances since the outset of Russia's conflict with Ukraine.

Finland shares a 1,340km (833-mile) frontier with Russia, which serves as the external border of the European Union.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland abandoned its longstanding policy of military non-alignment, becoming a NATO member in April. In response, Russia warned of taking unspecified "countermeasures."

Finland's Border Guard has detected a rise in undocumented arrivals, predominantly from Africa and the Middle East, since the change in the country's military stance.

Despite the measures, Finland's ombudsman for non-discrimination emphasized Helsinki's continued obligation, under international treaties and EU law, to grant asylum seekers the opportunity to seek protection.

Furthermore, Finland is in the process of constructing a 200km (124-mile) fence along a section of its border with Russia, scheduled for completion by 2026.